latex-pdf

LaTeX PDF Build Workflow

When To Use

• Use for .tex to .pdf builds, manuscript template compilation, citation/reference warnings, missing graphics, missing .sty files, and LaTeX cleanup.
• Prefer latexmk when available because it handles repeated runs, BibTeX/Biber, and cross-references automatically.
• Use pdflatex for IEEE/JSEN and most standard journal templates unless the document requires Unicode/CJK text or system fonts.
• Use xelatex or lualatex when the source uses fontspec, CJK body text, or system font selection.
• When no local TeX toolchain is detected, use the Overleaf compilation flow below instead of failing or guessing.

Discovery

• Locate the main file with Glob for *.tex if the user does not specify it.
• Read the first 80 lines of likely main files and prefer the file containing \documentclass and \begin{document}.
• Check graphics paths from \includegraphics{...} when image errors occur.
• Check whether the project uses inline thebibliography, BibTeX (\bibliography{...}), or BibLaTeX (\addbibresource{...}).

Paper Pipeline Paths

• In the bundled paper workflow, treat the exact session cwd as the project root, keep derived LaTeX under manuscript/latex/, and deliver the compiled PDF at manuscript/manuscript.pdf.
• Keep manuscript/manuscript.md authoritative; compilation must not replace it with generated LaTeX.
• Follow another existing layout only when the task explicitly supplies it.
• When the TeX engine writes the PDF inside manuscript/latex/, copy the successful final PDF to manuscript/manuscript.pdf and verify that path.

Environment Detection

Before building, detect a local TeX toolchain. Prefer local compilation when available; fall back to the Overleaf flow below when it is not.

Unix (Linux/macOS):

which latexmk pdflatex xelatex

Windows PowerShell:

Get-Command latexmk,pdflatex,xelatex -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

If the commands are not on PATH, probe the common Windows install locations: