Here's an interesting program that I just wrote.
The background for this program has to do with taking notes in my Algorithms class (CS 4820). This class is excellent for taking notes in Latex since it is highly mathematical in nature. Since I spent last semester doing all of my homework in Latex, I am usually able to keep up with the pace of the lecture without trouble. However, I run into trouble whenever the professor draws a figure on the board. While I do have a Tablet PC, there was never really a good way to insert a handwritten element into my notes. Sure, I could draw in paint or some equivalent, save to a file, and then include the file in my latex document, but, by the time I can manage to do all those steps, the lecture will have already moved on. I needed a way to draw and insert within a matter of seconds.
The program is written in C# and runs on the .NET Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). This environment was chosen due to the availability of the InkCanvas class, which was extremely easy to use. First, when the program is launched, the user selects the latex file they are working with (Ctrl + O). The program then creates an "images" directory within the same path as the tex file. Then, after a figure is drawn, the user simply needs to push "GEN" or Ctrl + S. This will save the current canvas as a JPG within the images directory and copy Latex code to the clipboard. This code can then be pasted into the document immediately.
If you would like to use this application, feel free to email me or comment below.
