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

The list misses TikzEdt. It provides a GUI and semi automatic drawing tools. For details: TikzEdt web site. Available for linux/windows. Upon right clicking in the figure (on right) window, it offers a number of options to draw using the mouse. After drawing the tikz code will be inserted in the left window automatically. On the left panel, there are some styles/shapes etc from where the corresponding code can be inserted. The figure can be exported to number of formats like pdf, png, jpeg etc. And it is free.

Answer 3

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://tug.ctan.org/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 4

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 5

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 6

The list misses Ipe. From wikipedia link:

Ipe extensible drawing editor is a free vector graphics editor for creating figures in PDF or EPS format. It can be used for making small figures for inclusion into LaTeX documents as well as making multi-page PDF presentations. It is developed by Otfried Cheong since 1993 and initially worked on SGI workstations only. Ipe 6 was released in 2003 which changed the file format into XML code embedded into PDF and EPS files. Ipe 7 was released in 2009. Ipe 7 (see below) can be compiled under Windows, Mac OS X and Unix but binaries are available for many distributions.

Also

IPE allows the user to insert text objects containing LaTeX code. This is converted to vector graphics by parsing the output of pdfTeX. This is useful for creating figures to be included in scientific documents which often contain equations. It also results in the same font being used for both the text and figures of the document. This is often not the case if other drawing programs are used.

Another official link here.

Below an example drawing using different fonts.

Answer 7

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 8

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.

---

[edit] a screenshot of tikzit 0.7 on Ubuntu 11.04 Natty:

Answer 9

There is KtikZ/QtikZ available for linux/windows. This is very useful for writing tikz code as the output is displayed on the fly. It is freely available.

Answer 10

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}}
\multiput(111.45,32.81)(0.2,-0.11){2}{\line(1,0){0.2}}
\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}}
\multiput(109.3,34.3)(0.17,-0.13){2}{\line(1,0){0.17}}
\multiput(108.98,34.57)(0.16,-0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.16}}
\multiput(108.66,34.85)(0.16,-0.14){2}{\line(1,0){0.16}}
\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}}
\multiput(106.81,36.96)(0.11,-0.16){2}{\line(0,-1){0.16}}
\multiput(106.6,37.28)(0.11,-0.16){2}{\line(0,-1){0.16}}
\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}}
\multiput(106.03,38.27)(0.18,-0.33){1}{\line(0,-1){0.33}}
\multiput(105.87,38.61)(0.16,-0.34){1}{\line(0,-1){0.34}}
\multiput(105.72,38.95)(0.15,-0.34){1}{\line(0,-1){0.34}}
\multiput(105.59,39.29)(0.14,-0.34){1}{\line(0,-1){0.34}}
\multiput(105.47,39.63)(0.12,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.36,39.98)(0.11,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.26,40.33)(0.09,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.19,40.68)(0.08,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\multiput(105.12,41.04)(0.07,-0.35){1}{\line(0,-1){0.35}}
\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}}
\multiput(110.61,51.67)(0.19,0.12){2}{\line(1,0){0.19}}
\multiput(110.98,51.91)(0.19,0.12){2}{\line(1,0){0.19}}
\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 11

mathematical tool GCLC/WinGCLC by Predrag Janicic

GCLC (from "Geometry Constructions->LaTeX converter") is a tool for visualizing and teaching geometry, and for producing mathematical illustrations. GCLC provides easy-to-use support for many geometrical constructions, isometric transformations, conics, parametric curves, flow control, automated theorem proving, etc. The basic idea behind GCLC is that constructions are formal procedures, rather than drawings. Thus, in GCLC, producing mathematical illustrations is based on "describing figures" rather than of "drawing figures". Figures can be displayed and exported to LaTeX and other formats. WinGCLC is the Windows version of GCLC and provides a range of additional functionalities.

http://www.emis.de/misc/software/gclc/

Since December 2020 it is open source on https://github.com/janicicpredrag/gclc

Answer 12

I didn't see Cirkuit mentioned here already, so here are a few words from the homepage:

Cirkuit is a KDE4 application to generate publication-ready figures. It was born as a KDE frontend for the Circuit macros by Dwight Aplevich, but it now supports different backends. Cirkuit builds a live preview of the source code and can export the resulting images in several formats (EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG, ...). ...
In addition to Circuit Macros, the TikZ and Gnuplot backends are currently supported. Some examples generated with TikZ can be found here. ...

... and a screenshot:

Answer 13

One of the best solutions to draw electric circuits is KiCad.

