How To

Change Google Docs to Latex

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Why changing from Docs To Latex?

  1. Problem with Google Docs
    Google Docs is an useful environment for people to create, upload, download, edit, and share files. It has been used by many people, especially for team work, where all team members can upload and edit files together. However, Google Docs has a big problem: if someone delete the file, it cannot be recovered.

  2. Solution
    To solve this problem, using a system similar to Google Docs but uploading the Latex files instead of Word file is a reasonable solution. People can restore the previous version of the files. More over, Latex provides a better view on the file, with the view only. Therefore, this document will serve to instruct people how to change changing from Docs To Latex

Prerequisites

  • Background knowledge on Python programming language. If you not familiar with it, check out the tutorial here.
  • Background knowledge on LaTeX. If you not familiar with it, check out the tutorial here.
  • Background knowledge on Pandoc. If you not familiar with it, check out the tutorial and install Pandoc here.
  • Background knowledge on Git and GitHub. If you not familiar with it, check out the tutorial here.

Getting started

To covert Google Docs to Latex, do the following steps:
  • Download files from google docs as .docx
  • Download this template file and named it template.tex
  • Run this command in terminal:
    pandoc inputFile –f docx –t latex –template template.tex –o outputFile
    with: inputFile is the name of input file as .docx
            outputFile is the name of output file as .docx
  • Download this Python script and run it to auto-modify LaTex file.
  • Upload converted files to server.

Review

  • The converting process works smoothly but remains some small problems ncluding table, images, header and footer, and some special characters because only one template cannot handle everything.
  • To achieve perfect result, some manual modifications need to implement If you do not know how, see full modifications.

Collection of Latex conversion files

Click here to see full collection of latex files.

Contact

  • If you have any question about the above process, contact Duong Do for explanation.
  • We also welcome for any recommendation for our project. Contact at the same address

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