[AUCTeX] Re: TeX input method in LaTeX

[Alan Ristow]

Reiner Steib wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 30 2006, Alan Ristow wrote:
>
> > Reiner Steib wrote:
> > > I wonder what's the point of using the TeX input method in LaTeX
> > > files.  What's the advantage to have e.g. $α$ in the file instead of
> > > $\alpha$.
> > It actually never even occurred to me to use it in math mode. 
>
> Out of curiosity: Are you saying that you switch on and off TeX input
> method when entering or leaving math mode when typing LaTeX files?

No, I set the default input method to TeX, but I don't have it turned on 
by default. I only switch it on when I need it, which is typically when 
I'm writing proper names from a language other than English. I'm kind of 
tempted to try it in math mode now, as it might make complicated 
equations easier to read -- is there a particular reason that you would 
recommend against it?

> > I find that it makes accented characters in text mode easier to
> > read, though -- for example, Münich instead of M\"{u}nich.
>
> Wouldn't some input method like latin-prefix ("a -> ä) be more
> suitable? 

I don't think so. I need characters from both Western and Eastern 
European languages. I haven't studied the various input methods all that 
closely, but it seems like when I looked through them the TeX input mode 
was the only one that included both ć and ç (for example). Plus it has 
the advantage that I can use a syntax I'm already familiar with instead 
of learning a new one.

> (BTW, it's either Munich or München.  :-))

Thanks. I was grasping for an example and pulled one from the nearest 
conference paper I had on hand. Apparently they wrote it incorrectly, 
then I repeated the mistake....

Alan