Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ Tool for simple Math Diagrams

[CSMR]

Hi.

Not specifically a LaTeX question, but can any one recommend a program for producing simple vector graphics (e.g. hand-drawn graphs, functional diagrams, charts) with formulas. In a standard format (probably PDF or SVG) that can be input into LyX/LaTeX.

At the moment I'm using Powerpoint 2010, which works OK, but a more specialized tool might be time-saving. (Either free or commercial.)

Thanks!

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi,

I use TikZ for that purpose. It's integrated in LaTeX, and it is able to draw graphs, diagrams, charts, and more. It's programming like LaTeX, not free-hand drawing - but once you have created basic styles and diagrams, it's easy to adapt for further diagrams.

Here are a lot of examples, you could pick one which is similar to your intention, for a start: TikZ example gallery.

Stefan

[localghost]

The royal road would be to do these diagrams inside LaTeX. Stefan already pointed you in the right direction. Doing diagrams this way will result in best consistency with the rest of the document.

There are some feature-rich packages which let you draw diagrams exactly as Stefan described.

• pgf/tikZ
• PSTricks (Example Gallery)

For these packages there exist extensions which also let you draw three-dimensional diagrams.

• tikz-3dplot
• pst-3dplot

Furthermore there are related packages which allow to produce plots of functions or scientific data.

• pgfplots
• pst-plot

The respective manuals will guide through the first steps with those packages. The final result is worth the high effort.


Thorsten

[CSMR]

Thanks for the advice; I do appreciate that programming in the equations will make them perfectly consistent, and if I were a publishing company I would definitely want that.

But my typesetting standards aren't quite so high. Productivity and ease of use are more important for me, so I am looking for something WYSIWYG here.

Does Inkscape incorporate equations for example? Or any other vector graphics software. Again, for output in a standard format.