r/LaTeX • u/TypeFun7086 • 9d ago
Unanswered Over-leaf will make me fail! How to migrate to another platform?
Over-leaf is hitting me with the error "Your project exceeded the compile timeout limit on our free plan." since I can't pay for the subscription, how could I migrate to a free compiler like "TeXstudio" or any other thing you recommend, without facing issues of installing packages. I tried compiling in Tex but it keeps telling me some packages are missing and don't know how to add them.
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u/xte2 9d ago
Why ever using a platform? Why not run anything on your own iron?
TeXLive on GNU/Linux, MikTeX on Windows are local. The compilers are lulatex, pdflatex etc, TeXStudio is just a text editor, with addition to comfortably write LaTeX. Run ANYTHING local is the most reasonable way EVER.
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u/vanonym_ 9d ago
To be fair, Overleaf is quite cool if you need to colaborate BUT I strongly agree with you, in the case of serious work (like op appears to be doing) you NEED to setup all you can locally. Git + GitLab/GitHub/BitBucket is perfect for collaboration.
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u/notluckycharm 8d ago
people always suggest github but for something like TeX i just dont get the appeal. It's not exactlyy beginner friendly and is a pain in the ass to use. Most collaborative projects ive had i was the only one with a github account anyways.
And don't get me started on merge conflicts....
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u/looopTools 8d ago
I completely disagree here. Git is not that difficult and merge conflicts can be easily handled as long as people don’t edit the same paragraphs and commits and pushes often.
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u/mmonga 8d ago
When collaborating it is very useful to split sections in different files (to be included in the master one) to minimize conflicts. Many editors (I use Emacs+AUCTex) support this seamlessly. I also like to set up the continuous integration (CI) to be sure everything needed is in the repo (pictures, data, etc). Also, the CI pdf will become the reference artifact for all the collaborators. Feel free to pull my docker image with texlive if you need it: https://hub.docker.com/r/mmonga/texlive/
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u/notluckycharm 8d ago
i think you overestimate the abilities of the average non-tech person lol. I majored in CS and I barely understand Git...
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u/k2ted 8d ago
I would argue that the average non-tech person isn’t going to understand LaTeX either. For most, if you are capable of understanding LaTeX you are capable of understanding git.
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u/notluckycharm 8d ago
i agree, which is why i think overleaf is a good tool. You don't need to actually know how to use LaTeX to use overleaf, since it's visual editor is really helpful.
There are plenty of academics out there who are incredibly technologically inept; trust me ive worked with some of them lolol
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u/vanonym_ 8d ago
I mean... if you can open a terminal and type "git clone" "git pull" "git commit -ma" and "git push" you're set for using git. You don't really need branch management for LaTeX
and if you can't, I'm pretty sure chatgpt is more than capable of helping you
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u/pcsm2001 8d ago
Just use GitHub desktop for the noobs, all they need to learn is what buttons to press
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u/sebastianelisa 7d ago
And then you've a professor for electrical engineering at the university that didn't know Latex before and refuses to learn git or use anything than overleaf...
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u/AnymooseProphet 7d ago
git is a lot better than cvs or svn ever were.
Sure it takes some learning, but so does anything useful.
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u/UserBoyReddit 9d ago
It's convenient and has nifty features. For real time collaboration it's a must have imo. I don't get the flak about these platforms. They have perfectly good use-cases, local isn't always the best option, though I agree that overleaf has some major issues.
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u/xte2 9d ago
IMVHO anything could have issues, our personal desktop as well, in this terms Overleaf is a very good service, but the point is why choose to depend on a service when you can go local?
Let's say emails: we can perfectly run a mailserver, but avoid being sent in spam by the giants it's a very big deal, so choosing someone else service have a certain logic, especially if you own you domain and you still keep your messages on your iron (OfflineIMAP, mbsync, ...) but for LaTeX? It's a nonsense.
