TeXstudio : User manual

Contents :


0. What's new

0.1 Version 1.8.1 -> Version 1.9

TeXstudio has been diligently extended for the last months. The subsequent list gives a probably incomplete overview of new and changed functionality:

0.2 Version 1.9.3 -> Version 1.9.9

0.3 Version 1.9.9 -> Version 1.9.9a

0.4 Version 1.9.9a -> Version 2.0

0.5 Version 2.0 -> Version 2.1

0.6 Version 2.1 -> Version 2.2

0.7 Version 2.2 -> Version 2.3

1. Configuring TeXstudio

Before using TeXstudio, you should configure the editor and latex related commands via the "Configure TeXstudio" command in the "Options" menu ("Preferences" under macosx).

1.1 Configuring the editor

You can should set the default encoding for new files ("Configure TeXstudio" -> "Editor" -> "Editor Font Encoding") if you don't want utf8 as encoding. Don't forget to set the same encoding in the preamble of your documents. (e.g. \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}, if you use utf-8).
TeXstudio can auto detect utf-8 and latin1 encoded files, but if you use a different encoding in your existing documents you have to specify it in the configuration dialog before opening them. (and then you also have to disable the auto detection)

1.2 Configuring the latex related commands

TeXstudio can't compile yours documents if the paths to the LaTeX related commands are wrong.
The default settings should work with the recent and standard LaTeX distributions, but you could have to modify them ("Configure TeXstudio" -> "Commands"). To change a command, just click on the button at the end of the corresponding line and select the command in the file browser : TeXstudio will adapt automatically the syntax of the command.
The % character represents the name of the file without the extension and the @ character will be replaced by the current line number. If you need more options (e.g. absolute paths) use ? and look at the instruction on the bottom of the configuration dialog.
Section Forward/Inverse search gives some example commands for common viewers.

1.3 Configuring some general issues

This panel allows the setting of some general aspects.

1.3.1 Configuring the spell checker

TeXstudio checks the spelling while you type. If the typed text is within a LaTeX-command, TeXstudio takes information from the command-completion-list to determine whether the text is natural language which needs to be checked or just command options which are left alone. Only known LaTeX-commands are considered to be checked in its options! Therefore make sure that all used packages are activated in the option/completion menu, see the corresponding section
The spell checker uses the OpenOffice.org dictionaries. Only GPL French and British dictionaries are distributed with TeXstudio.
Users can download others dictionaries here : http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Dictionaries
To configure the spell checker : "Configure TeXstudio" -> "Editor" -> "Spelling dictionary" -> click on the button at the end of the line to select the dictionary with the file browser. If you specify a non existing file the edit gets red.
Warning : spell checking with Ctrl+Shift+F7 starts at the cursor position and not at the beginning of the document.

If the interactive spell checker is enabled (default), any wrong spelled word is underlined with a red wave. Click on it with the right mouse to open an menu with a list of possible corrections. There you can also move it to the ignore list. If your dictionary is very large (> 5MB), opening the context menu and showing possible suggestions can take some seconds. If you don't need the suggestion, you can press shift while right clicking and don't have to wait.

The ignore list is normally saved in the same directory as the dictionary with the extension .ign. If this isn't possible (e.g. missing access) the list is stored in the user configuration directory.

1.3.2 Configuring the thesaurus

The thesaurus uses OpenOffice.org 2.x databases. Only GPL French and US-English and German databases are distributed with TeXstudio.
Users can download others databases here : http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Dictionaries

1.3.3 Configuring latex syntax checker

The latex syntax checker takes the list of possible completion commands to determine if a command is correct. Furthermore the completion list contains partially additional information to determine in which context a command is valid, whether it is valid only in math-mode or only in tabular-mode.

1.4 Configuring the autocompletion

TeXstudio has taken up completion word list from kile which extended the number of known commands for completion considerably. TeXstudio understands the use of \documentclass and \usepackage in order to select valid lists of commands for completion as well as syntax checking. However TeXstudio allows to select the additional word lists under "Configure TeXstudio" -> "Editor" -> "". The names of the word lists corresponds to the package for which they are made. The list latex.cwl contains the standard latex commands.
Concerning auto completion, TeXstudio allows to adapt the behaviour to your liking. Following options are available:

If your favorite package is not yet present for completion (and then as well not for syntax check), you can provide a list of your own by placing a file "packagename.cwl" in the config directory. This directory is placed in ~/.config/benibela under linux and usually "c:\Documents and Settings/User/AppData/Roaming/benibela" under windows. Basically the file contains a list of valid commands. A Description of the exact format and an example are given in the appendix.

