What GUI applications are there to assist in generating graphics for TeX?

Question

I found GeoGebra to be a useful tool to help generate code for graphs. I suppose there must be other tools to help draw diagrams such as Sets/Venn Diagrams or Electrical Circuits (Logic Gates). Which ones would you suggest?

Answer 1

I think the best option for diagrams, circuits, etc. is Dia.

Dia is roughly inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio,' though more geared towards informal diagrams for casual use. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.

It can export diagrams to a number of formats, including EPS, SVG, XFIG, WMF and PNG, as well as LaTeX formats such as PGF, PStricks and Metapost.

Answer 2

Another approach is to use Inkscape. If you export to eps or pdf it puts the vector drawing in one file and the text in a tex file, see http://ctan.sqsol.co.uk/info/svg-inkscape/InkscapePDFLaTeX.pdf. The integration is perhaps not as elegant as with software designed as an interface for LaTeX packages but offers the full potential of Inkscape.

Answer 3

Xfig is another GUI that has very good interaction with LaTeX. It is an X Windows drawing utility that comes with a library for drawing circuit diagrams. It runs on Windows through Cygwin/X.

Here's a screenshot from the homepage showing the interface:

Here is a list of all the available libraries (you would probably be interested in the electrical/logical libraries):

• Various 3D arrows
• Audiovisual components
• Some buildings
• Some charts (polar, log-log)
• Various computers
• DSP (Digital Signal Processor) components
• Electrical - electrical objects, e.g. connectors
• Electronic Physical - symbols for creating electronic wiring diagrams or layouts
• Electronic Schematic - symbols for creating electronic schematics
• ERD (Chen's model of Entity Relations)
• Examples - various examples of xfig drawings contributed by users
• Flags of various countries and some U.S. states
• Flowchart symbols
• GUI widgets (buttons, sliders, etc.)
• Hospital equipment
• Knitting symbols
• Various printer labels (CD, Avery address labels)
• Logic symbols
• Maps - outline maps of countries, U.S. states and Canadian provinces
• DIN Mechanical symbols
• Miscellaneous - various fun items here
• Music symbols
• Networking devices
• Office equipment - filing cabinet, telephone, overhead projector
• Optics symbols
• Process Flowsheet - chemical process flow symbols
• Structural Analysis symbols
• Unified Modelling Language (UML) symbols
• Welding - common welding patterns and errors

Interaction with LaTeX is done by exporting the canvas:

• as 2 separate files: One containing the lines graphics (in EPS or PDF format), and one containing the formatted text; or
• as a single EPS or PDF from which you can use the psfragx package (or psfrag) to convert literal strings into LaTeX typeset. Although I've never used it, there's a deprecated xfigfrag extension to Xfig that provides a pdffrag functionality.

Answer 4

jpgfdraw is a Java program for creating vector graphics which can be used with LaTeX. You can construct and edit shapes using lines, cubic Bézier segments and text.

A screenshot from the documentation:

You can export the pictures as

• a pgfpicture environment for inclusion in a LaTeX document
• a complete LaTeX single-paged document
• a LaTeX package based on flowfram
• an EPS image
• a scalable vector graphics (SVG) image
• a PNG image

You may see also this example on TeX.SX.

Answer 5

LaTeXDraw is a Java-based graphical drawing editor.

• Generates PSTricks code, or directly creates PDF or PS pictures.
• Imports: SVG, PSTricks.
• Exports: SVG, eps, jpg, bmp, png, ppm.

Answer 6

Another Java program is jPicEdt. It is described as "open source, multi-platform and interactive picture editor for LaTeX and PSTricks".

A screenshot with the according Latex output and the code produced by jPicEdt:

As you can see it supports formulae:

The code it exports:

