The TEXbook

A Complete Users Guide to Computer Typesetting with T_EX

Here is the definitive guide to the use of T_EX, written by the system's creator, Donald E. Knuth.

T_EX represents the state-of-the-art in computer typesetting. It is particularly valuable where the document, article, or book to be produced contains a lot of mathematics, and where the user is concerned about typographic quality. T_EX software offers both writers and publishers the opportunity to produce technical text, in an attractive form, with the speed and efficiency of a computer system.

Novice and expert users alike will gain from The T_EXbook the level of information they seek. Knuth warns newcomers away from more difficult areas, while he entices experienced users with new challenges. The novice need not learn much about T_EX to prepare a simple manuscript with it. But for the preparation of more complex documents, The T_EXbook contains all the detail required.

Knuth's familiar wit and illustrations specifically drawn by Duane Bibby add a light touch to an unusually readable software manual.

1. The Name of the Game
2. Book Printing versus Ordinary Typing
3. Controlling T_EX
4. Fonts of Type
5. Grouping
6. Running T_EX
7. How T_EX Reads What You Type
8. The Characters You Type
9. T_EX Roman Fonts
10. Dimensions
11. Boxes
12. Glue
13. Modes
14. How T_EX Breaks Paragraphs into Lines
15. How T_EX Makes Lines into Pages
16. Typing Math Formulas
17. More about Math
18. Fine Points of Mathematics Typing
19. Displayed Equations
20. Definitions (also called Macros)
21. Making Boxes
22. Alignment
23. Output Routines
24. Summary of Vertical Mode
25. Summary of Horizontal Mode
26. Simmary of Math Mode
27. Recovery from Errors
• Appendices
1. Answers to All the Exercises
2. Basic Control Sequences
3. Character Codes
4. Dirty Tricks
5. Example Formats
6. Font Tables
7. Generating Boxes from Formulas
8. Hyphenation
9. Index
10. Joining the T_EX Community

The user guide to the T_EX program. Try it, you'll like it (at least if you, like me, have struggled to get troff and friends to do stuff it was never meant to do).