1.5 Configuring shortcuts

Shortcuts can be changed by double clicking on "Current Shortcut" or "Additional Shortcut". A shortcut can be selected from the drop down list or put in as text directly. If a shortcut should be set to default value or removed completely, the items "<default>" or "<none>" at the top of the list can be selected.

1.6 Configuring the Latex/Math-Menu

The Math/Latex-Menu can be adapted to user likings. For this menu items can be renamed and a new Latex-Code can be placed. The apropriate item can be be directly edited by doubleclicking on them.

1.7 Configuring the Custom Toolbar

One Custom Toolbar is present in TMX. This toolbar can be filled with actions from the Latex-, Math- and User-Menu. Since many of those item don't have icons, user icons can be loaded as well. This is achieved by applying "load other icon" from the context menu on a item in the custom toolbar list in the configure dialog.

1.8 Configuring SVN support

To provide documenten versioning, TeXstudio makes use of SVN (subversion). To make use of it, the SVN commandline tools need to be installed. Linux and Mac OSX normally provide already svn tools, for Windows, the installation of "SlikSVN" is recommended.

The complete path to the command "svn" and "svnadmin" need to be adjusted in the aprioriate field of the svn configure page, see below. Furthermore the user can choose the degree of automation, which TeXstudio provides.

"Automatically check in after save" allows TeXstudio to perform an svn check in after every save of a document, thus providing a very complete history of the creation of a document. Since text documents are rather small compared to disk spaces, size of the svn database should not be a problem. In addition newly saved files (save as) are automatically added to svn control,provided that the directory is alredy under svn control. If that is not the case, TeXstudio searches in "SVN Directory Search Depth" directory above the current diorectory for a svn controlled directory to which the subdirectories and the TeX-Document will be added. If no appropriate directory is found, a repository is automatically generated in a directory called "./repo" and the document is added. Thus the user does not need to look up the necessary commands to set up a repository. This functionality is only activated when "Auto checkin in" is enabled !

With "User SVN revisions to undo before last save" TeXstudio will perform undo as usually, but if there are no further undoable commands in the internal storage, the document will be changed to the previous version in svn history. Further undo commands allows to back further to older revisions, whereas a redo goes forward to more recent versions. This is a more interactive approach than choosing svn revisions directly via a menu command, see section 4.3

2. Editing a TeX document

2.1 Usual commands

The standard commands (cut, copy, find...) can be launched via the "Edit" menu and the "Edit" tool bar.

2.2.1 Setting the preamble of a TeX document

To define the preamble of your document, you can use the "Quick start" wizard ("Wizard" menu).

This dialog allows you to set the main features of your document (class, paper size, encoding...).
Note : You can add other options by clicking the "+" buttons. All yours settings are recorded.

You can also type your own preamble model in the editor : with the "Copy/paste" or "Save As" commands, you can use it for a new document.

2.2.2 Using Templates to start a new document

For new documents, templates can be used by using the command "File/New from template". A dialogue gives a selection of templates.

New templates can be added by using the command "File/Make Template" on a opened document which you like to have has a template. User added templates can be edited or deleted by using the context menu in the template selection dialogue. Built-in templates can not be changed.

2.3 Structure of a document

To define a new part (section,subsection...) in your document with TeXstudio, just use this combo box in the tool bar :

This will cause a dialog to pop up which allows you to define the style of the part (section,subsection...).
Note : the "Structure View" is automatically updated.

2.4 Browsing your document

The "Structure View" (left panel) lets you quickly reach any part of your document. All you need to do is to click on any item (label, section...) and you will be taken to the beginning of the corresponding area in the editor. The mechanism for jumping to a line does not anymore only consider line numbers but really remembers text lines. Thus adding and removing lines will not lead to jumps to wrong locations.

A grey background shows the present cursor position in the text in the structure view as well. A greenish background denotes sections which are in the appendix.

The "Structure View" is automatically updated as you type. You can also use the "Refresh Structure" ("Edit" menu) command at any moment.

