Community/Knowledge Base
Frequently Asked Questions
James October 30, 2010
- Compiling documents
- Including Other Files
- Working with other users
- Viewing changes
- Document Safety
Which packages does ScribTeX have installed?
ScribTeX uses the full TeXLive environment. This includes a very comprehensive collection of packages, fonts and languages. We'll try to install any other packages that people need, so if we're missing something please open a ticket and let us know.
Can I add my own packages?
You can upload the class and style files from a package to your project's directory and they will be available to your files. This is not always straight forward for all packages though. If you're having trouble then please open a ticket and we'll try to help out.
Why can't the LaTeX compiler find one of my files?
When the LaTeX compiler is run, it's run from the main directory in your project. This means that if you have file in a different directory you will need to include it with its full path, including the directory name. Even if the file including it is in the same directory, the full path is still needed.
For example, suppose we have a directory called 'thesis' and two files 'main.tex' and 'chapter1.tex' in it. Then if main.tex includes chapter1.tex it will need to do so with \include{thesis/chapter1.tex} and not \include{chapter1.tex}.
Can I include bibliographies from .bib files?
Yes! BibTeX functions just like normal on Scribtex. You can create a .bib file and include it in your documents like you would normally.
How do I run BibTeX?
You don't need to; ScribTeX will take care of running BibTeX and LaTeX the correct number of times to compile your document properly.
Can I include images?
Yes! Just upload them to your project and include them as normal.
Which image formats are supported?
ScribTeX uses the pdflatex compiler which doesn't support .eps images. You can use .gif, .png and .pdf images though.
We are working on providing the latex compiler as an alternative which will support .eps images, but this isn't available just yet.
Can I include custom class (.cls) and style (.sty) files?
Yes! Just put them in your project directory and include them as normal.
How do I let someone else edit my project?
When you are browsing your project, click on the 'Collaborators' link underneath the project heading. You will need to know the user name of the person you want to share your project with. Enter their user name and click on 'Add' to add them as a collaborator to your project. They will now be able to see and edit your project.
How do I let someone else view my project?
When you add someone as a collaborator you can tick the 'Read only' box. This means they will only be able to view and not edit your project.
What if someone else makes an edit at the same time as me?
ScribTeX will warn you if someone is editing a file at the same time as you. If you both save changes ScribTeX will ask you whether you would like to overwrite their changes, discard your changes or try to combine both sets of changes. If combing the changes is successful the file will be saved, but if not you will be asked to manually fix any conflicts.
How do I see the changes made to my files?
When browsing a project you can click on the 'History' link in the top right to see a list of recent changes to the directory you are in. If you click on the 'History' link from within a file you will see all changes that affected that file.
How do I undo changes to my files?
When browsing through the history of changes to a file or directory, you can click 'Revert file to this version' to reset the file or directory to how it was after that change was made.
Are my documents safe on ScribTeX?
Your documents are backed up off site within half an hour of being edited. While we recommend you take your own backups, we are confident with our infrastructure and ability to recover from data loss.
Who can access my documents other than me?
You keep any ownership, copyright and intellectual property rights to any content uploaded to ScribTeX. Your content will only be shared with other users of your choosing and we will never share your content with third parties without your consent. The staff of ScribTeX have access to your content, but we make an effort to only access it when absolutely necessary.
Comments
The time stamps seen in the history of a file is exactly two hours behind legal time (and the time displayed when "save" is clicked) (I live in Paris).