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SiemensGeek
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Joined: Fri May 29, 2015 11:06 pm

PdfLatex Command Line Arguments to Change Output File Path

Post by SiemensGeek »

I have written a function in Python that generates a report in a .tex file. I want to pass this path and file to PdfLatex to generate a .pdf file and then display this file. I have a working version using the following code:
subprocess.call(['C:\\texlive\\2014\\bin\\win32\\pdflatex.exe', 'C:\\Users\\KEY0000G\\Documents\\TeXfiles\\TEST.tex'])
to generate the pdf file, the problem is it creates the pdf file in the default directory. I have tried passing the output path and file name as a second command line argument but PdfLatex ignores it. I tried placing -o in front of the output file path and also -output-directory but it makes no difference, pdf file the .log file and .aux file show up in the default directory. To display the pdf file I am using :
subprocess.call(['C:\\Program Files\\Tracker Software\\PDF Viewer\\PDFXCview.exe', 'C:\\Users\\KEY0000G\\Documents\\Python Scripts\\Vectrix\\TEST.pdf']), which is the default directory. I have searched the internet, that's where -o and -output-file came from).

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Johannes_B
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PdfLatex Command Line Arguments to Change Output File Path

Post by Johannes_B »

pdflatex -output-directory C:/Users/KEY0000G/Documents/TeXfiles TEST.tex
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SiemensGeek
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri May 29, 2015 11:06 pm

Re: PdfLatex Command Line Arguments to Change Output File Pa

Post by SiemensGeek »

Close enough! The command that finally worked is:

subprocess.call(['C:\\texlive\\2014\\bin\\win32\\pdflatex.exe', '-output-directory', 'C:/Users/KEY0000G/Documents/TeXfiles', 'C:\\Users\\KEY0000G\\Documents\\TeXfiles\\TEST.tex'])

Thank you very much.
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Johannes_B
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Re: PdfLatex Command Line Arguments to Change Output File Pa

Post by Johannes_B »

The important thing to note here is that LaTeX, even on a windows system, uses the forward slash to denote directories. The backslash is the excape character for control sequences.

Btw, forward slashes should work for all other windows things just as well.
The smart way: Calm down and take a deep breath, read posts and provided links attentively, try to understand and ask if necessary.
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