Apart from labels,sections,includes and beamer blocks, comments starting with %TODO are also scanned for and presented as section of its own in the structure view. This can be used to create a kind of permanent bookmark in the text or just to note where some changes are still necessary.

The structure view also offers a context menu which allows to copy/cut all text which belongs to a section (including subsection) and paste it before or after a section. Section can be indented/unindented which means that the hierarchy level is changed by one, i.e. \section is changed to \subsection, and all subsections are treated accordingly

For each file, three bookmarks can be used to speed up navigation : just click on a line number to add or remove a bookmark. When you have already defined three bookmarks, you must remove one of them to add a new bookmark. To jump to the line corresponding to a bookmark in the editor, just click on the buttons in the status bar.

2.5 Formatting your text

You can quickly set the format of a part of your text with this tool bar :

Additional option: a selected text can be directly framed by certain environments. Example: while clicking on the button "Bold" after having selected the word "Hello" , you will obtain the code: \textbf{Hello}.
This option is available for all the environments indicated by "[selection]" in the "LaTeX" menu.

2.6 Spacings

The usual "spacing" commands are available in the "LaTeX" and "Math" menus. To insert quickly the "new line" LaTeX command, you can use the corresponding command in the toolbar (shortcut : Ctrl+Alt+return)

2.7 Inserting a list

The usual list environments code can be insert quickly via the "LaTeX-List" menu.
Note : the shortcut for the \item command is Ctrl+Alt+H.

2.8 Inserting a table

With the "Tabular" wizard ("Wizard" menu), the LaTeX code for a tabular environment can be quickly inserted :

You can set the main features of your table.
Note : this dialog allows you to type directly the code in the cells.
The corresponding LaTeX code is automatically inserted in the editor.

2.8.1 Manipulating tables

TeXstudio provides some commands to ease handling of tables. For this a toolbar "tables" is offered which gives easy access to these commands. Please be aware that some unexpected results may arise, if the table constructing commands get to complex. Following commands are offered:

2.9 Inserting a "tabbing" environment

To help you to insert a "tabbing" code, you can use the "Tabbing" wizard ("Wizard" menu) :

2.10 Inserting a picture

To insert a picture in your document, just use the "\includegraphics" command in the "LaTeX" menu. Then, click on the "browser" button in the dialog to select the graphic file.
Note : you can insert a "figure" LaTeX environment ("LaTeX - Environments" menu) before inserting the picture.

2.10.1 Inserting a picture using a "wizard"

TeXstudio offers a wizard for picture insertion in your document. Apart from selecting a file, you can also have TeXstudio include an appropriate figure-environment with label and caption correctly set.

2.11 Cross References and notes

This toolbox in the toolbar allows you to insert quickly the label, cite, ref, footnote... code.
Note : the labels used in your documents are displayed in the "Structure View".

Additional option:for the \ref command, a dialog box allows you to select directly the label.

2.12 Inserting math formula

You can toggle in the "in-line math" environment with the "f(x)" button in the toolbar (shortcut : Ctrl+Alt+M) or with the "Math" menu. The shortcut for the "display math" environment is : Alt+Shift+M.
The "Math" toolbar allows you to insert the most currents mathematical forms (frac, sqrt...) like the \left and \right tags.

With the "symbols panels" in the structure view, you can insert the code of 400 mathematical symbols.

You can also define the format of your mathematical text via the "Math" menu.
For the "array" environments, a wizard (like the "Tabular" wizard) is available in the "Wizard" menu. With this wizard, you can select the environment : array, matrix, pmatrix.... The cells can be directly completed.

2.13 Auto Completion

Whenever you press \ followed by a letter, a list of possible LaTex tags is shown where you select the right one. If you write additional letters the list is filtered, so that only the tags starting with the already written text are shown. If the list contains words which all start with the same letter combination, you can press Tab to complete all common letters. If only one element is present in the list, Tab selects this one to do the completion, like Enter. This behaviour is similar to tab completion in bash shells. You can also press Ctrl+Space to open this list whenever you want.
If a tag has different options, a short descriptive text is inserted into your text, telling you the meaning of each option. You can press Ctrl+Left, Ctrl+Right to select all positions.
Furthermore normal text can be completed by starting to type a word and pressing Ctrl+Space. All apropriate words in the current document are used as possible suggestions.
If a enviroment is to be inserted, typing in the beginning of the environment name and pressing Ctrl+Alt+Space gives suggestions for adequate enviroments which are inserted completely with \begin{env}..\end{env}
And finally user tags can be assigned a abbreviation which can also be used with completion. Just type in the start of the abbreviation and start the completion with Ctrl+Space. The abbreviation should show up in the completion list, especially marked with “abbreviation (template)”.
If you change a command by completing a new command, only the command name is substituted. The same is true for environments, where the environment is changed in the \begin- and \end-command.

