my workflow of creating a video

During the creation of one video, several tools are tuned to fit my workflow. In this project several videos and posts will be created to make my workflow clear.

Two targets of this project:

1. remind me of the configuration of several tools;
2. show somebody else who may be interested in how I work.

I am not ready to detail each tool. If you are interested in any one of them, please refer to tutorials written by experts or given by the official document.

1 Emacs

Emacs lies in the center of my workflow. It behaves like a super-IDE which assists me finish almost all the steps. Using Emacs, I program and debug, GTD, write the blogs, export and publish them. Many of the Emacs extensions are awesome. In particular, Emacs Org is the killer app.

How to config Emacs? After more Than ten years of using Emacs, I choose spacemacs. Most beginners can start their work using spacemacs with only a little modifications.

1.1 program and debug

I program in python, C/C++, Matlab and some other languages. Emacs acts as a super-IDE for me.

1.2 Org mode - journalize your work

Org mode definitely need a standalone subsection.

1.3 Org mode - get things done

1.4 Org mode - write a diary

1.5 Org mode - export your Org file

1.6 program and debug

1.7 writing latex

1.8 org-journal

I write many notes during a post or a project. Most of my journal is maintained by org-journal: A simple org-mode based journaling mode . And I set the org-journal-file-type to weekly So that I have around 52 journal file each year.

The journals can be searched conveniently. Also they can be integrated into Org agenda.

1.9 ox-hugo

kaushalmodi/ox-hugo: A carefully crafted Org exporter back-end for Hugo

Because hugo supports markdown at first (it also supports org file later), I use Emacs Org from the very beginning. I am quite familiar with org-mode, so have no motivation to dig into markdown. Fortunately, ox-hugo meets all my requirement and definitely worth a try when you want to stay in Org.

Actually, Emacs have extensions to support markdown quite well. However, using Org, I can integrate the org file into my agenda.

1.10 preview tikz picture in Org

TikZ and PGF are TeX packages for creating graphics programmatically. TikZ is build on top of PGF and allows you to create sophisticated graphics in a rather intuitive and easy manner.

You can integrated TikZ code into the Org mode as a source block. I have a not-so-detailed post on how to set up the tikz environment in Org.

2 Hugo

As the fastest framework for building websites, Hugo shocks me by its speed and flexibility. It is enough to prettify your site using the more than 300+ beautiful themes, from which I am in the mode for Academic theme.

Hugo supports Org file but not so good. Ox-hugo, another extension of Emacs, has my attention. Serving as a bridge between Emacs and Hugo, ox-hugo helps me staying in Emacs Org. There is no need for me to write markdown file if Org is available.

I use ox-hugo as a bridge between Emacs and Hugo. So I do not have to care much about how to leverage Hugo. Ox-hugo helps me do most of the work.

3 Hugo Academic Theme

Hugo Academic Theme is a beautiful and flexible theme developed for Hugo. This site is built based on this theme.

If you want attach a pdf version of your post, two steps are needed:

1. add a line:

   url_pdf = "#"
   

   in the front matter of your markdown file.

2. add a PDF file with the same name as your post’s own folder to your post’s folder.

A PDF link will be automatically generated just like the pdf link appears in the top of each post in my site. Because I use Emacs Org with ox-hugo, I add one line in the property:

:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :url_pdf "#"

Hugo academic theme provide some front matters that hugo does not support by default. Fortunately, ox-hugo handles this effectively. For more information. you can read:

1. Org meta-data to Hugo front-matter
2. Custom Front-matter Parameters

4 manim

5 blender