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Installing Latex on Windows Computer
  • Installing Miktex: Visit http://miktex.org. This is the backend program for latex. It comes with its library (quite comprehensive in nature) of packages.

    • navigate to the latest available version
    • scroll down to complete installation (I don't recommend the basic installation because many packages will not present)
    • setup***.exe file will be downloaded, run it and choose "download" option; this may take several minutes (about half an hour or so)
    • then run the setup***.exe again, with the "install" option this time; note that it takes several minutes too!!
  • Installing Ghostview & Ghostscript: visit: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/. This helps to view the .ps or .eps files.

    • First install the latest Ghostscript available for windows (identify by .exe files)
    • Install Ghostview (scroll down on the same page to get the installation file)
  • PDF viewer: Acrobat reader (you may already have one) or acrobat professional, as applicable from http://get.adobe.com/reader/
  • Install TeXnicCenter: Download and install the front-end editor for Latex from http://www.texniccenter.org/. When you run TeXnicCenter for the first time, it asks for the path of the latex.exe location. It is generally found in a path similar to <C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.7\miktex\bin>
  • Post installation configuration: This is very essential because the default paper size in latex is A4 and not letter. If you are in US, you need to generate your document according the letter size (8.5 in. x 11 in.).

    • open <C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.7\dvips\config\config.ps> and make sure that the information after the 60th line reads as follows:
      @ letterSize 8.5in 11in
      @+ ! %%DocumentPaperSizes: Letter

      @ letter 8.5in 11in
      @+ ! %%DocumentPaperSizes: Letter
      @+ %%BeginPaperSize: Letter
      @+ letter
      @+ %%EndPaperSize
      If not, scroll down and bring this to this position. This should be the first type of paper declaration.
    • In the file <C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.7\pdftex\config\pdftex.cfg> make sure the page size is defined using the following two lines:
      page_height 11 true in
      page_width 8.5 true in
  • An example latex file startup package is avalable here.