mirror-pandoc-letter-din5008/README.md

# Pandoc Letter Template (Default: DIN 5008)

Effortlessly write professional letters with the Pandoc Letter Template. Simply create and customize your letters in Markdown and convert them to stunning PDFs with one command. Based on the official [Pandoc LaTeX template](https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/blob/master/data/templates/default.latex) and [`scrlttr2`](https://ftp.rrzn.uni-hannover.de/pub/mirror/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/koma-script/doc/scrguide-en.pdf#chapter.4) document class, you can use all the variables supported by the official template, plus additional variables. The template defaults to the German [DIN 5008](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_5008) standard for added convenience. No more tedious design or typesetting work - just easy, beautiful letters for any occasion.

## Previews

|[Minimal](/examples/minimal)|[Invoice](/examples/invoice)|
|:--------------------------:|:--------------------------:|
|<img src="/examples/minimal/letter.png" alt="Minimal Letter Preview"/>|<img src="/examples/invoice/letter.png" alt="Invoice Letter Preview"/>|

## Usage

Clone this repository or download the template with the following command:

```bash
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benedictdudel/pandoc-letter-din5008/master/letter.latex --create-dirs -o ~/.pandoc/templates/letter.latex
```

Write your letter in markdown, using one of the provided examples [`examples/minimal/letter.md`](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benedictdudel/pandoc-letter-din5008/master/examples/minimal/letter.md) file as a
guide. You can download the example `letter.md` file with the following command:

```bash
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benedictdudel/pandoc-letter-din5008/master/examples/minimal/letter.md -o letter.md
```

To convert the markdown file to a PDF run:

```bash
pandoc letter.md -o letter.pdf --template="letter"
```

## Customization

There are two ways to customize the letter. You can use the exported KOMA-variables via yaml or use a custom `lco` (letter class options) file which you can reference in your yaml metadata.

### 1. Letter Class Options (`.lco`)

Create a new file `defaults.lco` with the following content:
```latex
\ProvidesFile{defaults.lco}

\setkomavar{opening}{Dear Sir or Madam,}
\setkomavar{closing}{Sincerely,}
```

Reference the `defaults.lco` file within you yaml metadata:
```yaml
---
letteroption:
  - defaults
---
```

### 2. Variables

The template supports all variables from the official LaTeX template plus additional variables from `scrlttr2`. Those variables are:

|name                |description                                            |
|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
|addresseeimage|commands used to print the postpaid postmark for the addrfield backgroundimage option or the postpaid address for the addrfield=image option|
|backaddress|return address for window envelopes|
|backaddressseparator|separator within the return address|
|closing|concluding text|
|ccseparator|separator between title of additional addresses (cc list) and additional addresses|
|cc|distribution list|
|customer|customer number|
|customername|name of customer number|
|date|date|
|datename|name of date|
|emailseparator|separator between email name and email address|
|enclseparator|separator between title of enclosure and enclosures|
|faxseparator|separator between title of fax and fax number|
|firstfooter|footer of the letterhead page|
|firsthead|header of the letterhead page|
|fromaddress|sender’s address without sender name|
|fromalign|where the sender information should be placed on the first page|
|frombank|sender’s bank details|
|fromemail|sender’s e-mail|
|fromfax|sender’s fax number|
|fromlogo|commands for inserting the sender’s logo|
|frommobilephone|sender’s mobile telephone number|
|fromname|complete name of sender|
|fromphone|sender’s telephone number|
|fromurl|URL of the sender, e. g. of the sender’s homepage|
|fromzipcode|ZIP code (postal code) of the sender for the postpaid postmark of the addrfield=PP option|
|invoice|invoice number|
|invoicename|name of invoice number|
|letteroption|to load lco files|
|location|extra details of the sender|
|myref|sender’s reference|
|nextfoot|footer using page style headings or myheadings|
|nexthead|header using page style headings or myheadings|
|opening|salutation|
|phoneseparator|separator between title of telephone and telephone number|
|place|sender’s location; used next to date|
|placeseparator|separator between location and date|
|PPdatamatrix|command to print the data array for the addrfield=PP option|
|PPcode|commands for the sender’s identification code for the addrfield=PP option|
|signature|signature annotation beneath the closing text of the letter|
|specialmail|delivery method|
|subject|letter’s subject|
|subjectseparator|separator between subject title and subject|
|title|letter title|
|toaddress|address of recipient without recipient name|
|toname|complete name of recipient|
|yourmail|date of recipient’s referenced mail|
|yourmailname|name of date of recipient’s referenced mail|
|yourref|recipient’s reference|
|yourrefname|name of the recipient’s reference|
|zipcodeseparator|separator between the title of ZIP code (postal code) and the code itself|

## Contact

If you have any questions, feel free to open an issue [here](https://github.com/benedictdudel/pandoc-letter-din5008/issues) or contact me via twitter at [@benedictdudel](https://twitter.com/benedictdudel)