ptyx 22.3

pTyX is a python precompiler for LaTeX.

pTyX

Overview

pTyX is a LaTeX precompilator, written in Python. pTyX enables to generate LaTeX documents, using custom commands or plain python code. One single pTyX file may generate many latex documents, with different values. I developped and used pTyX to make several different versions of a same test in exams, for my student, to discourage cheating. Since it uses sympy library, pTyX has symbolic calculus abilities too.

Installation

Obviously, pTyX needs a working Python installation. Python version 3.6 (at least) is required for pTyX to run.

pTyX also needs a working LaTeX installation. Command pdflatex must be available in your terminal.

Though not required, the following python libraries are recommanded :

• sympy : http://sympy.org/en/index.html
• geophar : https://github.com/wxgeo/geophar/archive/master.zip

Note that geophar come with its own sympy version embedded, so you won't need to install sympy yourself.

You may unzip geophar wherever you like, but you need to edit the config.py script to indicate geophar path. Search for the following lines, and edit them according to your own path :

# <personnal_configuration>
param['sympy_path'] = '~/Dropbox/Programmation/geophar/wxgeometrie'
param['wxgeometrie_path'] = '~/Dropbox/Programmation/geophar'
# </personnal_configuration>

Nota: wxgeometrie is geophar previous name.

Usage

To compile a pTyX file (see below), open a terminal, go to pTyX directory, and write:

$ python ptyx.py my_file.ptyx

For more options:

$ python ptyx.py --help

pTyX file specification

A pTyX file is essentially a LaTeX file, with a .ptyx extension, (optionally) some custom commands, and embedded python code.

To include python code in a pTyX file, use the #PYTHON and #END balise. A special write() command is avalaible, to generate on the flow latex code from python.

This a simple \emph{addition}:\quad
#PYTHON
from random import randint
a = randint(5, 9)
b = randint(2, 4)
write('%s + %s = %s\\' % (a, b, a + b))
#END
Now, some basic \emph{subtraction}:\quad
#PYTHON
write('%s - %s = %s\\' % (a, b, a - b))
#END

To access any python variable outside python code scope, simply add an hashtag before the variable name.

Any valid python expression can also be evaluated this way, using syntax #{python_expr}.

$#a\mul#b=#{a*b}$

However, pTyX has also reserved tags, like conditionals statements #IF, #ELSE, #ENDIF...

(More to come...)