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Best interface to LaTeX in Ventura?

Cham2000

Cham2000

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 11, 2022
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I was using Latexian as an interface to LaTeX on an old Intel Mac. Unfortunately, Latexian is defunct since a long time now. It isn't developped anymore. This is very sad, since it's the best and simplest interface to LaTeX that I found. Apparently, I would still be able to use it under Ventura, thanks to Rosetta 2 (I didn't had time to fully test it yet). But I would much prefer to use a fully native LaTeX editing app under Ventura, on a Mac Silicon. So what would you suggest as alternative to Latexian and Texshop (which I don't like)?
 
With Macs, I use TeXworks and compile a lot, in LaTeX and occasionally in plain TeX. My only complaint is that the latest versions of TeXworks produce black pages and make use of color coding difficult. I have to install older versions to avoid that. Some compilers offer choices, but not my favorite one (pdfLaTeX). I now run Version 0.6.3 on Ventura and earlier macOS, when the latest version is 0.6.7.
 
Have you tried Texifier ?

www.texifier.com

Texifier macOS · LaTeX on your Mac

LaTeX editor for macOS, iOS and Windows with syntax highlighting, multi-file support and integrated PDF (formerly called Texpad)
www.texifier.com www.texifier.com

What do you think of this one? It appears to be similar to Latexian.
 
I am not familiar with either Latexian or Texifier, but I visited their websites and watched the video about the former. Regarding Texifler, yes, it looks too pro, but I wouldn't pay for any LaTeX compiler when I can find others for free; it's against Knuth's spirit, right? Latexian on the other hand offers menus with math symbols; sorry but I never liked that. I prefer to type down everything and have full control of the document.

In my humble opinion, a good LaTeX compiler should be free and suitable to one's style of typesetting math stuff.
 
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apostolosdt said:
I am not familiar with either Latexian or Texifier, but I visited their websites and watched the video about the former. Regarding Texifler, yes, it looks too pro, but I wouldn't pay for any LaTeX compiler when I can find others for free; it's against Knuth's spirit, right? Latexian on the other hand offers menus with math symbols; sorry but I never liked that. I prefer to type down everything and have full control of the document.

In my humble opinion, a good LaTeX compiler should be free and suitable to one's style of typesetting math stuff.
Click to expand...

I fully agree with you. LaTeX interfaces apps should be free. And everything should be typed with commands, so I don't like neither pads with symbols. I don't use much the maths symbols menu in Latexian.
 
Cham2000 said:
Have you tried Texifier ?

www.texifier.com

Texifier macOS · LaTeX on your Mac

LaTeX editor for macOS, iOS and Windows with syntax highlighting, multi-file support and integrated PDF (formerly called Texpad)
www.texifier.com www.texifier.com

What do you think of this one? It appears to be similar to Latexian.
Click to expand...
I have used this for many years, and can highly recommend it. The big advantage is that it typesets tex in real time. As soon as you write a letter in the source, you can see the result in the pdf. No need to compile. And then it also works on iPad.

With that unique feature (I have not seen others that can do that?), it's worth paying for. If you insist latex front ends should be free, you give little incentive to developing innovative software.
 
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ahostmadsen said:
[..] With that unique feature (I have not seen others that can do that?), it's worth paying for. If you insist latex front ends should be free, you give little incentive to developing innovative software.
Click to expand...
LaTeX/TeX typesetting is a niche community, mainly of university members, and it doesn't prevent any software development by expecting that the LaTeX compilers remain free. No one objects to simultaneous offers of free and paid software. It's in the spirit of Linux---free and paid distros coexist.

Still, Texifier is quite good, admittedly.
 
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ahostmadsen said:
I have used this for many years, and can highly recommend it. The big advantage is that it typesets tex in real time. As soon as you write a letter in the source, you can see the result in the pdf. No need to compile. And then it also works on iPad.

With that unique feature (I have not seen others that can do that?), it's worth paying for. If you insist latex front ends should be free, you give little incentive to developing innovative software.
Click to expand...
Latexian is doing exactly the same. The interface is similar for both Latexian and Texifier (apparently). So I'll most probably buy Texifier. :)
 
Cham2000 said:
I was using Latexian as an interface to LaTeX on an old Intel Mac. Unfortunately, Latexian is defunct since a long time now. It isn't developped anymore. This is very sad, since it's the best and simplest interface to LaTeX that I found. Apparently, I would still be able to use it under Ventura, thanks to Rosetta 2 (I didn't had time to fully test it yet). But I would much prefer to use a fully native LaTeX editing app under Ventura, on a Mac Silicon. So what would you suggest as alternative to Latexian and Texshop (which I don't like)?
Click to expand...
FYI, Latexian still works on Ventura (MBP M1Pro) -- not sure how or why, but everything still works in spite of it being ancient.
 
I tried Texifier, and it doesn't work well. I often get the beachball (on a large document). It doesn't open separate documents in the same window (or I don't see how it could), and the interface commands sucks (command-F doesn't even work to search a word). It appears to be very buggy. And its whole interface and buttons everywhere makes it confuse and complicated to use. I'm very deceived by Texifier!

While Latexian works under Rosetta 2, it's sad it isn't developped anymore. It was so good!
 
TexStudio is my Editor of choice. Available for Mac/Linux/Windows and open source.
 
My supervisor suggested I just stick to Overleaf but I like things to be local.

I have an Intel MBA which may affect the choices.

I'm using MiKTeX as the back-end and started off just using vi/vim to keep things nice and pure (as I'm a Unix fan). Didn't like it, so used IntelliJ and TeXiFy. If you're at a Uni then I think IntelliJ should be free; it was for me. I already had to use IntelliJ for something else, which helped.

A classmate tried with his development tool of choice, Visual Studio, but couldn't get the Latex plugin to work. He blames the Silicon chip for everything he can't get to work :) He might be right in this instance.
 
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