Collaboration in the sense of many "cursors" on the same open file is a terrible paradigm, wow effect but very terrible. The good and safe way is a common repo, anyone commit it's own branch locally and push to the master where the more skilled merge the changes. This way we know and own our work and we collaborate nevertheless. Beside that overleaf offer a good template collection, but you do not need overleaf services for a template...
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u/UserBoyReddit 9d ago
You do realize that overleaf has a full history in case you need to revert changes? And you can still sync it with git if needed. Plus there are many cases where a true real-time multiple cursor collaboration is useful.
As I said there are VERY valid reasons to choose Overleaf. I don't mean any disrespect but you seem very pedantic in your pov.
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u/xte2 9d ago
As well as a local git/jujutsu/*. They are also made for this.
I'm very pedantic because I'm a sysadmin and I see how disastrous is the current shape of IT, due to a mix of end-users ignorance and some giants interests, and it's easy to speculate the near-term future.
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u/UserBoyReddit 9d ago
You really don't seem to understand that not everybody is well versed in VCSes, in an ideal world, should everybody learn and use git for LaTeX projects ? Sure. In practice, some people don't want to dedicate energy and time to learning git, which highlights my point : using a platform has valid use cases, such as true real-time collaboration (e.g. on a call or in a meeting, I've benefitted greatly from this during my university years), ease of use, easier learning curve, and so on.
It does, as you say, have some drawbacks, but so does the local git solution.
You said it well, you're an IT admin, which means you have greater technical knowledge and understanding than your average Joe who wants to write a paper in LaTeX, which does not apply to everyone.
Please refrain from absentmindedly saying a solution is outright "bad" just because another one YOU deem better exists, it's giving out real "I use Arch BTW" vibes.
It's all about nuance.
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u/xte2 8d ago
in an ideal world, should everybody learn and use git for LaTeX projects ?
You've answered yourself BUT do consider the MIT Missing Semester to understand why not in an ideal world but in the real one we MUST know how to use a computer "this way", because this way is the way to solve issues, doing things, and this way not common is the reason why we have so many de facto functional illiterate even with a PdD. I'm serious: anyone with a high school diploma in 2024 MUST know at least how to script, how to manage hes/her own files, how to write LaTeX, do basic math and computing on a desktop, versioning etc because we aren't anymore in an oral-based, paper-enabled society and we actually collapse because most still have to understand that, being unable to handle their digital life.
using a platform has valid use cases, such as true real-time collaboration (e.g. on a call or in a meeting, I've benefitted greatly from this during my university years)
That's a good example of the above, it's not a valid use case, there are many who feel this valid because they do not know how to work properly on a computer, but it's a recipe to produce low quality docs and not know how to effectively cooperate in a team, and we see results in most modern team-based development with young devs unable to cooperate, in the manufacturing industry where designers fails to use a PLM properly and so on. It's an IMMENSE loss of productivity 90% of active professionals fails to understand.
I'm rude because that's what I see every day with the aforementioned outcome. If people do not seriously understand that these days ANYONE must know enough of IT, like in the past everyone need to know how to read and write with pen and paper, we are simple done, our society could not keep up in the modern world without such spread knowledge.
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u/Biter_bomber 9d ago
overleaf has the ability to see what each other is writing instantly requiring no push, which is very helpful when working on small assignments with a few group members. I don't think you can do the same in github, but I would be happy to be wrong
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u/xte2 8d ago
You are right, you can't, but the point is that you shouldn't, because is a terrible way to develop anything. Many do not understand that conquered by the wow effect, but that's is.
The main point is that in the real world we need to cooperate asynchronously and anyone doing some specific part, not "in group" like sheep, so "working together" at the same time on the same file is the ideal recipe to produce low quality docs and NOT learning how to cooperate.
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u/orthomonas 8d ago
Collaboration via git can be good when everyone has got git experience. I've yet to have this happen.
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u/xte2 8d ago
As to properly collaborate with LaTeX all parties involved must know LaTeX, something not much verified in the real world... People should learn, as for anything.
