Re: On the purpose of a LaTeX exporter

[Jacek Pliszka <Jacek Pliszka fuw edu pl>]

Hi!

Unfortunately I am not a potential coder of these changes but I am
certainly a user.

On Sat, 28 Oct 2000, Adrian Vance Custer wrote:

> While LaTeX export is currently a "save as" option, I would distinguish the
> capability to save a gnumeric workbook (which, to me, implies the ability to
> restore from the same file) with the ability to export (only impling only the
> ability to render the spreadsheet in a new format). The only use I see for a
> LaTeX plugin is as this later function.

This I agree.

I do see the need for LaTeX exporter. The feature I would love to have
is ability to export part of a gnumeric spreadsheet as a LaTeX table.

I would like to have right/left/center alignement, different table
borders, bold/italic, colors and ability to write LaTeX formula like:
$\bar{f}_R^2$ or $\rho^+$. This is my minimum.

A good thing would be the

> For instance, it might make sense to restrict LaTeX export to black and white
> only.

Please, no! We can use colortbl package.

> Another question I have yet to resolve for myself is whether a cell with
> a long text content, long enough that it is hidden by its right-hand neighbour
> should be included fully or only included partially. 

fully. Though choice through creator would good.

> WYSIWYG or make a table of the data? 

Table. WYSIWYG can always be done via PostScript.

> Should columns be the width defined in the sheet or adaptable? (see
> bug #20898) 

Slight preference for adaptable.

> Do we attempt to handle fonts or simply use the LaTeX documented
> chosen fonts? 

LaTeX fonts. Just bold/underline/italic.

> the LaTeX exporter must be capable of fitting the table on a printed page (how
> to handle huge tables is problematic. I'm going to have to check how LaTeX
> pagebreaks large tables.

There are many packages to handle that, two included in teTeX are: 
longtable,supertabular. I would suggest picking one of those.

Best Regards,

Jacek Pliszka