Convert ORG to TEX

Why Convert ORG to TEX?

Converting Org-mode documents to LaTeX is essential for academic publishing and creating publication-quality documents. Org-mode already has excellent LaTeX support built-in, and converting to pure LaTeX gives you full control over the typesetting process.

LaTeX is the standard format for academic journals, conference proceedings, and thesis submissions in most scientific and technical fields. If you've drafted your research paper in Org-mode, converting to LaTeX allows you to submit to journals that require .tex files.

The conversion preserves Org-mode's LaTeX math fragments, converting them to proper LaTeX environments. Your inline math ($...$) and display equations (\begin{equation}...\end{equation}) transfer seamlessly to the output.

Converting to LaTeX also gives you access to the vast ecosystem of LaTeX packages and classes. You can apply journal-specific templates, use advanced bibliographic tools like BibLaTeX, and take advantage of specialized packages for diagrams, algorithms, and more.

Key Benefits of Converting ORG to TEX:

• Academic Publishing: Submit to journals and conferences requiring LaTeX
• Professional Typesetting: Publication-quality document output
• Math Support: Superior mathematical equation rendering
• Bibliography Integration: Use BibTeX/BibLaTeX for citations
• Template Compatibility: Apply journal and publisher templates
• Package Ecosystem: Access thousands of specialized packages
• Reproducible Output: Consistent formatting across compilations

Practical Examples

Example 1: Academic Paper

Input ORG file (paper.org):

#+TITLE: Quantum Computing Applications
#+AUTHOR: Dr. Alice Chen
#+DATE: 2024
#+LATEX_CLASS: article

* Abstract

This paper presents novel applications of
quantum computing in cryptography.

* Introduction

Quantum computers leverage superposition
and entanglement. The qubit state is:

$|\psi\rangle = \alpha|0\rangle + \beta|1\rangle$

where $|\alpha|^2 + |\beta|^2 = 1$.

** Quantum Gates

The Hadamard gate is defined as:

\begin{equation}
H = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix}
1 & 1 \\
1 & -1
\end{pmatrix}
\end{equation}

Output TEX file (paper.tex):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}

\title{Quantum Computing Applications}
\author{Dr. Alice Chen}
\date{2024}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
This paper presents novel applications of
quantum computing in cryptography.
\end{abstract}

\section{Introduction}

Quantum computers leverage superposition
and entanglement. The qubit state is:

$|\psi\rangle = \alpha|0\rangle + \beta|1\rangle$

where $|\alpha|^2 + |\beta|^2 = 1$.

\subsection{Quantum Gates}

The Hadamard gate is defined as:

\begin{equation}
H = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \begin{pmatrix}
1 & 1 \\
1 & -1
\end{pmatrix}
\end{equation}

\end{document}

Example 2: Technical Report with Tables

Input ORG file (report.org):

#+TITLE: Performance Analysis
#+AUTHOR: Engineering Team

* Results

** Benchmark Comparison

| Algorithm | Time (ms) | Memory (MB) | Accuracy |
|-----------+-----------+-------------+----------|
| Method A  |       125 |          64 |    95.2% |
| Method B  |        89 |         128 |    97.8% |
| Method C  |       156 |          32 |    94.1% |

** Analysis

Method B shows the best accuracy ($97.8\%$)
despite higher memory usage. The time
complexity is $O(n \log n)$.

Output TEX file (report.tex):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\title{Performance Analysis}
\author{Engineering Team}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Results}

\subsection{Benchmark Comparison}

\begin{table}[htbp]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{lccc}
\toprule
Algorithm & Time (ms) & Memory (MB) & Accuracy \\
\midrule
Method A & 125 & 64 & 95.2\% \\
Method B & 89 & 128 & 97.8\% \\
Method C & 156 & 32 & 94.1\% \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\subsection{Analysis}

Method B shows the best accuracy ($97.8\%$)
despite higher memory usage. The time
complexity is $O(n \log n)$.

\end{document}

Example 3: Document with Code

Input ORG file (tutorial.org):

#+TITLE: Python Programming Guide
#+AUTHOR: Teaching Staff

* Functions

** Defining Functions

Functions are defined using the ~def~ keyword:

#+BEGIN_SRC python
def factorial(n):
    """Calculate factorial recursively."""
    if n <= 1:
        return 1
    return n * factorial(n - 1)
#+END_SRC

The time complexity is $O(n)$ and
space complexity is also $O(n)$ due to
the recursion stack.

Output TEX file (tutorial.tex):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{listings}
\usepackage{xcolor}

\lstset{
    language=Python,
    basicstyle=\ttfamily\small,
    keywordstyle=\color{blue},
    commentstyle=\color{gray},
    stringstyle=\color{green!50!black}
}

\title{Python Programming Guide}
\author{Teaching Staff}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Functions}

\subsection{Defining Functions}

Functions are defined using the \texttt{def} keyword:

\begin{lstlisting}
def factorial(n):
    """Calculate factorial recursively."""
    if n <= 1:
        return 1
    return n * factorial(n - 1)
\end{lstlisting}

The time complexity is $O(n)$ and
space complexity is also $O(n)$ due to
the recursion stack.

\end{document}

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is LaTeX (TEX)?

A: LaTeX is a document preparation system built on top of TeX, created by Donald Knuth. It's the standard for academic and scientific publishing, known for exceptional typesetting quality, especially for mathematical content. TEX files contain the source code that gets compiled to PDF.

Q: How are Org-mode math expressions handled?

A: Org-mode math expressions are preserved directly in the LaTeX output. Inline math ($...$) stays as-is, and LaTeX environments (\begin{equation}...\end{equation}) are transferred unchanged. Org-mode's native LaTeX support makes this conversion seamless.

Q: Can I use journal templates with the output?

A: Yes! The generated .tex file can be adapted to use journal-specific document classes (IEEE, ACM, Springer, etc.). You may need to adjust the preamble and add required packages to meet publisher requirements.

Q: What happens to Org-mode code blocks?

A: Code blocks are converted to LaTeX listings or verbatim environments. The language specification is preserved for syntax highlighting. You can customize the appearance using the listings or minted packages.

Q: How do I compile the output TEX file?

A: Use pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, or LuaLaTeX to compile: `pdflatex paper.tex`. Online tools like Overleaf can compile without local installation. For bibliographies, run BibTeX between LaTeX runs.

Q: Are Org tables converted properly?

A: Yes, Org tables are converted to LaTeX tabular environments. The converter can use packages like booktabs for professional table formatting with proper horizontal rules.

Q: What about citations and bibliography?

A: Org-mode citations using org-cite are converted to LaTeX \cite commands. You'll need a .bib file with your references and can use BibTeX or BibLaTeX for bibliography management.

Q: Can I convert back from LaTeX to Org-mode?

A: Yes, using Pandoc you can convert LaTeX to Org-mode format: `pandoc -f latex -t org input.tex -o output.org`. Complex LaTeX macros may require manual adjustment after conversion.