The Layout File

Much of the presentation of your document that is normally configured through LaTeX commands can be managed through LyX layout files. A layout defines the various styles and blocks (such as titles, headings, author details, code, etc.), how they will appear on screen in LyX and how they are to be translated to LaTeX.

To make the UNSW thesis layout file easier to use I embedded the LaTeX mark-up commands into the preamble of the LyX layout file. I realise the “correct” way to do this sort of thing is to write a LaTeX class file (e.g., unswthesis.cls) and create a corresponding layout file (e.g., unswthesis.layout) that references its commands. However, I thought it would be easier for LyX and LaTeX newcomers to only have to deal with a single file and not have to worry about fiddling with their LaTeX configuration too much.

Installing the Layout File

Download the following layout file and save it to the layout section LyX configuration directory. This is usually in Library/Application Support/LyX-1.5/layouts/ relative to your home directory.

unswthesis.layout – 10KB LyX Layout File

Now open LyX and select LyX > Reconfigure from the menu. LyX will then ask you to restart. Once this is done the thesis layout should be installed and visible in the Document Class field of window opened via the Document > Settings... menu.

For this layout to work correctly, you will also need an image of the UNSW crest. I found a black and white PDF one that works nicely with this layout. You can download it here:

• unswcrest.pdf – 74KB PDF File

This file needs to be in the same folder as the LyX document using the thesis layout.

Using the Layout File

Once you have LyX restarted, open a new document and then go to Document > Settings... and then select “UNSW Thesis” from the document class list and hit OK.

This layout has all of the usual styles found in the Book class. Two of them, Author and Title, are used to control what is displayed on your thesis title page. In your new document, add a title using the Title style and put your name underneath in the Author style.

Save the document in the same directory as the unswcrest.pdf file and then turn it into a PDF document via the View > PDF (pdflatex) menu option.

You can download the thesis archive here:

unswthesis.zip – 34KB Zip File

More detailed information about the Layout file and the thesis archive can be found at my blog.

Die Titelseite

Installing the NUIM thesis template for lyx (with MiKTex):

1. copy udthesis.sty and tcd-fancyhdr.sty to C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.5\tex\latex\base
2. copy udthesis.layout to C:\Documents and Settings<\Username>\Application Data\lyx1.4.x\layouts
3. run MiKTex->Settings, Refresh FNDB, update format
4. open lyx and click on tool->reconfigure
5. restart lyx
6. Copy the apa-good.bst style to the directory C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.7\bibtex\bst\apa-good
7. In lyx run Tools > TeX Information > Rescan and make sure apa-good appears on the list.

Initially, I wrote these two files to help a friend of mine who started preparing his thesis with LyX as a complete newbie. Since I had some experience with that beautiful LaTeX front-end, I decided that – while helping him – I could build a thesis template suitable by every other student of my Faculty.

The most important service offered by the layout file (deistesi.layout) is the implementation of the rules for building the title page of the thesis (in Italian, frontespizio). In fact, it is very easy to build it (like the dedication) through the LyX Graphical User Interface. It’s as easy as adding a chapter or section title.

It is recommended the use of this layout file to all those students who don’t have the time to learn LaTeX, while willig to write their thesis with this fantastic document preparation system.

Inside the template of thesis it is shown how to start the roman and arabic numbering system; the use of fancyheader package for making headers; and the use of a newly defined command for big letters at the beginning of chapters.

Instructions on how to use the layout file:

1. copy deistesi.layout to the directory where LyX stores its layout files in your system;
2. open LyX and reconfigure it, then restart it;
3. create a new document and assign it the document class “thesis (DEIS)”, which is the one provided by my layout file;
4. before you start writing, you have to manually configure some parameters:

• font size = 12;
• interline space = one and a half;
• page style = plain;
• document on 2 sides = enabled;

Everything else should be set to the default value.

Download files:

• deistesi.layout
• thesis template

Below is a preview of the title page:

Below, how it looks like inside LyX 1.5.3: