Translating LaTeX document to XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX

Question

I'm writing a Thesis on the ''use of history to teach mathematics''. The first four chapters are already typed and compiled in pdfTex, I used the memoir document class.

Recently I read this Lua post and it really caught my attention.

In order to finish the Thesis process (writing and compiling the three final chapters, also have to add graphs, tables and so) I am evaluating to move to XeLaTex (I'm not sure if LuaLaTeX would be an option but it excited me what I read). I know my LaTeX, and I feel confortable with LaTeX (pdfTeX) but I also want to "see other options".

My question is: If I want to "port" the current document code and finish the three last chapters using XeLaTeX (or LuaLaTeX), What I need to achieve that successfully?

NOTE

Here I add a MWE of the ''preamble'' and the estructure.tex in order to you see the package I am using currently and you can tell if is feasible to translate the current document.

Preamble

\documentclass[12pt,letterpaper,oneside]{memoir}
\settypeblocksize{279.4mm}{215.9mm}{*}
\setulmarginsandblock{3cm}{3cm}{*}
\setlrmarginsandblock{3.9cm}{2cm}{*}
\checkandfixthelayout
\parskip=0.25cm
\usepackage{apacite}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[spanish]{babel}
\usepackage{XCharter}
\DisemulatePackage{setspace}
\usepackage{setspace}
\makepagestyle{myheadings}
\makeevenhead{myheadings}{\thepage}{}{}
\makeoddhead{myheadings}{}{}{\thepage}

\pagestyle{myheadings}

\usepackage{titlesec}

\titleformat*{\section}{\centering\LARGE\bfseries}
\titleformat*{\subsection}{\large\bfseries}
\titleformat*{\subsubsection}{\large\bfseries}
\input{structure.tex}

Here is the structure.tex file.

\usepackage[round]{natbib}\citeindextrue 
\usepackage{graphicx} % Required to include images
\graphicspath{{./Figures/}}
\usepackage{color} % Required for custom colors
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,theorem} % Math packages
\usepackage{listings} % Required for including snippets of code
\usepackage{booktabs} % Required for better horizontal rules in tables
\usepackage{xspace} % 
\usepackage[printonlyused,withpage]{acronym} % Include a list of acronyms
\usepackage{rotating} % Allows tables and figures to be rotated
\usepackage{hyperref} % Required for links and changing link options
\usepackage{microtype} % Slightly tweak font spacing for aesthetics

\hypersetup{colorlinks, breaklinks,    linkcolor=black,citecolor=black,filecolor=black,urlcolor=black} % Set up hyperlinks including colors for references, urls and citations


\makeatletter
\renewcommand{\fnum@figure}{\textsc{\figurename~\thefigure}} % Make the "Figure 1.1" text in small caps
\makeatother

Answer 1

Well, according to what you have explained, what you need is not really translate, simply adapt your code to use XeLaTeX instead of pdflatex that is according to what I see, most affordable and easy to do.

Remember that the charm of XeLaTeX resides in to use true type fonts and especially open type easily in LaTeX. So you can bring together the best of both worlds in one document.

According to the code of your MWE:

\documentclass[12pt,letterpaper,oneside]{memoir}
\settypeblocksize{279.4mm}{215.9mm}{*}
\setulmarginsandblock{3cm}{3cm}{*}
\setlrmarginsandblock{3.9cm}{2cm}{*}
\checkandfixthelayout
\parskip=0.25cm
\usepackage{apacite}

\usepackage{fontspec} % font selection for XeLaTeX;
\defaultfontfeatures{Mapping=tex-text}
\usepackage{xunicode}
\usepackage{xltxtra}
\setmainfont{Warnock Pro} 
\setsansfont{Myriad Pro} 
\setmonofont{Consolas}

\usepackage[spanish]{babel}
%\usepackage{XCharter} 
\DisemulatePackage{setspace}
\usepackage{setspace}
\makepagestyle{myheadings}
\makeevenhead{myheadings}{\thepage}{}{}
\makeoddhead{myheadings}{}{}{\thepage}

\pagestyle{myheadings}

\usepackage{titlesec}

\titleformat*{\section}{\centering\LARGE\bfseries}
\titleformat*{\subsection}{\large\bfseries}
\titleformat*{\subsubsection}{\large\bfseries}
\input{structure.tex}

I replaced only the line \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} from your preamble and instead I added these lines:

\usepackage{fontspec} % font selection for XeLaTeX;
\defaultfontfeatures{Mapping=tex-text}
\usepackage{xunicode}
\usepackage{xltxtra}
\setmainfont{Warnock Pro} 
\setsansfont{Myriad Pro} 
\setmonofont{Consolas}

Where I add 3 lines for use different fonts in the case you want to use different typefaces for the serif fonts (main font), another for sans serif fonts and one more if you need to use monospaced fonts. I deactivate the XCharter package. Because you don't need it in this scheme (I think).

The trick with XeLaTeX is you have installed the fonts you intend to use and invoke them properly in your preamble. If you do not write name correctly, you'll have errors. There are many more options to specify the weight and shape of the characters.

But with this you can begin. If you're using math might have to add pi font for your equations are composed correctly. I have not reached that stage, is still pending as part of the challenge.

I also have not migrated from babel to polyglossia, that's another task you will, but if I have not forgotten anything, this is a good starting point.

Don't forget to compile, when you make these changes, using XeLaTeX and not pdflatex to avoid errors.