Embedding diagrams in LaTeX¶

We explain here the recommended workflow to embed diagrams generated by SheetShow in $\LaTeX$ documents.

Workflow overview¶

Compose your diagram in SheetShow. If you need to use mathematical expressions in labels, use label: $\alpha$. The two dollars enable the math mode.

Export your diagram as SVG in SheetShow.

Use Inkscape to convert your diagram to LaTeX+PDF

Embed the generated LaTeX file in your document with \input.

Inkscape¶

Inkscape is an open source vector graphics editor, available on most platforms. It can be used as a command line tool to convert between different vector and raster image formats. In our case, we use it to convert from SVG to $\LaTeX$ as follows (for Inkscape 1.0 and above):

inkscape -D sheet_diagram.svg --export-filename=sheet_diagram.pdf --export-latex --export-area-drawing

Before Inkscape 1.0, the syntax was:

inkscape -D -z --file=sheet_diagram.svg --export-pdf=sheet_diagram.pdf --export-latex --export-area-drawing

When invoked like this, Inkscape will generate two files:

One PDF file, which contains all the surfaces and paths in the SVG, without the text nodes;
One LaTeX file, which imports the PDF and adds the text nodes on top of it.

Let us take the following diagram as example:

It is converted to a PDF file where different layers in the picture are split into pages, and the accompanying LaTeX code is generated:

%% Creator: Inkscape inkscape 0.92.4, www.inkscape.org
%% PDF/EPS/PS + LaTeX output extension by Johan Engelen, 2010
%% Accompanies image file 'sheet_diagram.pdf' (pdf, eps, ps)
%%
%% To include the image in your LaTeX document, write
%%   \input{<filename>.pdf_tex}
%%  instead of
%%   \includegraphics{<filename>.pdf}
%% To scale the image, write
%%   \def\svgwidth{<desired width>}
%%   \input{<filename>.pdf_tex}
%%  instead of
%%   \includegraphics[width=<desired width>]{<filename>.pdf}
%%
%% Images with a different path to the parent latex file can
%% be accessed with the `import' package (which may need to be
%% installed) using
%%   \usepackage{import}
%% in the preamble, and then including the image with
%%   \import{<path to file>}{<filename>.pdf_tex}
%% Alternatively, one can specify
%%   \graphicspath{{<path to file>/}}
%%
%% For more information, please see info/svg-inkscape on CTAN:
%%   http://tug.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/svg-inkscape
%%
\begingroup%
\makeatletter%
\providecommand\color[2][]{%
    \errmessage{(Inkscape) Color is used for the text in Inkscape, but the package 'color.sty' is not loaded}%
    \renewcommand\color[2][]{}%
}%
\providecommand\transparent[1]{%
    \errmessage{(Inkscape) Transparency is used (non-zero) for the text in Inkscape, but the package 'transparent.sty' is not loaded}%
    \renewcommand\transparent[1]{}%
}%
\providecommand\rotatebox[2]{#2}%
\newcommand*\fsize{\dimexpr\f@size pt\relax}%
\newcommand*\lineheight[1]{\fontsize{\fsize}{#1\fsize}\selectfont}%
\ifx\svgwidth\undefined%
    \setlength{\unitlength}{159.7625407bp}%
    \ifx\svgscale\undefined%
    \relax%
    \else%
    \setlength{\unitlength}{\unitlength * \real{\svgscale}}%
    \fi%
\else%
    \setlength{\unitlength}{\svgwidth}%
\fi%
\global\let\svgwidth\undefined%
\global\let\svgscale\undefined%
\makeatother%
\begin{picture}(1,1.04467035)%
    \lineheight{1}%
    \setlength\tabcolsep{0pt}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=1]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.10097764,1.00588598){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$A$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=2]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.71548248,0.25671683){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$g$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=3]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.51339268,1.00002171){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$C$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=4]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.4355847,0.65279324){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$f$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=5]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.42783026,0.98479786){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$B$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0,0){\includegraphics[width=\unitlength,page=6]{sheet_diagram.pdf}}%
    \put(0.92302724,0.97646438){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$E$\end{tabular}}}}%
    \put(0.85543138,0.95720957){\color[rgb]{0,0,0}\makebox(0,0)[lt]{\lineheight{1.25}\smash{\begin{tabular}[t]{l}$D$\end{tabular}}}}%
\end{picture}%
\endgroup%

We can then include the diagram in a $\LaTeX$ document as:

\input{sheet_diagram.pdf_tex}

This produces the following output:

The generated $\LaTeX$ file require the graphicx and color packages. To render a minimal document with $\LaTeX$, you can use the following template:

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{color}
\begin{document}
\input{sheet_diagram.pdf_tex}
\end{document}

Automation¶

It is reportedly possible to automate the conversion, making it possible to include the SVG files in $\LaTeX$ directly. For this, use the svg package from CTAN, which wraps Inkscape nicely. You will need to run pdflatex in –shell-escape mode for it to be able to call Inkscape.

Alternative workflows¶

We could also render mathematical formulae in JavaScript. MathJax supports SVG rendering, KaTeX does not yet.

This would have the advantage of producing more readable rendering in web pages.