2.14 Thesaurus

TeXstudio has integrated a simple thesaurus. OpenOffice 2.x databases are used for this. By placing the cursor on a word and activating the thesaurus (Ctrl+Shift+F8 or Edit/Thesaurus), it tries to find synonyms for this word. Please be patient if you start the thesaurus at first time since loading the database just occurs then and can take a few moments.

The first line to the left contains the word, for which a synonym is searched for. The list below gives a list of word classes. The can be chosen to reduce the number of suggestions. The column to the right contains the list of suggested synonyms. A selected word from this list apears in the first line to the right as proposition for replacement of the text. This word can be changed manually. It is also used to do further investigations for words and their synonyms which "start with" or "contain" that word. With "lookup" it can be directly used to look for a synonym for that word.

2.15 Special Commands

Delete word/command/environment

With the shortcut Alt+Del, the word under the cursor is deleted. If it is a command, the command is deleted including opening and closing braces. E.g. "\textbf{text}" leave "text". If it is an environment, the enclosing bengin/end are removed.

Rename environment

If you place the cursor on an environment name or the corresponding begin- or end-command, after a moment a mirror-cursor is activated on the environment name which allows synchronous change of the environment name in the begin- and end-command. So if you want to change a "\begin{tabular}...\end{tabular}" construction to "\begin{tabularx}...\end{tabularx}", place the text cursor on "tabular", wait for a second and then, after the mirror-cursor appears, change "tabular" to "tabularx".

Cut Buffer

If you select something and then start to type in a command and complete it, the selection is put in as first argument. E.g. you have a "text", select it and start typing "\textbf", command which is completed. The resulting text is "\textbf{text}"

3. Compiling a document

3.1 Compiling

The easiest way to compile a document is to use the "Quick Build" command ("Quick" button - shortcut : F1). You can define the sequence of commands used by the "Quick Build" command via the "Configure TeXstudio" dialog.
You can also launch each command one by one (shortcuts : F2...F12 - see the "Tools" menu).
Note : the "Clean" command in the "Tools menu" allows you to erase the files (dvi, toc, aux...) generated by a LaTeX compilation (except the ps and pdf files).
Warning : all yours files must have an extension and you can't compile an "untitled" file or a file with a space in his name.

3.2 The log files

With the "Quick Build" command, the log file is automatically displayed in the "Messages / Log file" pannel. While clicking on a number in the "Line" column, the cursor is placed on the corresponding line in the editor and the error is displayed.
Remark : a summary of the latex errors and warnings is displayed before the full log file.

The "Next Latex Error"and "Previous LaTeX Error" commands allow to get to the errors detected during compilation.

Lines with errors, warnings, bad boxes will be highlighted with red, yellow or blue background and you can jump between them using Ctrl+Up/Down. (Ctrl+Shift for errors only, Ctrl+Alt for warnings only, Alt+Shift for bad boxes only)
A tool tip will show more details of the mistake if you jump to a line (it is also shown if you move the mouse over the mark left from the line numbers).

4. Other features

4.1 About documents separated in several files

TeXstudio allows you to work onto documents separated in several files.
To include a TeX file into your document, just use the "\include{file}" command in the "LaTeX" menu. The file will appear in the "Structure View". With a click on his name, TeXstudio will open it.

TeXstudio now understands parent/child relations of loaded documents (1 level only !). Therefor, as in "master document mode", only the parent document is compiled if compilation is tarted while working on a child document. Likewise labels and usercommands are known in all corresponding documents.

You can still define your "master document" with the "Options" menu. All the commands of the "Tools" menu will apply only to this document even when working on the "children" documents (you can even close the "master" document).
If a master document is set, labels and usercommands which are defined in any open document, can be used for completion in any open document. Thus you can insert easily a reference to a label which is defined in another subdocument, as long as that document is open in TeXstudio.
Note : you can leave the "master" mode with the "Options" menu.