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u/orthomonas 8d ago
In collaborating while using Overleaf, I've found basic LaTeX was (surprisingly) not a stumbling block.
Eliminating needing to install and understand the pipeline, combined with visual feedback, really lowered the barrier to entry.
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u/xte2 8d ago
The barrier to entry is for learner, once you learn there is no barrier anymore. If you use LaTeX to write something serious you shouldn't be a learner anymore or you are in a very fragile situation.
Again I can understand whose who start discover LaTeX to write their thesis, with zero time left to learn. That's why even the MIT publish it's famous "the missing semester", but also that's why people MUST learn when they have time not stating "I just want something quick and done" and keep using it for years because every time they do not want to learn, and every time not knowing they suffer here and there to do anything.
How many keep avoiding organise their files and suffer the consequence all the time? People like https://www.theverge.com/22684730/students-file-folder-directory-structure-education-gen-z this trend must be stopped to keep evolving. Back then for most computers was strange stuff to play, nothing more. Now their are the nervous system of our society.
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u/orthomonas 8d ago edited 8d ago
Because the learning curve for getting local LaTeX up and running, and I say this as a LaTeX enjoyer, is ass backwards painful. Especially when compared to just using overleaf.
Edit: Even more so when you infer the technical expertise of the OP.
You're not incorrect in that local is generally more flexible and powered, but you seem to have lost sight of just how annoying LaTeX installation and use can be to the average user.
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u/xte2 8d ago
Because the learning curve for getting local LaTeX up and running, and I say this as a LaTeX enjoyer, is ass backwards painful. E
Installing a package is painful? Which OS you use?
You're not incorrect in that local is generally more flexible and powered, but you seem to have lost sight of just how annoying LaTeX installation and use can be to the average user.
Well, on modern OS installing LaTeX is a single command, you do not need anything else, if you say "ah, but people live on uncomfy Windows systems" ok, so how can be they comfy with LaTeX (language) itself? If they have gone through learning LaTeX deploying it it's damn easy. It's not a modern crapplication full of dependencies, plagued by bad development practice like imaging the world live on Docker and so on.
It's a huge package, ok, you need a significant amount of storage, but it's still a local package...
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u/orthomonas 8d ago edited 8d ago
if you say "ah, but people live on uncomfy Windows systems" ok, so how can be they comfy with LaTeX (language) itself? If they have gone through learning LaTeX deploying it it's damn easy
This is my point exactly. Using stuff like overleaf decouples learning basic LaTeX with installing it, and it helps to recognize that that is exactly the value proposition of using it.
I've successfully collabed with authors who are still afraid of the command line and have at best only a vague idea of what git is. They were, however, able to easily format text, add equations, track references, and use comments.
Edit: We actually share the same viewpoint in that it would better if people understood their tools and probably had local installations. We differ in that I'm more willing to accept a compromise based on how the world differs from the ideal, and that's probably why I understand why so many people use Overleaf.
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8d ago edited 8d ago
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u/xte2 8d ago
I constantly run into issues with texstudio.
That's have NOTHING to do with LaTeX. TeXStudio is not LaTeX is a third party editor "specialised" in help users writing LaTeX documents, but it's not LaTeX. TeXLive is LaTeX. The editor you use it's a personal choice, on GNU/Linux you can use pretty anything even "the notepad" builtin on modern DE support LaTeX syntax highlighting. On Others OSes you can use any editor. The fact that users confuse an editor with a compiler is one of the reasons why MANDATORY IT knowledge like The Missing Semester MUST be taught since high schools.
Overlearf also has what I consider an indespensible feature that lets you sync the preview and code view in one click. I'm not sure of other solutions have this but if they do it should be much more obvious.
There are plenty of them, like just opening a pdf viewer and running the LaTeX build command with
-synctex=1viewers commonly live reload the pdf, no need for special features. Beside that in 99% live preview is another thing users who do not know how to use a computer look for, and actually a HARMFUL feature to be avoided because the point of using LaTeX is being concentrated in the text you write not in it's final output, potentially one of many different outputs for the same codebase.Anyone that thinks setting up latex locally is as easy as installing chrome or something is highly disconnected from reality.
