Create all auxiliary files in the directory specified by -aux-directory without ever writing in the source directory

[giuliofoletto]

The MiKTeX implementation of pdflatex provides the neat -aux-directory option which specifies where to put auxiliary files. Despite this, if SyncTex is enabled (-synctex=1), the synctex.gz file is temporarily created in the source directory, and then moved to the auxiliary directory only at the end of compilation.

Feature request: Create this auxiliary file directly in the auxiliary directory, without ever writing in the source directory.

Although this would be irrelevant to most, in some use cases, the source directory must be protected from writing, or is watched by other processes which spin up uselessly if the temporary files are created and deleted frequently.

P.S. I hope this is the right place to ask for this. I ask here because as far as I know only MiKTeX provides the -aux-directory option.

[edocevoli]

The synctex.gz file is an output file, so -aux-directory has no effect. You must use -output-directory.

[giuliofoletto]

Sorry, I did not realize that. However, the problem still stands. I am using -output-directory and the synctex.gz file gets created in the source directory, and then moved to the specified directory at the end of compilation. Should I create another issue with more precise wording?

Basically, the feature request would be: Create this output file in the directory specified in -output-directory instead of moving it there after writing to the source directory.

If you think this is a bug, and not a missing feature, I can file the issue as a bug with the complete bug reporting procedure. Let me know.

[edocevoli]

Thank you, this has been fixed with v21.6.