4.2 Syntax Check

The latex syntax checker takes the list of possible completion commands to determine if a command is correct. The completion list contains partially additional information to determine in which context a command is valid, whether it is valid only in math-mode or only in tabular-mode.
Furthermore the correctness of tabulars is checked in a little more detail. The number of columns is analyzed and checked in the subsequent rows. If more or less columns are given in a row, a warning maker is shown.

4.3 Bibliography

For the "bib" files , the "Bibliography" menu enables you to directly insert the entries corresponding to the standard types of document.
Note: the optional fields can be automatically deleted with the "Clean" command of the "Bibliography" menu.

4.4 SVN Support

Apart from the supported svn features already describes in section 1.8, TeXstudio supports two more commands.

"File/chekin" performs an explicit save and check in, with a input dialog which asks for an checkin in message which is stored in the svn history.

"File/Show old Revisions" pops up a dialog, which shows all alvailable revisions. A selection of an older revision leads to instatanious change of the current document to that older revision. You can can select and copy old parts to transfer them to the most recent version of your document, by copying the parts and then going back to most recent version. If you start editing that document directly, the dialog is closed and the present text is your new most recent version though yet unsaved.

4.5 Personals tags and tools

TeXstudio allows you to insert your own tags (shortcuts : Shift+F1...Shift+F10). These tags are defined with the "User - User Tags" menu.
Note : if the code of the menu is "%environment", TeXstudio will directly insert:
\begin{environment }

\end{environment }

If you write %| somewhere the cursor will be placed at that place in the inserted text. (A second %| will select everything between them).
Write %<something%> to mark it as descriptive text which can be selected by Ctrl+Left/Right.
The option %(filefilter%) will be replaced by a filename which is asked for in a file dialog. The file filter is the standard Qt-Filefilterformat. For example "Images (*.png *.xpm *.jpg);;Text files (*.txt);;XML files (*.xml)", see also Qt-Doc

Instead of using code snippets, you can also make use of javascript. To do so, put "%SCRIPT" in the first line. The following code will be interpreted as javascript. The language is based on ECMAScript. To access the document these objects are introduced:

