2

I just downloaded and installed MiKTeX 2.9. But I don't know how to launch MiKTeX. There is no icon on my desktop.

azetina
  • 28,884
  • Did you install an editor? Also, which version of Windows do you have? – Bernard Apr 26 '15 at 17:44
  • Hi and welcome, you can launch miktex settings and stuff. But LaTeX itself is a command line tool accessible via a comfortable editor like Texworks. Texworks should have been installed with MikTeX, as well as a very good introduction: LaTeX for complete novices. – Johannes_B Apr 26 '15 at 17:50
  • 1
    MiKTeX is a compiler. You need to install an editor as well. See LaTeX Editors/IDEs for a complete list. Once you have an editor installed, tie it to MiKTeX's binaries and then you compile (launch?) from within the editor. – Werner Apr 26 '15 at 18:03
  • Note that MiKTeX 2.9 is a LaTeX distribution and it comes with TeXworks. You can find MiKTeX under your Program Files (x86) or Program Files depending on your MS OS. The easiest way to launch MiKTeX is if you go to All Programs (Windows 7) or Start Menu (Windows 8). – azetina Apr 26 '15 at 18:06
  • By the way, welcome to TeX.SX! You can have a look at our starter guide to familiarize yourself further with our format. – Sean Allred Apr 26 '15 at 18:31

2 Answers2

7

MiKTeX is what is called a TeX distribution. It is not a single program that you start – it is a collection of programs and files necessary to start working with TeX.

MiKTeX will likely have installed a program called "TeXworks". TeXworks is a very basic editor that makes it more comfortable to write TeX and LaTeX files (remembering that these are just formats of plain text, not conceptually unlike Markdown or HTML). TeXworks (among many other editors) provides you with a place to edit your document and process it with LaTeX from one place.

map

Community
  • 1
Sean Allred
  • 27,421
1

After MiKTeX, you have to install, GSView, Ghostscript and an editor (e.g., TeXStudio).

At this point you have a complete LaTeX system.

Giacomo Alessandroni
  • 1,943
  • 5
    GSView and Ghostscript are included in MiKTeX – that's what makes it a TeX distribution. Batteries included and all that jazz. – Sean Allred Apr 26 '15 at 18:00
  • Maybe is so, I remember that my supervisor have said me to install this four programs in this order and all work fine. Maybe I have installed two double products. – Giacomo Alessandroni Apr 26 '15 at 18:04
  • 2
    In my couple years' experience, supervisors are often very behind-the-times with their TeX systems. While TeX documents from the 80s still work, TeX development has proceeded far past that era. Take their advice with a grain of salt – do some original research – don't spread misinformation :) – Sean Allred Apr 26 '15 at 18:06
  • 1
    @Sean Allred: GSView is not included in MiKTeX, and I'm not sure GhostScript comes with MiKTeX. It doesn't seem to be mentioned in the manual. – Bernard Apr 26 '15 at 18:27
  • Ghostscript is proprietary and cannot be redistributed without a commercial license. Should be installed independently. – percusse Apr 26 '15 at 18:50
  • 1
    @SeanAllred GSView and Ghostscript are NOT included in MiKTeX (but is they necessary? for me no.) – touhami Apr 26 '15 at 18:50
  • @Bernard et al., my mistake :) And my apologies Giacomo – I was too quick to speak. But I will say that I used MiKTeX for years without needing to install additional software and I do remember seeing postscript-related utilities cluttering my start menu (I never had need to use them). I wish I still had that old machine – perhaps I could provide more insight. In lieu of that, I suppose my apologies will just have to do :) – Sean Allred Apr 26 '15 at 19:14
  • @Sean Allred: Ghostscript was part of MiKTeX in (not so?) old days. – Bernard Apr 26 '15 at 20:04
  • @percusse ghostscript is available as free (as in freedom) software, but the licensing is slightly complex. Mostly, though, it is AGPL. There's a bit which is freely licensed, but not AGPL compatible. There are a couple of patented bits, but there is a grant permitting free-software use if, and only if, part of AGPL-distributed software. Certainly the programme is available from all GNU/Linux distros I'm familiar with (including Debian, which has very strict requirements). – cfr Aug 27 '17 at 12:08
  • @cfr That's GNU Ghostscript not the commercial one. – percusse Aug 27 '17 at 12:51
  • @percusse Of course. Or did you mean that the GNU ghostscript is not available for Windows? – cfr Aug 27 '17 at 15:09