How to use the command "texcount" (with examples)
“texcount” is a command that counts the number of words in a TeX document, while omitting macros. It is useful for estimating the length of a document, analyzing text, or keeping track of progress in writing.
Use case 1: Count words in a TeX file
Code:
texcount path/to/file.tex
Motivation: This use case is handy when you want a quick word count of a single TeX file. It can be helpful in academic or professional settings when you need to meet a specific word count requirement for a document.
Explanation: The command “texcount” followed by the path to the TeX file will count the number of words in that particular file.
Example output:
File: path/to/file.tex
Words in text: 5124
Words in headers: 32
Words outside text (captions, etc.): 532
Number of headers: 14
Number of floats/tables/figures: 4
Number of math inlines: 109
Number of math displayed: 34
Use case 2: Count words in a document and subdocuments built with \input or \include
Code:
texcount -merge file.tex
Motivation: When working on a large TeX project that includes multiple subdocuments using \input or \include, it is essential to have a word count that includes all the subdocuments. This use case helps to achieve that.
Explanation: The “-merge” argument tells “texcount” to merge all the subdocuments built using \input or \include and count the words in the entire document.
Example output:
File: file.tex
Words in text: 6205
...
Subcounts:
file_subdocument1: 2407
file_subdocument2: 3798
...
Total sum: 6205
Use case 3: Count words in a document and subdocuments, listing each file separately (and a total count)
Code:
texcount -inc file.tex
Motivation: In addition to counting words in a document and its subdocuments, it can be helpful to have a breakdown of the word count for each individual file and also get the total count.
Explanation: The “-inc” argument is used to list each file separately and provide a total count at the end.
Example output:
File: file.tex
Words in text: 6205
...
Subcounts:
file_subdocument1: 2407
file_subdocument2: 3798
...
Total sum: 6205
Use case 4: Count words with verbose output
Code:
texcount -v path/to/file.tex
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want a more detailed analysis of the word count. The verbose output gives additional information about headers, floats/tables/figures, math inlines, and displayed math.
Explanation: The “-v” argument instructs “texcount” to provide a more verbose output, including additional word count details.
Example output:
File: path/to/file.tex
Words in text: 5124
Words in headers: 32
Words outside text (captions, etc.): 532
Number of headers: 14
Number of floats/tables/figures: 4
Number of math inlines: 109
Number of math displayed: 34
Conclusion:
The “texcount” command is a useful tool for counting words in TeX documents while omitting macros. Whether you need a basic word count, a count that includes subdocuments, or a more detailed analysis, “texcount” has you covered.