The following table gives an overview on the possible commands.
Command Description
Global scope
alert(str), information(str), warning(str) or critical(str) shows str in a messagebox with a certain icon
confirm(str) or confirmWarning(str) shows str as a yes/no question in a messagebox
debug(str) prints str to stdout
writeFile(name, value) Writes value to file name (requires write privileges)
readFile(name) Reads the entire file name (requires read privileges)
system(cmd) Calls cmd and returns a ProcessX object which has this methodes:
  • waitForFinished: Wait until the process is finished
  • readAllStandardOutputStr: Returns the stdout
  • readAllStandardErrorStr: Returns the stderr
  • exitCode: The exit code
  • exitStatus: The qt exit status
  • terminate or kill: Stops the process
setGlobal(name, value) Sets a temporary, global variable
getGlobal(name) Reads a global variable
hasGlobal(name) Checks for the existence of a global variable
setGlobal(name, value) Sets a global configuration variable. (can change the values of the ini file, requires write privileges)
getGlobal(name) Reads a global configuration variable. (can read all values of the ini file, requires read privileges)
hasGlobal(name) Checks if a global configuration variable exists. (requires read privileges)
hasReadPrivileges() Checks if the script has read privileges
hasWritePrivileges() Checks if the script has write privileges
Editor object
editor.search(searchFor, [options], [scope], [callback]) Searchs something in the editor.
  • searchFor is the text which is searched. It can be either a string (e.g. "..") or a regexp (e.g. /[.]{2}/).
  • options is a string and a combination of "i", "g", "w" to specify a case-insensitive search, a global search (continue after the first match) or a whole-word-only search.
  • scope is a cursor constraining the search scope (see editor.document().cursor).
  • callback is a function which is called for every match. A cursor describing the position of the match is passed as first argument.
All arguments except searchFor are optional, and the order may be changed (which may not be future compatible). The function returns the number of found matches.
editor.replace(searchFor, [options], [scope], [replaceWith]) This function searches and replaces something in the editor. It behaves like editor.search apart from the replaceWith argument which can be a simple string or a callback function. If it is a function the return value of replaceWith is used to replace the match described by the cursor passed to replaceWith.
editor.undo(); undo last command in editor
editor.redo(); redo last command in editor
editor.cut(); cut selection to clipboard
editor.copy(); copy selection to clipboard
editor.paste(); paste clipboard contents
editor.selectAll(); select all
editor.selectNothing(); select nothing (clear selections)
editor.find(); activate "find panel"
editor.find(QString text, bool highlight, bool regex, bool word=false, bool caseSensitive=false); activate "find panel" with predefined values
editor.find(QString text, bool highlight, bool regex, bool word, bool caseSensitive, bool fromCursor, bool selection); activate "find panel" with predefined values
editor.findNext(); find next
editor.replacePanel(); replace (if find panel open and something is selected)
editor.gotoLine(); activate "goto line panel"
editor.indentSelection(); indent selection
editor.unindentSelection(); unindent selection
editor.commentSelection(); comment selection
editor.uncommentSelection(); uncomment selection
editor.clearPlaceHolders(); clear place holders
editor.nextPlaceHolder(); jump to next place holder
editor.previousPlaceHolder() jump to previous place holder
editor.setPlaceHolder(int i, bool selectCursors=true); set Placeholder
editor.setFileName(f); set filename to f
editor.write(str) inserts str at the current cursors position (if there are cursor mirrors, str will be inserted by all of them)
editor.insertText(str) inserts str at the current cursor position (cursor mirrors are ignored)
editor.setText(text) replace the whole text of the current document by text
editor.text() return the text of the complete document
editor.text(int line) return text of line
Document object
editor.document().lineCount() Returns the number of lines
editor.document().visualLineCount() Returns the number of visual lines (counting wrapped lines)
editor.document().cursor(line, [column = 0], [lineTo = -1], [columnTo = length of lineTo]) Returns a cursor object. If lineTo is given the cursor has a selection from line:column to lineTo:columnTo, otherwise not.
editor.document().text([removeTrailing = false], [preserveIndent = true]) Returns the complete text of the document
editor.document().textLines() Returns an array of all text lines
editor.document().lineEndingString() Returns a string containing the ending of a line (\n or \n\r)
editor.document().canUndo() Returns true if undo is possible
editor.document().canRedo() Returns true if redo is possible
editor.document().expand(lineNr) Expands the line
editor.document().collapse(lineNr) Collapse the line
editor.document().expandParents(lineNr) Expand all parents of the line until it is visible
editor.document().foldBlockAt(bool unFold, lineNr); Collapses or expands the first block before lineNr
Cursor object
cursor.atEnd() returns whether the cursor is at the end of the document
cursor.atStart() returns whether the cursor is at the start of the document
cursor.atBlockEnd() returns whether the cursor is at the end of a block
cursor.atBlockStart() returns whether the cursor is at the start of a block
cursor.atLineEnd() returns whether the cursor is at the end of a line
cursor.atLineStart() returns whether the cursor is at the start of a line
cursor.hasSelection() return whether the cursor has a selection
cursor.lineNumber() returns the line number of the cursor
cursor.columnNumber() returns the column of the cursor
cursor.anchorLineNumber() returns the line number of the anchor.
cursor.anchorColumnNumber() returns the column of the anchor.
cursor.shift(int offset) Shift cursor position (text column) by a number of columns (characters)
cursor.setPosition(int pos, MoveMode m = MoveAnchor) set the cursor position after pos-characters counted from document start (very slow)
cursor.movePosition(int offset, MoveOperation op = NextCharacter, MoveMode m = MoveAnchor); move cursor offset times. MoveOperations may be:
  • cursorEnums.NoMove
  • cursorEnums.Up
  • cursorEnums.Down
  • cursorEnums.Left
  • cursorEnums.PreviousCharacter = Left
  • cursorEnums.Right
  • cursorEnums.NextCharacter = Right
  • cursorEnums.Start
  • cursorEnums.StartOfLine
  • cursorEnums.StartOfBlock = StartOfLine
  • cursorEnums.StartOfWord
  • cursorEnums.PreviousBlock
  • cursorEnums.PreviousLine = PreviousBlock
  • cursorEnums.PreviousWord
  • cursorEnums.WordLeft
  • cursorEnums.WordRight
  • cursorEnums.End
  • cursorEnums.EndOfLine
  • cursorEnums.EndOfBlock = EndOfLine
  • cursorEnums.EndOfWord
  • cursorEnums.NextWord
  • cursorEnums.NextBlock
  • cursorEnums.NextLine = NextBlock
Options for MoveMode are:
  • cursorEnums.MoveAnchor
  • cursorEnums.KeepAnchor
  • cursorEnums.ThroughWrap
cursor.moveTo(int line, int column); move cursor to line and column
cursor.eraseLine(); remove current line
cursor.insertLine(bool keepAnchor = false); insert empty line
cursor.insertText(text, bool keepAnchor = false) insert text text at cursor (this function will ignore indentations and mirrors, see editor.write and editor.insertText)
cursor.selectedText() return the selected text
cursor.clearSelection(); clears selection
cursor.removeSelectedText(); removes selected text
cursor.replaceSelectedText(text); replace selected text with text
cursor.deleteChar(); removes char right to the cursor
cursor.deletePreviousChar(); removes char left to the cursor
cursor.beginEditBlock(); begins a new edit block. All cursor operations encapsulated in an edit block are undone/redone at once.
cursor.endEditBlock(); ends an edit block
App object
app.getVersionCurrent version (0xMMmm00)
app.clipboardProperty to read/write to the clipboard
app.getCurrentFileName()File name of currently edited file
app.getAbsoluteFilePath(rel, ext = "")Converts a relative filename to an absolute one
app.load(file)Loads an file
app.fileOpen/Save/Close/.../editUndo/.../QuickBuild/... All menu commands (i.e. all slots in the texmaker.h file)
FileChooser object
fileChooser.exec() show dialog and wait until it is closed again
fileChooser.setDir(dir) set directory in the dialog to dir
fileChooser.setFilter(filter) set file filter to filter, using the QT-format, see above
fileChooser.fileName() return selected filename (after exec)


