ProceeDings 2.0: A web-based application for editing and layout of conference papers

Abstract

Writing academic papers is challenging, and formatting them can be even more time-consuming. Over time, the demands for multi-stage submission and review processes have gradually increased. At the same time, the number of submissions and published conference papers has steadily grown. In contrast to journal papers, there is a clear drive to complete this process just in time for the conference itself, which limits the number of feasible iterations. ProceeDings 1.0 introduced a simple but effective workflow: plain text as input and LaTeX for PDF generation. This approach produced high-quality results, including robust equation rendering. However, LaTeX's automatic figure placement is often difficult to control, as images are positioned based on available space and may shift to later pages. This behavior contrasts with DTP-tools such as Adobe InDesign, which allow precise figure placement and flexible text flow. ProceeDings 2.0 addresses these limitations in a web-based environment. It uses browser-based rendering technologies, reducing the need for server-side resources while maintaining flexibility in layout control. This paper describes the system architecture and presents an initial analysis of papers created with the platform. The results provide insight into common structural patterns in CAAD publications. We also identify current limitations, discuss lessons learned during system deployment, and outline directions for future development.