Actually not, are so many end-users so disconnected from BASIC IT knowledge who do not understand the reality and think the strange reality they already know (like WYSIWYG editors) is "the normal way to go" not the harmful utter one.
I'm also a regular contributor and maintainer of various github projects, I ahve no problem using the command line and have been using computers most of the day for over thirty years. my system is up-to-date and well maintained, and I'm running on the latest hardware. there is no excuse for the amount of nonsense I deal with in texstudio.
If you are a dev of some kind there is honestly no sense in wanting a tex-specific editor, just use nVim/Emacs or your favourite editor, they all support LaTeX.
Ai tools also seem to have a much better grasp of fixing issues with overleaf
ML tools are for those who do not know, trying to do something without knowledge, might be of help in some cases, but they are not driver, like CoPilot could not be for generic code. Again they tend to be HARMFUL things users like because they do not want to study and they do not want because back at school nobody have taught them IT well and so ANYTHING is utterly painful for them, just because their IT knowledge is a monster of nonsense built by few giants for their commercial interests, that's the reality.
That's why it's considered normal banks do not open API access to generic customers, and their customers have no personal banking client to works with anything money related or it's considered normal that Amazon do not offer buyers feeds of their purchases for auto-imports in some personal software, leaving them only to professional partners and so on.
It's the ignorance of the masses exploited by few, with the masses who suffer their condition still fighting to keep it as long as much as they can against their own real interests.
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u/bobthebobbest 8d ago
I’m constantly amazed by people who persist in using overleaf for anything more than trying out latex or collaborating on small stuff.
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u/CMphys 9d ago
The simplest solution is probably to install TexLive including all packages, or MikTeX, which seems to have an integrated package manager which installs missing packages when needed. I haven't tried the latter option myself, though.
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u/That4AMBlues 9d ago
Just to add, I have tried the latter option, and it works nicely, just installs stuff on the fly.
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u/jbourne71 9d ago
On Windows? Install MikTex and use its built-in package manager and either TeXstudio or VSCode + Latex Workshop. Plenty of tutorials.
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u/victotronics 9d ago
I use tons of packages and they all seem to be present in TeXlive. Running locally is not hard and you're in total control.
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u/maifee 9d ago
Ubuntu + vscode + latex workshop
Just open the pdf and Tex file in the same window side by side and enjoy.
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u/dimsumenjoyer 8d ago
Are Ubuntu? I usually use notability on my iPad to take notes, but I’m experimenting with switching to VSCode to code in latex there
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u/tedecristal 9d ago
Install miktex select all extra packages you need and use any decent editor. TexStudio isn't a compiler, just a text editor, like notepad
It's not overleaf who is making you fail. It's you who relied only on some commercial product out of your control
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u/NetworkedOuija 9d ago
Iva been struggling hard to get Miktex in VS code to use Lualatex so I can stop my sub to overleaf. Still it feels so close.
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u/Stu_Mack 9d ago
I went with Tex-live because it plays so well with LaTeX Workshop in VSCode. It’s pretty seamless, even with GitHub handling version tracking between VSCode and Overleaf. All I have to do is remember to merge everything when I’m done for the day.
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u/SandboChang 8d ago
Then you should. These kids nowadays don’t even know how to google to setup latex, and lazy enough to not even try using LLM.
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u/MrGOCE 9d ago
LAZYVIM + VIMTEX
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u/jerimiahWhiteWhale 9d ago
Lualatex combines really well with neovim, especially because they are both configurable in the same language
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u/Rialagma 9d ago
Sure, if you have a month of spare time to learn vim keybindings, neovim, lua, and then install lazyvim and how to use vimtex.
