# CDSC LaTeX Templates

Copyright (c) 2009-2026 Benjamin Mako Hill <mako@atdot.cc> / <makohill@uw.edu>

This repository contains LaTeX configuration files and templates used to
format papers, memos, letters, and posters. All files are released under
the GNU GPL version 3 or later.

The latest version can be found
[in git](https://gitea.communitydata.science/collective/cdsc_tex).

You can check out the latest version with:

```
git clone https://gitea.communitydata.science/collective/cdsc_tex.git
```

Bug reports, comments, questions, and patches can be directed to:

* Benjamin Mako Hill <makohill@uw.edu> [work]
* Benjamin Mako Hill <mako@atdot.cc> [personal]

To submit a patch, clone the repository, make your changes, and use
`git format-patch` to generate patch files to send by email:

```
git format-patch origin/master
git send-email *.patch
```


## Dependencies

On Debian or Ubuntu, install the following packages:

* latexmk
* texlive-luatex
* texlive-latex-recommended
* texlive-fonts-extra
* texlive-fonts-recommended
* texlive-bibtex-extra

```
apt install latexmk texlive-luatex texlive-latex-recommended \
  texlive-fonts-extra texlive-fonts-recommended \
  texlive-bibtex-extra
```

On other systems, installing a full TeX Live distribution should provide
everything needed.

All four templates build with LuaLaTeX (via `latexmk -lualatex`). The text
fonts are Libertinus Serif and TeX Gyre Heros, both provided by
texlive-fonts-extra.

The tagging code requires TeX Live 2025 or later.  On Overleaf, set the
version under Menu > Settings > TeX Live version.  Debian Trixie ships
TeX Live 2024; sid (unstable) has TeX Live 2026, which also works and
installs without pulling in much else.


## Accessibility

The paper, memo, and letter templates produce tagged PDFs that declare
PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2). The poster template does not; see below.

Two keys in the `\DocumentMetadata` block at the top of each template do
this, and both are needed: `tagging=on` loads the kernel code that puts
headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and figures into the PDF's
structure tree, and `pdfstandard=ua-2` writes the conformance claim.

The paper and memo templates were originally built on the memoir
class, which is incompatible with the LaTeX tagged-PDF code. They now
use the standard article class with custom styling (`cdsc-paper.sty`
and `cdsc-memo.sty`) to keep their previous look while supporting full
tagging.

### Writing an accessible document

Tagging gets you the structure; the content is still up to the author.
The paper template carries a worked example of each of these:

* Use `\section` and `\subsection` for headings rather than setting type
  in bold by hand. Screen reader users navigate by the heading tree.

* Give every figure an `alt=` description on `\includegraphics`, saying
  what the reader is meant to take from it. A decorative image takes
  `\includegraphics[artifact]{...}` instead.

* Mark header rows on data tables with
  `\tagpdfsetup{table/header-rows={1}}` so their cells become TH rather
  than TD.

### Customizing the styles

Some common packages defeat tagging, and the failure is silent: the
document compiles without complaint and the tags are simply missing.
Before adding a package, check it against the LaTeX Tagging Project's
[status list](https://latex3.github.io/tagging-project/tagging-status/).

`titlesec` and `titling` are the two to know about, because they are the
obvious tools for the job `cdsc-paper.sty` and `cdsc-memo.sty` do.
`titlesec` replaces the `\@startsection` hook the tagging code uses to
emit heading tags, so loading it produces a PDF with no headings in
the structure tree.

### Verifying

You can check a built PDF with [veraPDF](https://verapdf.org/):

```
verapdf -f ua2 text.pdf
```

It prints PASS or FAIL, and `--format text` lists the failing clauses.
All three tagged templates pass as shipped, so a FAIL points at the
document rather than the template.

Note that a PASS is necessary but not sufficient. A document whose
body text is all marked as artifact passes too, because the standard
only requires that content which is not real be an artifact.

You can confirm there is something in the structure tree as well:

```
python3 -c "import pikepdf,sys; d=pikepdf.open(sys.argv[1]); \
  print(d.Root.get('/StructTreeRoot') and 'tagged' or 'UNTAGGED')" file.pdf
```

### Posters

The poster template is not accessible and makes no accessibility
claim. The beamer class rejects `\DocumentMetadata` outright, and the
LaTeX Tagging Project lists beamer and beamerposter as no-support,
meaning incompatible and not expected to change. When a poster needs
an accessible version, build a companion document from the paper or
memo template.


## Branches

This repository has two main branches:

* `master` — Standard LaTeX templates (paper, memo, letter, poster)
* `knitr` — Knitr/R template for reproducible research documents


## Scripts

### new_tex_document

Creates a new document directory from a template. Takes a document type
and destination directory as arguments:

```
new_tex_document <type> <directory>
```

Available types:

* `paper` — LaTeX paper template (master branch)
* `memo` — LaTeX memo template (master branch)
* `knitr` — Knitr/R paper template (knitr branch)
* `letter` — LaTeX letter template (master branch)

Example:

```
new_tex_document paper my-new-paper
```

This creates `my-new-paper/` populated with the template files, with the
main source file renamed to `my-new-paper.tex` (or `.Rtex` for knitr).

### rename_tex_to_dirname

Renames the single .tex file in the current directory to match the
directory name. Useful for cleaning up a template that was set up
manually:

```
cd my-paper && rename_tex_to_dirname
```


## Shell Aliases

The file `cdsc_tex_aliases.sh` provides aliases for the old individual
script names, for convenience or backwards compatibility. Add the
following to your `.bashrc` or `.zshrc`:

```
[[ -f ~/tex/cdsc_tex/cdsc_tex_aliases.sh ]] && \
  source ~/tex/cdsc_tex/cdsc_tex_aliases.sh
```

This defines the following aliases (only if `new_tex_document` is in PATH):

* `new_tex_memo` → `new_tex_document memo`
* `new_knitr_document` → `new_tex_document knitr`
* `new_tex_letter` → `new_tex_document letter`


## Migration

The individual scripts `new_knitr_document` and `new_tex_letter` have
been consolidated into `new_tex_document`. The old scripts remain in
the repository but are superseded.

To migrate, replace calls to the old scripts with `new_tex_document`:

```
Old: new_knitr_document mydir
New: new_tex_document knitr mydir

Old: new_tex_letter mydir
New: new_tex_document letter mydir
```

Alternatively, source `cdsc_tex_aliases.sh` (see above) to keep using the
old names without changing your workflow.
