output-dir with texlive and gvim

Question

I am usgin latex-suit for gvim. I want to use the output-dir option. I defined:

let g:Tex_MultipleCompileFormats='pdf'
let g:Tex_CompileRule_pdf = 'pdflatex --output-directory=output --synctex=-1 -src-specials -interaction=nonstopmode $*'

The problem is that with the --output-directory options latex-suit does not compile multiple times if it necesary, only once. And, I have to compile it manually if references changes.

How can I configure latex-suit multiple compile options with the --output-directory?

Answer 1

You have two options: use a makefile (which I would recommend) or run the command several times inside g:Tex_CompileRule_pdf.

Use a Makefile

LaTeX documents, when they become big, may be troublesome to manage:

• several BibTeX reference files,
• gnuplot graphs that are compiled differently in {draft} mode,
• and general \input documents.

If you try to manage that with a single command line it will quickly become impossible to maintain. Using a Makefile allows for better dependency checking between files and also Vim can compile the LaTeX document with :make (with the default :makeprg, which is set to make). An example Makefile could be like the following:

# Makefile for my LaTeX doc

LATEX  = pdflatex -output-directory=output -synctex=-1 -src-specials -interaction=nonstopmode
BIBTEX = bibtex
RM     = rm -f
BIB    = mybibs.bib
LTFS   = *.aux *.lof *.log *.lot *.fls *.out *.toc
DOCS   = *.dvi *.pdf
BIBS   = *.bbl *.blg
IDXS   = *.idx *.ilg *.ind *.ist
OTHER  = *.acn *.acr *.glg *.glo *.gls *.brf *.lol

all: document.pdf

%.pdf: %.tex %.bbl
    $(LATEX) $<
    $(LATEX) $<

.PRECIOUS: %.aux
%.aux: %.tex
    $(LATEX) $<

.PRECIOUS: %.bbl
%.bbl: %.aux $(BIB)
    $(BIBTEX) $<

.PHONY: clean
clean:
    $(RM) $(LTFS) $(DOCS) $(BIBS) $(IDXS) $(OTHER)

This Makefile runs pdflatex two times by default: once to build the sections and page numbers and a second time to make proper cross references. If a reference changes the .aux file will be changed and pdflatex will be run three times.

If you do not use BibTeX you do not need the parts about %.bbl files.

Put several commands into g:Tex_CompileRule_pdf

I'll once again warn that this will quickly become unmaintainable. Tracking dependencies between files through a very long command line is very difficult.

Anyhow, you can use $* several times inside an external command in Vim. In essence you can do this:

let g:Tex_CompileRule_pdf = 'pdflatex -output-directory=output '
  \. '-synctex=-1 -src-specials -interaction=nonstopmode $*; '
  \. 'pdflatex -output-directory=output '
  \. '-synctex=-1 -src-specials -interaction=nonstopmode $*'

And it will run pdflatex twice (note the semicolon) when you press <leader>ll.

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Extra note: we do have the vi.SE section of the website for Vim specific questions. It is often faster to get Vim related answers there.