texer 0.2.0

Generate LaTeX tables and figures with glom-style specs

texer

Generate LaTeX tables and figures (PGFPlots) with Python using a glom-style spec system.

Installation

pip install -e .

Mental Model

texer follows a simple principle: describe your LaTeX structure once, then fill it with any data.

Instead of writing string templates or manually building LaTeX, you define:

1. The structure of your table or plot using Python classes
2. Specs that describe where data comes from
3. Your data as plain Python dicts/lists

texer then evaluates the specs against your data to produce valid LaTeX.

Structure + Specs + Data → LaTeX

Core Concepts

Specs: Describing Data Access

Specs are lazy descriptors that tell texer how to extract and transform data.

from texer import Ref, Iter, Format, Cond, Raw

# Ref: Access data by path (glom-style dot notation)
Ref("name")              # data["name"]
Ref("user.email")        # data["user"]["email"]
Ref("items.0.value")     # data["items"][0]["value"]
Ref("x", default=0)      # with default value

# Iter: Loop over collections
Iter(Ref("rows"), template=Row(...))  # iterate and apply template
Iter(Ref("points"), x=Ref("x"), y=Ref("y"))  # extract coordinates

# Format: Python format specs
Format(Ref("price"), ".2f")   # "3.14"
Format(Ref("ratio"), ".1%")   # "25.0%"

# Cond: Conditional logic
Cond(Ref("x") > 5, "high", "low")
Cond(Ref("active"), Raw(r"\checkmark"), "")

# Raw: Unescaped LaTeX
Raw(r"\textbf{bold}")
Raw(r"\hline")

The Evaluation Flow

1. You define structure with Specs embedded
2. Call evaluate(structure, data)
3. texer walks the structure, resolving Specs against data
4. LaTeX strings are produced with proper escaping

---

Building Tables

Mental Model for Tables

Think of tables as nested structures:

Table (floating environment)
└── Tabular (the actual grid)
    ├── Header (Row)
    └── Body (list of Rows or Iter)
        └── Cells (values, Refs, or Cell objects)

Basic Table

from texer import Table, Tabular, Row, evaluate

# Define structure
table = Table(
    Tabular(
        columns="lcc",  # left, center, center
        header=Row("Name", "Value", "Unit"),
        rows=[
            Row("Length", "42", "m"),
            Row("Mass", "100", "kg"),
        ],
        toprule=True,
        bottomrule=True,
    ),
    caption="Physical Properties",
    label="tab:properties",
)

# Generate LaTeX (no data needed for static tables)
print(evaluate(table, {}))

Output:

\begin{table}[htbp]
  \centering
  \caption{Physical Properties}
  \label{tab:properties}
  \begin{tabular}{lcc}
    \toprule
    Name & Value & Unit \\
    \midrule
    Length & 42 & m \\
    Mass & 100 & kg \\
    \bottomrule
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}

Data-Driven Table

The power comes from using Specs to pull data dynamically:

from texer import Table, Tabular, Row, Ref, Iter, Format, evaluate

# Define structure with Specs
table = Table(
    Tabular(
        columns="lcc",
        header=Row("Experiment", "Result", "Error"),
        rows=Iter(
            Ref("experiments"),  # iterate over data["experiments"]
            template=Row(
                Ref("name"),                    # each item's "name"
                Format(Ref("result"), ".3f"),   # formatted number
                Format(Ref("error"), ".1%"),    # as percentage
            )
        ),
        toprule=True,
        bottomrule=True,
    ),
    caption=Ref("table_title"),  # dynamic caption
    label="tab:results",
)

# Provide data
data = {
    "table_title": "Experimental Results",
    "experiments": [
        {"name": "Trial A", "result": 3.14159, "error": 0.023},
        {"name": "Trial B", "result": 2.71828, "error": 0.015},
        {"name": "Trial C", "result": 1.41421, "error": 0.042},
    ]
}

print(evaluate(table, data))