(source: http://kicad-pcb.org/img/frontpage/kicad_eeschema.png)

You can export (plot) the schematic to SVG and do some fine tuning in Inkscape.

Inkscape can render LaTeX directly in the picture and save the picture as PDF for LaTeX.

Answer 14

This fantastic online tool: Mathcha.

It works like a charm, dragging visual lines, shapes, text (or Latex formulae), and others to make your diagram, and outputting TikZ code finally. I tried most of tools mentioned in this post, and none of them can compare this one. I would like to express a huge thank to the developers.

Answer 15

LatexDraw is very good in generating PStricks Codes. Its very easy to generate these codes automatically by drawing the figures using LatexDraw. You can get this amazing free software at this link: http://latexdraw.sourceforge.net/

We have to draw somewhat like this:

and the PStricks codes are generated side by side !!

Answer 16

TeXCAD generates figures using pure LaTeX code and the picture enviroment. It is very bare bones compared to LaTeXDraw. Only windows binaries are available on the website.

I actually stumbled upon TeXCAD while searching for an alternative to LaTeXDraw that generates PGF/TikZ code instead of PSTricks code.

Answer 17

TpX: TeX drawing tool

TpX is a simple graphical editor for Windows for inclusion graphics into TeX files. It can also be used as a standalone editor for vector graphics.

http://tpx.sourceforge.net/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpx/

And generates PsTricks, PGF, TikZ and MetaPost.

Answer 18

Actually there is another GUI called WinFIG (see picture) and it is a similar to the XFig but with a restriction to save the objects. WinFIG (free) only saves a maximum of 15 objects per figure. As by important comment of the user @andselisk WinFIG is not free: "WinFIG is shareware and requires registration. Without a keyfile WinFIG only saves a maximum of 15 objects per figure. The registration fee is EUR 30,00 or USD 35.00." See this link: http://winfig.com/registration/.

Yet, there is another GUI that is not mentioned: Xcircuit where the html guide cites a clear reference to LaTeX.

Answer 19

I have been using TpX for a long time. The following are my experiences with TpX only. Other editors may have the following features. I have not used other editors.

After drawing the diagram using the tools for point, vector, curves, shapes etc, (you don't have to use Tikz commands or any other languages.) Press Ctrl + Shift + R to invoke TeX engine which, after running the code, opens (the installed) PDF viewer and displays your diagram!

If you want to change or redraw, go back to TpX program and make the changes. (There is no need to run all of the source code to see a single diagram).

Once completed drawing, save the diagram using the file menu or tool menu.
Wait. Before that you can choose the format (from the tool menu item)

• for output to the printer (available ones are: TeX, pgf, PDF, PNG, metapost, tikz, epstopdf and none) and
• for view on the monitor (available ones are all of the above plus: BMP, EMF and EPS).

The diagram will be saved in an ASCII file (say foo.tpx) with the relevant code suitable both for printer and monitor. (Please include \usepackage{ifpdf} in the preamble).

In the LaTeX source file use \input{foo.tpx}.

If you want to change anything in the diagram just 'switch' over to TpX, make the changes and save it.

Return to your LaTeX editor and run your code. There is no need to input again! The other important features are:

• The formulas are rendered in LaTeX!
• You can directly insert pictures of format: JPG, BMP, and EMF.
• Moreover the images copied by Ctrl + C from any MSWin program can be inserted in to your diagram, by using capture EMF tool that is available in the menu!
• TpX program can be invoked from the WinEDT also.

Answer 20

Other tools which are missing:

• http://w3.mecanica.upm.es/metapost/metagraf.php --- for METAPOST
• xasy --- for Asymptote
• mpsketch --- X window app which allows one to draw with a mouse or stylus and capture .mp code

Answer 21

I add also pictikz there is also an additional extension for InkScape that converts a svg image to tikz code. Here there is the link of the official site on GiTHub: https://github.com/mgmillani/pictikz and an external link http://hackage.haskell.org/package/pictikz where it is possible to find the instructions to install this extension.

Answer 22

Since early X11, I've been using tgif as my main tools for drawing diagrams. I've been using it to draw circuit-related diagrams and general diagrams. The reason I am still using this tool (after zillion years ago) is that it is small (light weight) and quick for simple graphs. The output is also small.

It's available here: http://bourbon.usc.edu/tgif/

(On my Linux machine is as simple as "apt install tgif"

Here is an example of the screen. I used to have logic gates in my collections, but don't have them in this (example) screenshot.