ML Writing Helper

Summary

This package is a helper tool for writing documents and papers using Markup Language (ML) such as LaTeX, HTML, or Markdown.

Function

1. Image insertion support
   1. This can convert .pptx/.ppt files created by PowerPoint or LibreOffice into image files such as .eps, .pdf, .png and so on.
2. Cropping
   1. This can remove outline white space in the above conversion.
3. Monitoring specific folders and copy if inside files are changed
   1. This can copy files such as .bib file exported from document manager to target folder by detecting their change or export and so on.
4. Grayscale
   1. This can convert to gray scale image.

Setup

Requirements

Please install the following software before using this package.

1. LibreOffice

CLI(Not Implemented yet)

• Format: convert4ml src_path dst_dir to_fmt is_crop

watcher

• Format: mlhelper.watch

Install

Install requirements

1. LibreOffice
   1. Windows10 or above: winget install LibreOffice
   2. MacOS: brew install --cask libreoffice
   3. Linux: sudo apt-get install libreoffice
   4. Manual install...
2. this package:
   1. pip install -U git+https://github.com/HirotsuguMINOWA/ml_writing_helper.git

Usage

Preparation

• Make a rule file for support.
  • Save this code to ,for example, start_watcher.py

1. python [below code]

   from ml_writing_helper import Monitor
   from pathlib import Path
   manu_path = Path(__file__).resolve().parent # manuscript_path as hiro_watcher
   o=Monitor()
   
   # Conversion .pptx in fig_src dir TO fig_gen dir.
   o.set_monitor(
    src_dir=manu_path.joinpath("fig_src")
    ,dst_dir=manu_path.joinpath("fig_gen")
    ,to_fmt=".eps" # .png, .pdf and so on.
   )
   
   # Copy document manager(mendeley/zotero...) exported .bib is copied to manu_path
   o.set_monitor(
     src_dir="/usr/<username>/Documents/BibTexExported"
     ,dst_dir=manu_path
     ,to_fmt=".bib"
   )
   
   o.start_monitors()

Usage example from terminal

1. Install this package.
2. python start_watcher.py

Usage example from Visual Studio SCode(VSC)

1. Setup
   1. Install PlugIn "CodeRunner(formulahendry.code-runner)" to VSC.
2. Settings
   1. Setup path of python interpreter @ .vscode/settings.json
      • .vscode/settings.json

        {
          "code-runner.executorMap": {
            "python": "/Users/YOUR_USER_ID/pyenv/ml_writing_helper/bin/python",
          }
        }

3. Run a rule file start_watcher.py
   1. 'Cmd(Ctrl)+Opt(Alt)+N' to run start_watcher.py
   2. Or autorun if combines with philfontaine.autolaunch?

Troubleshooting / Tips

eps over pdf for LaTeX

• Reason: displays at proper size
• In pdf, \linewidth does not fit in the width (multiple columns) correctly, probably because the size of pdf is not correctly obtained.
  • Compared to png, it is easier to use eps or .xbb, because the bounding box is not necessary to specify the size.
  • In IEICE templates, the above size acquisition failure may be the reason why the image is normally output as an image and buried in the text.

Cropping(White space remove) failed

Cause

1. Invisible frame in the target image

Slide-to-Img conversion failed

Cause

1. If you use format pdf, change to .png.
   1. Current version fails to crop pdf files.

PowerPoint file to image(PDF included) has low quality

1. MacOS: LibreOfficeVanilla is not verified?
   1. This edition was removed the conversion function.
2. is the image quality down when you open that .pttx in LibreOffice?
   1. even if the image quality is not reduced on PowerPoint, the image quality may be reduced when opened in LibreOffice, which could be solved by reworking the document.
   2. a PowerPoint file can be converted to PNG in PowerPoint and then converted to eps in this script.
3. MacOS: LibreOffice application verification not finished?
   1. after installing from Homebrew, if you use LibreOffice without completing the application validation, the image quality will be low.