Package resolver

[Bakaniko]

I tested TinyTex with some file I thought will be simple (I was wrong).

I was 2 letters, one using letter.cls, the other moderncv.cls

I knew I had to install several package to get them, I forgot I also need french packages in addition.
So far I used those commands and I get only errors (I tested with previously compiled files with full TexLive) because of missing packages.

Tinitex is not at fault there, but I was thinking that a package resolver might be handy before running a document. Especially with this minimalist tool.

I don't know enough LaTeX, and TinyTex, to see if it is possible, reasonable or not. So I make this suggestion.

Best regards from France,

Nicolas

[yihui]

tinytex::latexmk() and friends do have a package resolver that will automatically figure out the missing packages and install them for you. Could you tell me more about how exactly you compiled your files?

[Bakaniko]

I compiled the the file by hand with pdflatex in a regular ubuntu terminal. Mostly because I only saw that line in the doc:

tinytex::pdflatex('test.tex')

In my defense, I only work from the main doc yesterday (not the FAQ) for two reasons:

1. to put myself as a newcomer who discovers the package (which I was)
2. I was really tired (and missed the link to the FAQ)

Although I located the pdflatex bin (symlink actually) in /home/niko/bin and skim the folder, I didn't see a latexmk bin at that time. And it is not in the user path for that reason I guess.

Now, reading your comment, and remembering red something about it (after a little research, it was in your call for testing, that i red a couple days ago), I think there is two child issues now:

1. tinytex::latexmk() is not documented in the doc
2. latexmk doesn't appears in the user path

For the second issue, I don't know if it is meant to be in the path. You said in the test call :

The R companion package tinytex contains functions to emulate latexmk

So it might be too R dependent, and that should be documented as well.

I tested latexmk() on a few simple documents (letters and resumes) and it worked really fine installing missing packages.

I need to test with more complex document (lab reports, pandoc generated docs), but it is already a good start.
Thanks :)

Sorry if I appears being a fool/tool.

[yihui]

No need to apologize. Your testing and feedback were extremely helpful to me!

For the R function tinytex::latexmk(), you don't need to install the LaTeX package latexmk, and in fact, I don't recommend that you install it. But if you do install it, you need to run tlmgr path add to create the symlink (tinytex::tlmgr_install('latexmk') will do it automatically).

Yes, tinytex::latexmk() is tied to R. Ideally I should provide a more portable solution (e.g. implement it in Perl or Go or Rust instead of R), but I lack the skills, and I'm better motivated by R users. Currently the significant advantage of tinytex::latexmk() over the LaTeX package latexmk is the automatic installation of missing LaTeX packages. If you want to reimplement this R function in other languages, I'll be happy to walk you through the code and ideas.

[Bakaniko]

Didn't had time to spend more time on tinytex yet.

But I agree with you, sadly I have less coding skills than you. I don't even know how to make a R package and I'm just slightly better with python. But I'll keep that idea in the back of my mind.

[Bakaniko]

Time to close I guess