LaTeX layer

• Auto-build with auctex-latexmk
• Syntax highlighting
• Auto-completion
• Tags navigation on % with evil-matchit
• Labels, references, citations and index entries management with RefTeX
• LaTeX-specific text objects and much more with evil-tex

A number of configuration variables have been exposed via the layer config.el. Sensible defaults have been provided, however they may all be overridden in your .spacemacs.

This layer provides two alternative backends to choose from.

If the pdf layer is used, then the layer automatically configures pdf-tools as the 'output-pdf' viewer, see 4.3. To additionally make pdf-tools open in a split window, set the layer variable latex-view-pdf-in-split-window to t.

If, despite using the pdf layer, you prefer to use another pdf viewer to preview the output pdf's, set the layer variable latex-view-with-pdf-tools to nil.

LaTex layer support full-document previews and inline preview (via SPC m p).

To update the preview buffer whenever the compiled PDF file changes, set latex-refresh-preview to t in your ~/.spacemacs:

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-refresh-preview t)))

TexLab also supports more sophisticated previewing setup, which is documented here.

A build command can be specified via the layer variable latex-build-command. This variable can be set to any of the entities in TeX-command-list, including any custom entries you may have added there.

If latexmk is found on your system PATH, LatexMk will be chosen as your latex-build-command, unless if it's not set.

To use the regular AucTeX command, set latex-build-command to LaTeX as shown below.

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-build-command "LaTeX")))

auctex and auctex-latexmk have default rules to determine build command and build options according to the buffer-local variable TeX-engine.

It should be one of the symbol defined in TeX-engine-alist. The default valid symbols are:

• default
• luatex
• omega
• xetex

An appropriate TeX-engine is required for high-quality typesetting in certain languages. For convenience, xetex is chosen when it's found on PATH and when either chinese or japanese layer is enabled.

You can choose the engine on a per file basis, by setting file-local variable. For example, you can append these code to the end of a .tex file:

%%% Local Variables:
%%% TeX-engine: xetex
%%% End:

Should you use AUCTeX's keystroke C-c C-c for compilation instead of Spacemacs' SPC m b, the minibuffer will still show LaTeX as compilation command, however xetex will be used on the background and no specific Xe(La)TeX command is needed. Likewise for the other engines.

If you predominantly work with one specific engine, you can set it as a layer variable.

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-build-engine 'xetex)))

More information on TeX engine and languages support can be found in auctex manual page.

To disable auto-fill (which is on by default) set the variable latex-enable-auto-fill to nil.

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-enable-auto-fill nil)))

The variable latex-nofill-env provides the list of environment names where auto-fill-mode will be inhibited. By default it includes:

• "equation"
• "equation*"
• "align"
• "align*"
• "tabular"
• "tabular*"
• "tabu"
• "tabu*"
• "tikzpicture"

Enable folding of text by setting latex-enable-folding to t. Default value is nil.

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-enable-folding t)))

To enable "magic" symbols in latex buffers, set the variable latex-enable-magic to t.

(setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
              '((latex :variables latex-enable-magic t)))

The precise effect of this feature can be modified by adjusting the following variables:

• magic-latex-enable-block-highlight: show font properties like \large (default t).
• magic-latex-enable-block-align: reflect block alignment such as \center (default nil).
• magic-latex-enable-pretty-symbols: substitute symbols in place of code, e.g. greek letters (default t).
• magic-latex-enable-suscript: show subscripts and superscripts (default t).
• magic-latex-enable-inline-image: show images inline (default nil).

By default, the underlying latex code is echoed in the echo area.

Available only when latex-enable-folding is non nil.

See the evil-tex documentation for more comprehensive explanation of text objects it provides and its other features, including its integration with evil-surround.

In order to preserve both the precious t mark and the indispensable ts motion, the evil-tex "magnificent toggles" are bound under SPC m q rather than mt or ts. This binding can be remembered with mnemonic "quite magnificent toggle".