Compile only outline and comments/ Synopsis view

Question

Since I am about to quit using orgmode for my PHD I am wondering whether something like a synopsis package exists (google didn't give me an answer about that).

What I need: I have a short synopsis of every chapter, section subsection... for myself to structure the dosument. Normally I do not want to export these. From time to time I'd like to read my document in it's full structure with only the synopses in it.

How it could be achieved (I am not into creating styles and doing wierd things in latex): - write the synopsis as comments and only process headings and comments during - have some special environment synopsis and porcess only outline and synopsis environment.

Any packages out there? Ideas of yours?

Answer 1

(See earlier edits if needed, but this is my cleanest version yet. References: Polyglot note-keeping?, comment package, TeX FAQ: Conditional compilation and “comments”)

This can be solved with a combination of the verbatim and extract packages. While building the PDF, the extract package will simultaneously create a synopsis.tex file with just the synopses and document divisions extracted. Build this synopsis.tex file, and you'll have your outline.

Original document source:

\documentclass{article}
% In this file, make a new comment-like environment named 'synopsis':
\usepackage{verbatim}
\let\synopsis\comment
\let\endsynopsis\endcomment
% Extract synopsis environments, \section commands, and \tableofcontents
% commands into a separate synopsis.tex file. In that file, a synopsis
% environment will be a simple semantic environment with no extra decoration.
\usepackage[active,
  generate=synopsis,
  extract-env={synopsis},
  extract-cmd={section},
  extract-cmdline={tableofcontents}]{extract}
\begin{extract}
\newenvironment{synopsis}{}{}
\end{extract}

% Here is the real document, with inline synopses:
\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\section{Fourier Series}
\begin{synopsis}
A Fourier series is periodic, and made up of orthogonal $\sin$ and $\cos$ functions.
\end{synopsis}
The Fourier series has the form:
\[
\frac{a_0}{2} +
  \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left[ a_n \cos {\frac{2 n \pi}{T} t} +
                             b_n \sin {\frac{2 n \pi}{T} t} \right]
\]
where $a_n$ and $b_n$ are called Fourier coefficients of the Fourier series
of the function $f(x)$.
\end{document}

Resulting PDF:

Generated synopsis.tex:

%% 
%% This is file, `synopsis.tex',
%% generated with the extract package.
%% 
%% Generated on :  2012/04/02,18:26
%% From source  :  50099.tex
%% Using options:  active,generate=synopsis,extract-env={synopsis},extract-cmd={section},extract-cmdline={tableofcontents}
%% 
\documentclass{article}
\newenvironment{synopsis}{}{}

\begin{document}

\tableofcontents

\section{Fourier Series}

\begin{synopsis}
A Fourier series is periodic, and made up of orthogonal $\sin$ and $\cos$ functions.
\end{synopsis}

\end{document}

and PDF: