Re: [AUCTeX] easy PDF output

[Shug Boabby]

On 12 Apr 2005, at 23:05, David Kastrup wrote:
> Shug Boabby writes:
> > On 12 Apr 2005, at 16:16, David Kastrup wrote:
> > > Shug Boabby writes:
> > > > i'd really prefer to get PDF output for some documents... is there 
> > > > an
> > > > easy way to do this?
> > > You mean like using the Command/TeXing Options/PDF mode menu?  Or the
> > > C-c C-t C-p keyboard shortcut for switching PDF mode on?  Or
> > > customizing the TeX-PDF-mode variable?
> > unfortunately this does not do as i wish, i use pstricks and
> > pdflatex breaks things...
>
> Well, then don't use it.  AUCTeX will usually be smart enough to
> notice you are loading pstricks and will choose DVI mode even when
> your default setting would be PDF.

but the figures are also broken in the DVI file. the stance of the 
pstricks guys is
  "it is PStricks, not DVItricks"
so i *need* output to reach that PS stage. creating a PDF from that PS 
file results in a working PDF, but not directly from pdflatex.

> > it is best to create a PS and then ps2pdf the file, is this
> > possible?
> >
> > i now see the "output" part of the docs... there is no ps out?
>
> Have you actually tried it?  If you enabled document parsing, as
> suggested in the first page of the AUCTeX docs, AUCTeX will propose
> using dvips and GhostView for viewing.

yes... but it is not so easy for me as it is for you (on gnu/linux?) as 
i use OS X. in OS X, you cannot spawn X11 apps from within (Carbon) 
emacs. there is no native PS or DVI reader for OS X, hence my desire 
for PDF output. else i'd be fine with PS for pstricks files and DVI 
otherwise. [for dvi files i open xdvi once from an xterm and then avoid 
using View from auctex]

i have always had the self parsing set up. it does not appear to be 
detecting pstricks on my file (master is another file)... unless that 
is only done at the "View" step? which i cannot use anyway (see OS X 
notes above). why does there not appear (looking at the tab completed 
list of C-c C-b) to be a PS or PDF compile option here?

> > perhaps this pstricks/pdf bug is something auctex should check for?
>
> What bug?  And AUCTeX does check for PStricks.  What is your actual
> complaint supposed to be?

that it's PDF compile option breaks the output when the LaTeX file has 
certain pstricks commands. PDFLaTeX in this situation should compile to 
PS, then create the PDF to ensure pstricks figures are OK. there is 
much discussion on the various pstricks communities about this pdflatex 
vs ps2pdf issue.