Conditional Formatting

Use Cond for conditional styling:

from texer import Tabular, Row, Cell, Ref, Iter, Cond, Raw, Format, evaluate

table = Tabular(
    columns="lcc",
    header=Row("Test", "Score", "Status"),
    rows=Iter(
        Ref("tests"),
        template=Row(
            Ref("name"),
            Format(Ref("score"), ".1f"),
            # Conditional: green PASS if score >= 70, else red FAIL
            Cond(
                Ref("score") >= 70,
                Raw(r"\textcolor{green}{PASS}"),
                Raw(r"\textcolor{red}{FAIL}"),
            ),
        )
    ),
    toprule=True,
    bottomrule=True,
)

data = {
    "tests": [
        {"name": "Unit Tests", "score": 95.5},
        {"name": "Integration", "score": 62.0},
        {"name": "E2E Tests", "score": 88.2},
    ]
}

print(evaluate(table, data))

Cell Formatting

Use Cell for fine-grained control:

from texer import Row, Cell, Ref, Cond

Row(
    Cell(Ref("name"), bold=True),                    # always bold
    Cell(Ref("value"), italic=True),                 # always italic
    Cell(Ref("x"), bold=Cond(Ref("important"), True, False)),  # conditional bold
)

Multi-column and Multi-row

from texer import Row, MultiColumn, MultiRow

# Spanning columns
Row(MultiColumn(3, "c", "Header Spanning 3 Columns"))

# Spanning rows (requires multirow package)
Row(MultiRow(2, "Category"), "Value 1", "Unit 1")

---

Building PGFPlots

Mental Model for Plots

Think of plots as nested structures:

PGFPlot (tikzpicture wrapper)
└── Axis (the coordinate system)
    ├── Options (xlabel, ylabel, limits, grid, ...)
    ├── Plots (list of AddPlot)
    │   └── AddPlot
    │       ├── Style (color, mark, line style)
    │       └── Data (Coordinates or expression)
    └── Legend

Basic Plot with Static Data

from texer import PGFPlot, Axis, AddPlot, Coordinates, evaluate

plot = PGFPlot(
    Axis(
        xlabel="Time (s)",
        ylabel="Distance (m)",
        plots=[
            AddPlot(
                color="blue",
                mark="*",
                coords=Coordinates([(0, 0), (1, 2), (2, 8), (3, 18)]),
            )
        ],
    )
)

print(evaluate(plot, {}))

Output:

\begin{tikzpicture}
  \begin{axis}[xlabel={Time (s)}, ylabel={Distance (m)}]
    \addplot[color=blue, mark=*] coordinates {(0, 0) (1, 2) (2, 8) (3, 18)};
  \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

Data-Driven Plot

from texer import PGFPlot, Axis, AddPlot, Coordinates, Ref, Iter, evaluate

plot = PGFPlot(
    Axis(
        xlabel=Ref("x_label"),
        ylabel=Ref("y_label"),
        title=Ref("title"),
        legend_pos="north west",
        grid=True,
        plots=[
            AddPlot(
                color="blue",
                mark="*",
                coords=Coordinates(
                    Iter(Ref("measurements"), x=Ref("time"), y=Ref("value"))
                ),
            )
        ],
        legend=[Ref("series_name")],
    )
)

data = {
    "title": "Temperature Over Time",
    "x_label": "Time (hours)",
    "y_label": "Temperature (°C)",
    "series_name": "Sensor 1",
    "measurements": [
        {"time": 0, "value": 20.5},
        {"time": 1, "value": 22.3},
        {"time": 2, "value": 25.1},
        {"time": 3, "value": 23.8},
    ]
}

print(evaluate(plot, data))

Multiple Series

from texer import PGFPlot, Axis, AddPlot, Coordinates, Ref, Iter, evaluate

plot = PGFPlot(
    Axis(
        xlabel="X",
        ylabel="Y",
        legend_pos="south east",
        plots=[
            AddPlot(
                color="blue",
                mark="*",
                coords=Coordinates(
                    Iter(Ref("series_a"), x=Ref("x"), y=Ref("y"))
                ),
            ),
            AddPlot(
                color="red",
                mark="square*",
                style="dashed",
                coords=Coordinates(
                    Iter(Ref("series_b"), x=Ref("x"), y=Ref("y"))
                ),
            ),
        ],
        legend=["Series A", "Series B"],
    )
)

data = {
    "series_a": [{"x": 0, "y": 1}, {"x": 1, "y": 4}, {"x": 2, "y": 9}],
    "series_b": [{"x": 0, "y": 2}, {"x": 1, "y": 3}, {"x": 2, "y": 5}],
}

print(evaluate(plot, data))

