gdoc-downloader

gdoc2latex.py is a Python script that downloads Google Docs as plain text files (with LaTeX markup), which enables collaborative workflows. For example, co-authors can simultaneously edit the same LaTeX files without fear of merge conflicts.

Basic usage

Run:

python gdoc2latex.py <URL or .gdoc filename>

to download a single Google Doc (specified by either URL or .gdoc filename), convert it to plain text (with special encoding for LaTeX symbols), and pipe to stdout. Note that the file cannot be private; it must be viewable (or editable) by anyone with the link.

For example, run:

python gdoc2latex.py https://docs.google.com/document/d/11ptby0jKoXqV06jbLf2-MAcqrvwynNjKFJBoaAQI5gg/edit

to download this LaTeX file to stdout. Note that the script ignores navigational markers and content before and after BEGIN_DOCUMENT and END_DOCUMENT tags, respectively.

Downloading multiple files

Run:

python parallel_download_gdocs.py

to download a set of Google Docs to your computer in parallel, which is faster than running gdoc2latex.py separately for each file. Customize the files list in parallel_download_gdocs.py to specify which files to download. Here is an example configuration:

files = [
    ('https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XhnvsR9uje1m0mu-RvJ9_ZtsqnsqO1NgtHm9c2MKi0A/edit', 'paper.tex'),
    ('https://docs.google.com/document/d/11ptby0jKoXqV06jbLf2-MAcqrvwynNjKFJBoaAQI5gg/edit', 'intro.tex'),
    ('https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nt8d_-mwu2z1S1-zgakHxFxb246ZJu2DkN6BwwC0roY/edit', 'conclusion.tex'),
]

Running this script will download the first file and save it as paper.tex, the second as intro.tex, and the third as conclusion.tex.

This script terminates only when all of the files have been downloaded.

Downloading and compiling LaTeX

Run make in the top-level directory to execute the following contents of the Makefile:

all:
    python parallel_download_gdocs.py
    pdflatex paper.tex

This will download three Google Docs LaTeX files specified in parallel_download_gdocs.py and run pdflatex to compile them into paper.pdf.

Note that some of files required by the LaTeX document (e.g., sigchi.cls and figures/nerd-cat.jpg) are stored locally, not in Google Docs. So you do not need to put everything in the cloud.

LaTeX syntax highlighting

We include a Google Apps Script script that syntax-highlights the LaTeX syntax. The script must be triggered by selecting the menu command Syntax highlighting >> Highlight Latex syntax. It does not update automatically, so you have to select the command again whenever you've made edits.

To install the highlighter:

Find syntax-highlighter.gs in this repo and copy its contents to your clipboard
In your Google Doc, go to Tools >> Script editor.
Create a blank project.
Paste the script code you copied from syntax-highlighter.gs into the script editor, and save it.
Go back to your Google Doc and reload it in your browser. You should now see the Syntax highlighting menu.

It can be helpful to do manual syntax highlighting as well, for the benefit of yourself or your co-authors. For example, you can downplay a passage of text by making it tiny or gray, or call attention to it by enlarging or reddening or yellow-highlighting it.

Collaborative LaTeX workflow

Here is how multiple people can simulataneously edit and compile LaTeX files using these scripts:

Create a Dropbox folder shared amongst all co-authors.
Put the scripts in this repository into the shared Dropbox folder.
Put auxiliary files (e.g., style and image files) into the shared Dropbox folder.
Create Google Docs representing LaTeX files (example), make them world-writable, and add their URLs and filenames to parallel_download_gdocs.py.
Now all co-authors can simultaneously edit the Google Docs online without conflicts.
To compile a PDF, run make in the shared Dropbox folder.

The benefits of this workflow over traditional version control systems are:

lack of merge conflicts
seeing everyone's edit cursors
comments and todos in Google Docs margins
in-document chat window
revision history diff view is good (as long as each individual LaTeX file is not huge)

However, some drawbacks are: