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I'm a beginner in latex, I understand that latex requires a Tex editor to compile the code and a distribution to get the libraries installed. However, there are many concepts that still I want expert to clarify.

Situation: I'm typing up a CV, which uses a package called fontspec, and a thing call XeTex ( an engine? I believe this is an "engine" which serves as an extension of the compiler (tex editor) e.g. texmaker. where you can choose what engine to build the tex.file. (Please tell me if i'm wrong). I installed MikTex 2.9, but it seems that they don't have XeTex but only Xelatex Then , i tried to find a way to build using XeTex using Texmaker?? I googled and noticed there is a thing call TexLive2014 which seems to provide Xetex, but i don't know how to run the XetEx in Texlive using texmaker.

this link contains XeTex and fontspec I want to download and use. http://nitens.org/taraborelli/cvtex

my problem is Where do you place your fontspec? where should it go that allows me to import it as a package? Is there a way to know what file path you are at which imports the library from? I currently placed it here.

filepath:C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9

Finally,what's the difference between Latex and Tex? Xetex and Xelatex? these terms have been really confusing to a beginner like me, but trivial to almost everyone. It would be very good if anyone could see this page in the future to know everything in one question. This is the first time of me posting question. Please tell me if I have anything to improve such as question style. Thanks in advance everyone.

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  • Is there anyway to control the texmaker to switch between either miketex or texlive?
    – el psy Congroo
    Aug 23, 2014 at 14:40
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    Have a look at this: tex.stackexchange.com/questions/58431/…
    – Abhimanyu Arora
    Aug 23, 2014 at 14:52
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    @user28968: LaTeX does not require a TeX editor in general. You could use any editor for it (being able to save in ASCII mode) and then run the various latex programs on it
    – user31729
    Aug 23, 2014 at 15:02
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    in fact, you almost certainly want xelatex since you're preparing your cv with latex. there is a convention about naming the engine instances whereby, for example, "xetex" means without the latex core, just the knuthian "plain" format. the "la" is included in the name to make it obvious what base is wanted.
    – barbara beeton
    Aug 23, 2014 at 15:46
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    Just to reinforce what others have said, texmaker is just an editor. On its own, it can't compile anything. What it can do is trigger compilation using a compiler (from MiKTeX or TeX Live, say) when you press a button or whatever. You could, if you wanted, get rid of texmaker and use notepad or something. It just wouldn't be as convenient. (No syntax highlighting, no press-the-button-to-compile.) But tex files are just plain text files. You can edit them in any plain text editor. (But not, say, Word because Word adds stuff which is garbage to the compiler i.e. makes it less plain!)
    – cfr
    Aug 23, 2014 at 16:13

1 Answer 1

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Starting is the hardest part!

I'd look for a "howto" on latex suited to your platform. While the concepts are the same, how you set things up to work is different on Windows, Mac and Linux. You might find an appropriate tutorial with your chosen editor (e.g. texmaker) most helpful.

Work through a basic tutorial first, then you'll have a working latex setup and some background with which to then proceed with your own document. At present, it sounds like the basics still need to be set up.

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