WEBQUIZ:(A) FOR WEBQUIZ:(A)

WebQuiz: a LaTeX package for writing online quizzes -

WebQuiz makes it possible to use LaTeX to write interactive online quizzes. The quizzes are first written in LaTeX and then converted into HTML using WebQuiz, which is written in python. The conversion from LaTeX to HTML is done behind the scenes using TeX4ht. The idea is that you should be able to produce nice online quizzes using WebQuiz and basic knowledge of LaTeX.

WebQuiz is designed to be used from the command-line. For example, if quiz1.tex is a LaTeX file for a quiz then:

latex quiz1
produces a "readable" DVI file for the quiz
produces a "readable" PDF file for the quiz
creates the web page quiz1.html

If you prefer to use LaTeX from a GUI for LaTeX then it should be possible to configure it to use WebQuiz directly. As an example, the manual provides some details about how to do this for TeXShop.

[-i | -e | --settings [SETTINGS]] [quiz_file [quiz_file ...]]

A LaTeX package for writing online quizzes

quiz_file latex quiz files
show this help message and exit
Suppress tex4ht messages (also -qq etc)
Use make4ht draft mode
Shell escape for tex4ht/make4ht
Use latex to compile document with make4ht (default)
Use lualatex to compile the quiz
Use xelatex to compile the quiz
Specify location of the webquiz rc-file
Install web components of webquiz
Edit default settings for webquiz
List default settings for webquiz

To use WebQuiz you need to have a standard LaTeX distribution installed, such as TeXLive, that includes TeX4ht. In addition, you need to have Python3 installed. As WebQuiz uses scalable vector graphics (SVG) you should check that all of the dependencies of dvisvgm are installed on your system, especially if you plan on using graphics or images.

Once the TeX components of WebQuiz package have been installed you can install the web components of WebQuiz using the following command, which needs to be run from the command line:

> webquiz --initialise

If you want to install the web components of WebQuiz into a system directory then you need to run this command from an administrators account, so using sudo on a unix-like system. For more details about the installation and configuration of WebQuiz please see Section 3.2 of the WebQuiz manual.

Please see the manual for more details about initialising and using WebQuiz.

On both unix-like systems (including macosx), and windows systems (using either TeXLive or MiKTeX), you can install WebQuiz by downloading the WebQuiz zip file from:

http://mirrors.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/webquiz.zip

To install the package, unzip this file and change directory to the webquiz/scripts subdirectory run:

> webquiz --tex-install

(or webquiz.bat --text-install on windows). This commands unpacks the webquiz files into their standard locations in the TeX install tree to it should be run from an administrators account, or using sudo on a unix-like system. Roughly what this command does is the following:

  • It creates a symbolic link, or equivalent, to the main WebQuiz executable, which is the file webquiz.py in the scripts directory
  • Copies the latex directory to somewhere in the TeX search path and then runs mktexlsr so that LaTeX and WebQuiz can find these files.
  • Copies the python code into the TeX scripts subdirectory
  • Copies the WebQuiz doc subdirectory into the TeX doc/latex subdirectory.

If you are using MiKTeX you may need to open the MiKTeX console, go to the Tasks menu and then rebuild the TeX filename database.

Once the files above are in place initialise WebQuiz by following the installation instructions above.

Mainly for development purposes, there is another undocumented command-line option for removing these files from TEXMFMAIN:

> sudo webquiz/scripts/webquiz --tex-uninstall

In order to work WebQuiz needs the following programs to be installed on your system:

  • An up-to-date LaTeX distribution, such as that provided by TeXLive. In particular, you need to have TeX4ht and make4ht installed. Unfortunately, since TeXLive 2018 was released there have been a significat bunber of updates to a number of packahges that WebQuiz uses, including updates to TeX4ht, make4ht, tikz and pstricks. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you all packages from ctan_ before using WebQuiz_.
  • python3 As of writing python 3.7.2 is available.
  • Javascript
  • If you plan to use pstricks with WebQuiz, or if you want to compile the online manual for WebQuiz, then you need to ensure that ghostscript and dvisvgm are installed and properly configured on your system. See the WebQuiz manual and the dvisvgm documentation for more details
  • A web server. To view online quizzes you of course need a web server. As described in the Installation section you will also need to copy of the WebQuiz components onto your web server using the command:

    > webquiz --initialise

The LaTeX component of WebQuiz was written by Andrew Mathas and the python, css and javascript code was written by Andrew Mathas (and Don Taylor), based on an initial protype of Don Taylor's from 2001. Since 2004 the program has been maintained and developed by Andrew Mathas. Although the program has changed substantially since 2004 Don's idea of using TeX4ht, and some of his code, is still very much in use.

Copyright (C) 2004-2019

GNU General Public License, Version 3, 29 June 2007

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU_General Public License (GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

LATEX PACKAGE