Some examples:

You can also launch your own commands (shortcuts : Alt+Shift+F1...Alt+Shift+F5). These commands are defined with the "User - User Commands" menu.

4.6 Pstricks support

The main pstricks commands can be inserted with the "Pstricks" panel in the "Structure View".

4.7 Metapost support

The metapost keywords can be inserted with the "Metapost" panel in the "Structure View" and the "mpost" command can be launched via the "Tools" menu.

4.8 The "Convert to Html" command

This command (from the "Tools" menu ) produces a set of html pages from a LaTeX source file with one image for each html page. Each page in the slide presentation corresponds to one of the postscript pages you would obtain running LaTeX.
The command also produces an index page corresponding to the table of contents you would obtain with LaTeX. Each item of the index page includes a link to the corresponding html page.

You can create links in the html pages by using the \ttwplink{}{} command in the tex file.
Synopsis :
\ttwplink{http://www.mylink.com}{my text} (external link)
\ttwplink{page3.html}{my text} (internal link)
\ttwplink{name_of_a_label}{my text} (internal link)
Warning : You can't use this command with the hyperref package (and some others packages). This command can only be used with the "Convert to html" tool.

4.9 "Forward/Inverse search" with TeXstudio

Integrated pdf-viewer

TeXstudio provides an integarted pdf-viewer which offers forward- and inverse-search. Make sure that synctex is activated in the pdflatex command (option -synctex=1 needs to be added), though TeXstudio will ask you if it can correct the command itself if it is not set correctly.
Forward search is automatically done every time the pdf-viewer is opened. TeXstudio will jump to the position where your cursor is currentyl positioned. Inverse can be activated by clicking in the pdf with CTRL+left mouse button or by slecting "jump to source" in the context menu, which is activated with a right mouse button click. Furthermore it is possible to enable "Scrolling follows Cursor" in pdf-viewer/configure. This will keep the pdf-viewer position synchronous to your cursor oposition in the editor. Likewise "Cursor follows Scrolling" keeps the editor position synchronous to pdf-viewer position.

General Set-up for external viewers

Some (dvi) viewers can jump to (and visually highlight) a position in the DVI file that corresponds to a certain line number in the (La)TeX source file.
To enable this forward search, you can enter the command line of the corresponding viewer either as command line for an user tool in the User menu (User/User Commands/Edit...) or in the viewer command line in the config dialog ("Options/Configure TeXstudio" -> "Commands"). When the viewer is launched, the @-placeholder will be replaced by the current line number and ?c:ame by the complete absolute filename of the current file.

