Get started with the IITJ MTP Template Generator in 5 minutes!

New to terminals or Python? Start with the Simple guide for beginners.

What you get (important)

The generator creates a LaTeX project under output/ with your metadata and section files (abstract, acknowledgments, declaration, certificate, chapters, etc.). Most paragraphs are placeholders—search for [TODO] and % TODO. Compiling to PDF before you replace that text produces a layout preview, not your finished submission. See examples/README for how sample configs relate to this.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

1. Python 3.9+ installed

   python --version  # Should show 3.9 or higher
   

2. LaTeX distribution installed

   • Windows: MiKTeX
   • macOS: MacTeX

   • Linux: TeX Live

     sudo apt-get install texlive-full  # Ubuntu/Debian
     

Installation

Step 1: Get the Code

git clone https://github.com/satishjhanwer/IITJ-MTP-Template-Generator.git
cd IITJ-MTP-Template-Generator

Step 2: Install Dependencies

pip install -r scripts/requirements.txt

This installs:

• jinja2 - Template rendering
• pyyaml - YAML configuration parsing

Generate Your First Report

Option 1: Interactive Mode (Recommended for First-Time Users)

python scripts/generate.py

The generator will ask you questions like:

• Report type (proposal, major project, or presentation)
• Project title
• Your name and roll number
• Supervisor details
• University and department
• Submission date

Answer each question and the generator will create your report!

Option 2: Using a Config File (Faster for Repeated Use)

1. Create a config.yaml file (or use an example):

   cp examples/sample-proposal/config.yaml my-config.yaml
   

2. Edit my-config.yaml with your details

3. Generate the report:

   python scripts/generate.py --config my-config.yaml
   

Edit Your Report

After generation, you’ll find your report in the output/ directory:

cd output/your-project-name

Edit the .tex files to add your content:

• Search for [TODO] markers
• Replace placeholders with your actual content
• Add references to the .bib file

Compile to PDF

Method 1: Using pdflatex (Recommended)

# For proposal reports
pdflatex proposal.tex
bibtex proposal
pdflatex proposal.tex
pdflatex proposal.tex

# For major project reports
pdflatex main.tex
bibtex main
pdflatex main.tex
pdflatex main.tex

Method 2: Using latexmk (If Available)

latexmk -pdf proposal.tex  # or main.tex

View Your PDF

Open the generated PDF file:

• proposal.pdf (for proposals)
• main.pdf (for major projects)

Next Steps

• 📖 Read the Input Schema to understand all configuration options
• 🎨 Check the Customization Guide to personalize your report
• ❓ See the FAQ for common questions and issues

Common Issues

Issue: “Command not found: python”

Solution: Try python3 instead of python

Issue: “pdflatex: command not found”

Solution: Install a LaTeX distribution (see Prerequisites)

Issue: “No module named ‘jinja2’”

Solution: Run pip install -r scripts/requirements.txt

Issue: Bibliography not showing

Solution: Make sure you:

1. Added references to the .bib file
2. Cited at least one reference using \cite{key} in your text
3. Ran bibtex and pdflatex multiple times

Getting Help

• Check the FAQ
• Open an issue on GitHub
• Read the full documentation in the docs/ directory

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Happy report writing! 📝