%%Created by jPicEdt 1.4.1_03: mixed JPIC-XML/LaTeX format
%%Sun Mar 04 13:56:51 CET 2012
%%Begin JPIC-XML
%<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes"?>
%<jpic x-min="15" x-max="140" y-min="30" y-max="80" auto-bounding="true">
%<multicurve points= "(15,55);(20,70);(40,65);(40,65);(40,65);(60,45);
%   (60,45);(60,45);(85,70);(85,70);(85,70);(90,70);
%   (90,70)"
%    fill-style= "none"
%    />
%<ellipse p3= "(140,30)"
%    p2= "(140,55)"
%    p1= "(105,55)"
%    closure= "pie"
%    angle-end= "256.61"
%    angle-start= "98.13"
%    fill-style= "none"
%    />
%<text text-vert-align= "center-v"
%    anchor-point= "(50,30)"
%    text-frame= "noframe"
%    text-hor-align= "center-h"
%    fill-style= "none"
%    >
%$a_4=3*\int z dz$
%</text>
%<parallelogram p3= "(135,65)"
%    p2= "(135,80)"
%    p1= "(105,80)"
%    fill-style= "none"
%    />
%</jpic>
%%End JPIC-XML
%LaTeX-picture environment using emulated lines and arcs
%You can rescale the whole picture (to 80% for instance) by using the command \def\JPicScale{0.8}
\ifx\JPicScale\undefined\def\JPicScale{1}\fi
\unitlength \JPicScale mm
\begin{picture}(140,80)(0,0)
\linethickness{0.3mm}
\qbezier(15,55)(19.84,65.47)(29.38,65.62)
\qbezier(29.38,65.62)(38.91,65.78)(40,65)
\multiput(40,65)(0.12,-0.12){167}{\line(1,0){0.12}}
\multiput(60,45)(0.12,0.12){208}{\line(1,0){0.12}}
\put(85,70){\line(1,0){5}}
\linethickness{0.3mm}
\multiput(119.53,30.18)(0.49,-0.06){1}{\line(1,0){0.49}}
\multiput(119.04,30.25)(0.49,-0.07){1}{\line(1,0){0.49}}
\multiput(118.55,30.32)(0.49,-0.08){1}{\line(1,0){0.49}}
\multiput(118.07,30.41)(0.48,-0.09){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(117.59,30.5)(0.48,-0.1){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(117.11,30.61)(0.48,-0.1){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(116.64,30.72)(0.47,-0.11){1}{\line(1,0){0.47}}
\multiput(116.17,30.85)(0.47,-0.12){1}{\line(1,0){0.47}}
\multiput(115.71,30.98)(0.46,-0.13){1}{\line(1,0){0.46}}
\multiput(115.25,31.12)(0.46,-0.14){1}{\line(1,0){0.46}}
\multiput(114.8,31.27)(0.45,-0.15){1}{\line(1,0){0.45}}
\multiput(114.36,31.44)(0.44,-0.16){1}{\line(1,0){0.44}}
\multiput(113.92,31.61)(0.44,-0.17){1}{\line(1,0){0.44}}
\multiput(113.49,31.79)(0.43,-0.18){1}{\line(1,0){0.43}}
\multiput(113.06,31.97)(0.21,-0.09){2}{\line(1,0){0.21}}
\multiput(112.65,32.17)(0.21,-0.1){2}{\line(1,0){0.21}}
\multiput(112.24,32.38)(0.2,-0.1){2}{\line(1,0){0.2}}
\multiput(111.84,32.59)(0.2,-0.11){2}{\line(1,0){0.2}}
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\multiput(111.06,33.04)(0.19,-0.11){2}{\line(1,0){0.19}}
\multiput(110.69,33.28)(0.19,-0.12){2}{\line(1,0){0.19}}
\multiput(110.33,33.52)(0.18,-0.12){2}{\line(1,0){0.18}}
\multiput(109.97,33.77)(0.18,-0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.18}}
\multiput(109.63,34.03)(0.17,-0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.17}}
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\multiput(108.36,35.13)(0.15,-0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.15}}
\multiput(108.08,35.42)(0.14,-0.15){2}{\line(0,-1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.8,35.72)(0.14,-0.15){2}{\line(0,-1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.53,36.02)(0.13,-0.15){2}{\line(0,-1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.28,36.33)(0.13,-0.15){2}{\line(0,-1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.04,36.64)(0.12,-0.16){2}{\line(0,-1){0.16}}
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\multiput(106.4,37.61)(0.1,-0.16){2}{\line(0,-1){0.16}}
\multiput(106.21,37.94)(0.09,-0.16){2}{\line(0,-1){0.16}}
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\multiput(105.47,39.63)(0.12,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
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\multiput(105.26,40.33)(0.09,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
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\multiput(105.07,41.39)(0.05,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.03,41.75)(0.04,-0.36){1}{\line(0,-1){0.36}}
\multiput(105.01,42.1)(0.02,-0.36){1}{\line(0,-1){0.36}}
\multiput(105,42.46)(0.01,-0.36){1}{\line(0,-1){0.36}}
\multiput(105,42.46)(0.01,0.36){1}{\line(0,1){0.36}}
\multiput(105.01,42.82)(0.02,0.36){1}{\line(0,1){0.36}}
\multiput(105.03,43.17)(0.03,0.36){1}{\line(0,1){0.36}}
\multiput(105.06,43.53)(0.05,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.11,43.88)(0.06,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.17,44.24)(0.08,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.25,44.59)(0.09,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.34,44.94)(0.1,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.44,45.29)(0.12,0.35){1}{\line(0,1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.56,45.63)(0.13,0.34){1}{\line(0,1){0.34}}
\multiput(105.69,45.98)(0.15,0.34){1}{\line(0,1){0.34}}
\multiput(105.84,46.32)(0.16,0.34){1}{\line(0,1){0.34}}
\multiput(106,46.66)(0.17,0.33){1}{\line(0,1){0.33}}
\multiput(106.17,46.99)(0.09,0.17){2}{\line(0,1){0.17}}
\multiput(106.35,47.32)(0.1,0.16){2}{\line(0,1){0.16}}
\multiput(106.55,47.65)(0.11,0.16){2}{\line(0,1){0.16}}
\multiput(106.77,47.97)(0.11,0.16){2}{\line(0,1){0.16}}
\multiput(106.99,48.29)(0.12,0.16){2}{\line(0,1){0.16}}
\multiput(107.23,48.6)(0.12,0.15){2}{\line(0,1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.48,48.91)(0.13,0.15){2}{\line(0,1){0.15}}
\multiput(107.74,49.22)(0.14,0.15){2}{\line(0,1){0.15}}
\multiput(108.01,49.51)(0.14,0.15){2}{\line(0,1){0.15}}
\multiput(108.3,49.81)(0.15,0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.15}}
\multiput(108.6,50.09)(0.15,0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.15}}
\multiput(108.91,50.37)(0.16,0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.16}}
\multiput(109.23,50.65)(0.17,0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.17}}
\multiput(109.56,50.91)(0.17,0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.17}}
\multiput(109.9,51.17)(0.18,0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.18}}
\multiput(110.25,51.43)(0.18,0.12){2}{\line(1,0){0.18}}
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\multiput(111.36,52.14)(0.19,0.11){2}{\line(1,0){0.19}}
\multiput(111.75,52.36)(0.2,0.11){2}{\line(1,0){0.2}}
\multiput(112.15,52.58)(0.2,0.1){2}{\line(1,0){0.2}}
\multiput(112.55,52.79)(0.21,0.1){2}{\line(1,0){0.21}}
\multiput(112.97,52.98)(0.21,0.09){2}{\line(1,0){0.21}}
\multiput(113.39,53.17)(0.21,0.09){2}{\line(1,0){0.21}}
\multiput(113.82,53.35)(0.44,0.17){1}{\line(1,0){0.44}}
\multiput(114.26,53.53)(0.44,0.16){1}{\line(1,0){0.44}}
\multiput(114.7,53.69)(0.45,0.15){1}{\line(1,0){0.45}}
\multiput(115.15,53.84)(0.46,0.15){1}{\line(1,0){0.46}}
\multiput(115.61,53.99)(0.46,0.14){1}{\line(1,0){0.46}}
\multiput(116.07,54.13)(0.47,0.13){1}{\line(1,0){0.47}}
\multiput(116.54,54.25)(0.47,0.12){1}{\line(1,0){0.47}}
\multiput(117.01,54.37)(0.48,0.11){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(117.48,54.48)(0.48,0.1){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(117.96,54.57)(0.48,0.09){1}{\line(1,0){0.48}}
\multiput(120.03,30.13)(0.12,0.59){21}{\line(0,1){0.59}}\multiput(118.45,54.66)(0.12,-0.36){34}{\line(0,-1){0.36}}
\put(50,30){\makebox(0,0)[cc]{$a_4=3*\int z dz$}}

\linethickness{0.3mm}
\put(105,80){\line(1,0){30}}
\put(105,65){\line(0,1){15}}
\put(135,65){\line(0,1){15}}
\put(105,65){\line(1,0){30}}
\end{picture}

Answer 7

Another nice tool is TikZit, but you won't be happy if you don't want to code Tikz/PGF manually. But probably it helps a lot if you don't want to select coordinates manually.

The manual page contains some screenshots.