On Windows, you can execute DDE commands by inserting a command of the form: dde://service/control/[commands...] or (since TeXstudio 1.9.9) also dde://programpath:service/control/[commands...] to start the program if necessary.

Below you can find a list of commands for some common viewers. Of course, you have to replace (your program path) with the path of the program on your computer, if you want to use a command.

Sumatra

To launch Sumatra from TeXstudio and configure Sumatra for inverse search: "(your sumatra path)" -reuse-instance -inverse-search """"(your TeXstudio path)""" """%%f""" -line %%l" "?am.pdf"

To jump to a line in a running Sumatra (Windows only): dde://SUMATRA/control/[ForwardSearch("?am.pdf","?c:am.tex",@,0,0,1)]

To launch Sumatra if it is not running and jump to a line in it (Windows only): dde://(your sumatra path):SUMATRA/control/[ForwardSearch("?am.pdf","?c:am.tex",@,0,0,1)]

To launch TeXstudio from Sumatra: "(your TeXstudio path)" "%f" -line %l

A possible value for (your Sumatra path) is C:/Program Files/SumatraPDF/SumatraPDF.exe

Foxit Reader

To launch Foxit Reader from TeXstudio: "(your Reader path)" "?am.pdf"

Acrobat Reader

To launch Acrobat Reader from TeXstudio: "(your Reader path)" "?am.pdf"

To jump to a position in a running Acrobat Reader (Windows only): dde://acroview/control/[DocOpen("?am.pdf")][FileOpen("?am.pdf")][DocGotoNameDest("?am.pdf","jump-position")]         jump-position can be defined with the hyperref package

To close the document in a running Acrobat Reader (Windows only): dde://acroview/control/[DocOpen("?am.pdf")][FileOpen("?am.pdf")][DocClose("?am.pdf")]

Yap (Yet Another Previewer)

To launch Yap from TeXstudio : "(your Yap path)" -1 -s @?c:m.tex %.dvi

To launch TeXstudio from Yap: "(your TeXstudio path)" "%f" -line %l

A possible value for (your Yap path) is C:/Program Files/MiKTeX 2.7/miktex/bin/yap.exe

xdvi

To launch xdvi from TeXstudio : xdvi %.dvi -sourceposition @:?c:m.tex

To launch xdvi from TeXstudio and enable inverse search : xdvi -editor "texstudio %f -line" %.dvi -sourceposition @:%.tex

kdvi

To launch kdvi from TeXstudio : kdvi "file:%.dvi#src:@ ?c:m.tex"

Okular

To launch okular from TeXstudio: okular --unique %.dvi#src:@?c:m.tex

To launch TeXstudio from Okular: texstudio %f -line %l

Skim

To launch Skim from TeXstudio: (your Skim path)/Contents/SharedSupport/displayline @ ?am.pdf ?c:ame

To launch TeXstudio from skim : Command: /applications/texstudio.app/contents/macos/texstudio with arguments: "%file" -line %line

A possible value for (your Skim path) is /Applications/Skim.app

4.10 Synopsis of the TeXstudio command

TeXstudio file [--master] [--line xx] [--start-always] [--pdf-viewer-only] [--page yy]
With the "--master" option, the document will be automatically defined as a "master" document.
With the "--line xx" option, TeXstudio will ask you if you want to jump to the xx line after loading the document.
With the "--start-always" option, TeXstudio will start, even if another instance of it is already running.
With the "--pdf-viewer-only" option, TeXstudio will open as standalone pdf viewer without editor
With the "--page" option, TeXstudio displays a certain page if used as pdf viewer

4.11 Keyboard shortcuts

Defaults keyboard shortcuts :

4.12 Description of the cwl format

Basically a cwl file is a list of valid commands which contains one command per line. If no further information is given, the command is considered valid at any position in a latex document. The following characters have special meanings:

Follwing classifications are known to TXS: Simple example:
# test <- comment
\typein{msg}#* <- unusual command which is only shown in completion "all"
\sqrt{arg}#m <- only in math mode valid
\vector(xslope,yslope){length}#*/picture <- unusual command which is only in the picture environment valid
\begin{align}#\math <- declares that the "align"-environment is handled like a math-env, concerning command validity and syntax highlighting!