LaTeX editor that can insert images automatically

Question

I'm pretty fluent in the LaTeX typesetting language, and often use it to make quick notes on things I'm thinking about, for future reference. I have this process pretty streamlined by now, but I hit a productivity block whenever I want to insert an image.

Using my current LaTeX editor (TeXShop), as well as every other editor I've used, the procedure for inserting an image is something like this:

• make a folder for images in the same folder as the .tex file, call it figs.
• copy my image into this folder and give it a filename, say myImage.png

• either type out the following code, or locate another file that contains it and copy-paste and modify from there:

  \begin{figure}
      \centering
      \includegraphics[width=0.75\textwidth]{myImage.png}
      \caption{Here is a description of the image.}
      \label{myImage.fig}
  \end{figure}
  

Then re-compile the document and fix any syntax errors etc. that this might have introduced.

This is quite a lot of steps to go through and tends to make me lose my train of thought. However, in principle most of it could be done automatically by the editor. For example, if I wanted to insert an image into this Stack Exchange post, I would do the following things:

• copy the image to the clipboard
• click the "image" icon
• paste the image
• click "insert image"

The Stack Exchange editor will upload the image, generate a filename for me, insert the Markdown code to display it, and position my cursor in the appropriate position to write the image description.

I am looking for a LaTeX editor that can do something similar to this, i.e. one that has specific features for streamlining the workflow of inserting images into LaTeX documents.

My platform is Max OS X, but answers for other platforms will be useful for other visitors. I would consider switching to an online editor (i.e. something like ShareLaTeX) if it had this feature.

Answer 1

I would recommend TeXstudio.

TeXstudio is an integrated writing environment for creating LaTeX documents. Our goal is to make writing LaTeX as easy and comfortable as possible. Therefore TeXstudio has numerous features like syntax-highlighting, integrated viewer, reference checking and various assistants. For more details see the features.

TeXstudio is an open source software that can run on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. Inserting images automatically is supported by TeXstudio. According to your question, I inserted an images on TeXstudio with this way (I use Linux OS for demonstrating this feature):

1. You have to make sure that TeXstudio and your document are already opened. This is an example of LaTeX document.
2. Set a place where the image will be inserted. For example, I will place an image after "This is my first document. This document explains how to insert an image automatically on TeXstudio." paragraph.
3. Copy an image from your folder or disk location. Choose an image and then, right click on that image and choose "Copy" or using keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C.
4. Paste it on editor of TeXstudio. Right click on a place where the image will be inserted and choose "Paste".
5. A dialog box with title "inserting image" appears. You can set the property values of inserted image, like caption and label.
6. Finally, the snippet code of image is inserted on. You can format the structure of inserted figure code.

Although this way is different, the procedure of inserting images is basically same with example procedure you have stated on your question.

Edited: Beside this way above, you can drag and drop an image to insert it automatically on TeXstudio editor.