LyX ⇒ LaTeX Error: File `booktabs.sty' not found.

[gerritgroot]

Hi,

I am new to LyX and just installed it on Windows. Doing a short manual, changing a table's look, I got the error message:

"LaTeX Error: File `booktabs.sty' not found."

So I started looking on the internet and found something like "booktabs.zip" which ought to be the whole package. I installed it under the directories as instructed in the REDME file, however, it still does not work!

What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help,

Gerrit

[gerritgroot]

Okay, 25 views, no answer... ...back to open office, sorry guys I give up with LateX for the moment.

[localghost]

Okay, 25 views, no answer... ...back to open office, sorry guys I give up with LateX for the moment.

You'd better give up with LyX, not with LaTeX. Give an editor like TeXnicCenter a try and write your documents with pure LaTeX. But it seems you don't want to miss a WYSIWYG interface.

Since you didn't write what OS and LaTeX system you are using, it is not easy to help. With MiKTeX it would be very easy to install packages. And impatience has never been a good advisor.

[gerritgroot]

Hi,

Well, I mentioned that I was working with LyX in windows, but okay. I saw LyX as a solution to avoid having to learn just another language more and still being able to make documents look good, because after all that's what you have to do with pure latex, read a bible full with commands, I am not willing to do that.

I do agree however that LateX text looks much better than word and that word is crap when it comes to large documents, nevertheless latex fans should admit that all latex text looks the same, if you want something different you have to make your own class, finding out how to do that without anyone telling you is again an afwul task and again coding html like commands. Even though it looks better that doesn't compensate the time spent.

I consider a computer a thing that should recude my work, not create it.

I will give it a try with the other editor you mention I am still hopefull

Gerrit

[localghost]

But you haven't mention your LaTeX system yet (if there is one). And before typesetting documents with LateX (or LyX), you should be aware of some facts.

LateX is not the right thing to realise very individual wishes and create documents with flourish like pretty looking fonts or such things. However, it is possible, even though with additional expenditure. If you want to do so from the beginning, step back to a word processor. The focus is laid on generating typographically correct documents which are easy to read. And this is the main point you should concentrate on, too. There's no need to read "bibles". Start with "The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX2e" (lshort-english, available in many other languages). It will help you to start with LaTeX. If there are more questions, feel free to ask. That includes also questions about packages like booktabs. And if I can help you, I will do so.

The reason why you got no answers to your request seems to be that there is nobody who is familiar with that problem regarding LyX, including me. I experienced that there are only a few people using LyX. From those I know working with LaTeX (about fifty) there's only one using LyX.

[gerritgroot]

Thank you very much. You are confirming what latex is all about, it took me time to find that out as it was all new to me.

I must be doing something terribly wrong being the only person with the booktabs error. I instaled LyX as one package on windows and it installed me MIKTEX automatically, version 2.5 I think (I am not behind my own computer now).

The good thing about latex is that once you have your own class you don't have to worry anymore about how it's going to look and it will still be personal. I am thinking about applications where you can make a class with your company logo and some small modifications in order to make it look more personal. As LyX is still not as complete as coding latex by hand, I expect that there doesn't exist such a thing as a "class builder" program, is there? But mabye that's something for a separate question in this forum. In combination with LyX that would be perfect for lazy people like me.

Thanks for your comments, I'll keep an eye on what's available in LateX land, as word pisses me off regularly. Anyway, I consider LyX a very good initiative to reach a more than only scientific public with latex.

Regards,

Gerrit

[localghost]

[…] I must be doing something terribly wrong being the only person with the booktabs error. I instaled LyX as one package on windows and it installed me MIKTEX automatically, version 2.5 I think (I am not behind my own computer now). […]

You can check the installed MiKTeX packages via Start -> Program Files -> MiKTeX -> Browse Packages. Search the booktabs package, check it and install it by clicking on "+" in the menu bar.

If that doesn't work, change the package repository via menu "Repository" and choose a mirror server in your country.

[gerritgroot]

I think you may hit the source of the problem now. The computer on which I installed this is not connected on the internet, so this won't work. I may try to take it with me and connect it somewhere else, but wouldn't it be easier to have a stand alone setup.exe that installs everything without the need of being online?

[localghost]

The most convenient way to get the distribution is the MiKTeX Net Installer. So, take the computer connected to the internet and go to the MiKTeX Project Page. Move to the setup page of MikTeX 2.6 and download the Basic MikTeX 2.6 Installer and the MiKTeX 2.6 Net Installer (both version 2.6.2742) to one directory. Now execute the Net Installer and download the complete MikTeX distribution from a mirror in your country into the suggested directory (a subdirectory of the above mentioned) called "MiKTeX 2.6 Packages". Later on this will be your local package repository. You will have to be patient, because the whole download is about 690MB. Burn the complete download (Basic Installer, Net Installer and Package Repository) to a CD. This CD should have the following content.

Code: Select all

07.07.2007  21:18        54 804 744 basic-miktex-2.6.2742.exe
07.07.2007  21:39    <DIR>          MiKTeX 2.6 Packages
07.07.2007  21:13         2 928 640 setup-2.6.2742.exe

Now uninstall your MikTeX 2.5 and install Basic MikTeX 2.6. You may have to adapt paths in LyX (you have to find out that by yourself). For later update and additional package installation you can choose "MiKTeX 2.6 Packages" on the CD as a local repository. You can do all the steps with MiKTeX 2.5 (see setup page), but it is considered outdated.

[gerritgroot]

Thank you, this is what I'll do then to get the files.

It might be an idea to make the complete package downloadable without using any installer, but okay, what you propose is a solution.