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u/sparkster777 8d ago
I know this is a cliche, but the first time I used VIM I got stuck and no idea how to get out. A kindly, older grad student in the desk beside me had to help out.
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u/Kvothealar 9d ago
I use TeXMaker as the IDE with TeXLive in the background. Easy installation process and has never failed me on any OS.
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u/noni2live 9d ago
You can also run a self hosted instance of Overleaf. Look up the github repository.
This is what I switched to from miktex. I really like the overleaf interface and working on my browser. Since you’re running it on your own compute power, you don’t get those limits.
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u/egytaldodolle 9d ago
For a local installation and easy workflow: 1. Install tex-live 2. Install VS Code 3. Install LaTeX Workshop extension in VS Code 4. Google how to set up your preferred compiler in VS Code settings 5. Go
(6. If you want syncing online with other computers/people, use GitHub to and commit your project folder to a repository)
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u/Avanatiker 8d ago
Best platform is IntelliJ plus Tex and PDF plugin. It’s a nice editor and you can use stuff like Copilot
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u/midsummers_eve 8d ago
Include only.
All great advice, but if you want to finish in Overleaf because you are so far already, I highly suggest to search the command /includeonly - it only compiles the chapter you ask him to and keeps the rest of the pdf the same, and then you can compile all just in the end of the project.
After that, run the hell away from Overleaf.
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u/bhaswar_py 8d ago
I used Pandoc+TexLive with my vim installation. Works like a charm. I have a bunch of scripts running that automatically update the PDF when I save, so it's great. Don't use Overleaf.
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u/ScoutAndLout 8d ago
Consider LyX.
My LyX setup installs packages I need without me. And it gives you a graphical rendering of equations, tables, and figures.
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u/aerosayan 8d ago
Install latex on your machine.
texlive-full package installs everything but it is roughly 4GB in size, so if you have the internet speed/bandwidth to download this, it is recommended.
However if you want to install a smaller set of packages that only require downloading 200-300 MB of packages, then there are other packages that you can install.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the smaller packages were called texlive-base and texlive-extras.
Installing these smaller packages then using TexStudio or MikTex as the editor, would be enough to do what you want.
TexStudio is smaller/easier to user. MikTex allows you to install packages and does many other things.
I like TexStudio since it's easy to use and I reaaallyyy love the magnifying glass feature that zooms on the pdf when we click and drag on any line.
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u/Bach4Ants 8d ago
I recently wrote a tutorial on using GitHub Codespaces for LaTeX documents that are part of research projects (disclaimer: using an open-source framework I've been building called Calkit): https://petebachant.me/latex-collab/
The resulting project can be opened locally in VS Code, at which point it should ask if you want to use the dev container, and then you're off to the races without needing to install any LaTeX distribution thanks to Docker.
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u/e_for_oil-er 7d ago
If you download the complete TexLive version, you have almost all of the packages that are also available in Overleaf. I use it with VSCode, with the Latex extension. This is all free.
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u/Alkemian 7d ago
I just go the TeX Live route on both my Windows and Linux machines, and I use TeXStudio for my editor.
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u/tacx0_0 9d ago
I'd suggest using Tectonic, it's fairly underrated. Tectonic : https://tectonic-typesetting.github.io/en-US/
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u/vicapow 9d ago edited 9d ago
Hi! I'm working on Crixet, an alternative to Overleaf. Here's a quick video of how to import a project from Overleaf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O9imoYzJvQ
Crixet is still pretty experimental so your feedback would be much appreciated.
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u/StraightAct4448 9d ago
Chrome only? AI?
Not loving it tbh. Kind of opposed to the LaTeX/OSS philosophy imo.
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u/vicapow 9d ago edited 8d ago
Thanks for the feedback!
Once we add the ability to support collaborative editing in the cloud, we should be able to support FF / Safari, etc. and only require Chrome when you want a "local" editor experience.
I can understand not wanting to see l the AI features if you don’t want them. We can add a setting to disable that.
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u/lucottoDA 9d ago
MiKTeX