Mathematical Expressions

For function plots, use expressions instead of coordinates:

from texer import PGFPlot, Axis, AddPlot, evaluate

plot = PGFPlot(
    Axis(
        xlabel="$x$",
        ylabel="$f(x)$",
        xmin=-5, xmax=5,
        ymin=-1.5, ymax=1.5,
        grid=True,
        plots=[
            AddPlot(
                expression="sin(deg(x))",
                domain="-5:5",
                samples=100,
                color="blue",
                thick=True,
                no_marks=True,
            ),
            AddPlot(
                expression="cos(deg(x))",
                domain="-5:5",
                samples=100,
                color="red",
                style="dashed",
                no_marks=True,
            ),
        ],
        legend=[r"$\sin(x)$", r"$\cos(x)$"],
    )
)

print(evaluate(plot, {}))

Axis Options Reference

Axis(
    # Labels
    xlabel="X Label",
    ylabel="Y Label",
    zlabel="Z Label",      # for 3D
    title="Plot Title",

    # Limits
    xmin=0, xmax=10,
    ymin=-5, ymax=5,

    # Legend
    legend=["A", "B"],
    legend_pos="north west",  # north west, south east, outer north east, etc.

    # Grid
    grid=True,              # or "major", "minor", "both"

    # Dimensions
    width="10cm",
    height="6cm",

    # Axis type
    axis_type="axis",       # or "semilogxaxis", "semilogyaxis", "loglogaxis"

    # Raw options escape hatch
    _raw_options="some pgfplots option=value",
)

AddPlot Options Reference

AddPlot(
    # Data source (one of these)
    coords=Coordinates([...]),
    expression="x^2",

    # Expression options
    domain="0:10",
    samples=100,

    # Style
    color="blue",
    mark="*",               # *, o, square*, triangle*, etc.
    style="dashed",         # dashed, dotted, etc.
    line_width="1pt",
    thick=True,

    # Mark control
    only_marks=True,        # scatter plot
    no_marks=True,          # line only
    smooth=True,            # smooth curve

    # 3D
    surf=True,              # surface plot
    mesh=True,              # mesh plot

    # Raw options escape hatch
    _raw_options="some option",
)

---

Escape Hatches

When you need raw LaTeX control:

# Raw LaTeX in content
Raw(r"\textbf{bold} and \textit{italic}")

# Raw options on any element
Axis(..., _raw_options="extra pgf option=value")
AddPlot(..., _raw_options="mark options={fill=white}")
Tabular(..., _raw_options="@{}l@{}")

---

Quick Reference

Specs

Spec	Purpose	Example
Ref(path)	Access data	Ref("user.name")
Iter(source, template=...)	Loop over list	Iter(Ref("items"), template=Row(...))
Iter(source, x=..., y=...)	Extract coordinates	Iter(Ref("points"), x=Ref("x"), y=Ref("y"))
Format(value, fmt)	Format value	Format(Ref("x"), ".2f")
Cond(test, if_true, if_false)	Conditional	Cond(Ref("x") > 0, "pos", "neg")
Raw(latex)	Unescaped LaTeX	Raw(r"\hline")

Comparison Operators (for Cond)

Ref("x") > 5      # greater than
Ref("x") < 5      # less than
Ref("x") >= 5     # greater or equal
Ref("x") <= 5     # less or equal
Ref("x") == 5     # equal
Ref("x") != 5     # not equal

# Combine with & (and) and | (or)
(Ref("x") > 0) & (Ref("x") < 10)
(Ref("x") < 0) | (Ref("x") > 10)

Table Classes

Class	Purpose
Table	Floating table environment
Tabular	The tabular grid
Row	A table row
Cell	A cell with formatting options
MultiColumn	Cell spanning columns
MultiRow	Cell spanning rows

Plot Classes

Class	Purpose
PGFPlot	tikzpicture wrapper
Axis	Axis environment
AddPlot	A single plot/series
Coordinates	Data points for a plot
Legend	Legend entries

---

Required LaTeX Packages

For tables with rules:

\usepackage{booktabs}

For colored text:

\usepackage{xcolor}

For plots:

\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.18}

For multirow cells:

\usepackage{multirow}