LaTeX with desktop editor and Zotero

Installing LaTeX and editor

If you want to work with LaTeX in a local desktop editor, instal the recommended software for your platform:

• Linux: TeX Live (already installed on UiO Linux machines with the editor Kile)
• Mac: MacTeX (available on UiO machinies from Managed Software Center) (MacTeX comes with the editor TexShop)
• Windows: MiKTeX (available for UiO machines from Company Portal and Software Center) (MikTeX comes with the editor TeXworks) 

Better BibTeX for stable citation keys and sync

Better BibTeX is a recommended Zotero plugin for LaTeX. Better BibTeX is particularly useful if you use a desktop editor as it can keep exported .bib files automatically updated (Overleaf has its own functionality for this). Better BibTeX also ensures stable citation keys. 

• Better BibTeX

Yale Library has a nice insallation guide:

• Install Better BibTeX

Exporting .bib-file from Zotero to LaTeX

You will need a .bib file with your references. You can use a reference tool such as EndNote or Zotero (recommended) for this.

1. In Zotero, go to File → Export Library...
2. Select Better BibLaTeX as the format if you have installed the Better BibTeX add-on; otherwise, select BibLaTeX.
3. Place the exported .bib file (for example, references.bib) in the same folder as your .tex file (for example, mythesis.tex).
4. With the Better BibTeX add-on for Zotero, the .bib file will update automatically when you make changes in Zotero.
5. In a local desktop editor, use Biber as the backend program for BibLaTeX.

It is very important that the .tex file and the .bib file are in the same folder. 
MyThesis/
├── mythesis.tex
└── references.bib 

JabRef as an alternative for .bib-files

If you do not use Zotero, JabRef is another good free application for managing .bib files for LaTeX. 

• JabRef

Setup and commands on Mac, Windows, Linux

In TeXShop for Mac:

• Go to settings → engine → write biber in the box for BibTeX Engine

TeXworks for Windows:

• TeXworks comes with biber as an option in the dropdown menu for LaTeX compilation

Kile for Linux: 

• Kile comes with Biber as an option under Build in the menu for LaTeX compilation

In the preamble of your .tex file, after you have specified documentclass, activate the biblatex package with biber as the backend program:

\usepackage[backend=biber]{biblatex} 

• When you begin to write and cite, you must compile to see your changes. 
• You must run biber between the pdflatex runs when you change your references.

Compiling in TexShop for Mac: Go to Typeset in the menu

Select LatTeX,
then BibTex (which in settings you have set to run biber),
then LaTeX again,
repeat LaTeX.

Compiling in TeXworks for Windows: In the dropdown manu next to the green play button:

Select pdfLaTeX and push the green button.
Select Biber and push the green button.
Select pdfLaTeX again and push the green button.
Repeat pdfLaTeX.

Compiling in Kile for Linux: Kile has better support for automating the compilation process. For compiling go to Build in the menu and run

Build → Compile
Build → Biber
Build → Compile
Build → Compile

If Kile has Latexmk in the Build menu, this is the simplist option. Latxmk will run all the necessary compilation steps automatically, including Biber, when your document uses backed=biber. 

Build → Compile → Latexmk