# 066 Latex Cafb1f00

> LaTeX to PDF Route

- Skill: `tools-only/066-latex-cafb1f00` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/066-latex-cafb1f00`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/066-latex-cafb1f00/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/066-latex-cafb1f00

---

# LaTeX to PDF Route

## Overview

This route is for creating PDFs using native LaTeX (.tex) files compiled with Tectonic.
The goal is to create **professional PDFs that exceed user expectations**.

**Remember**: When user says "make a PDF with LaTeX", they want "professional and high-quality PDF".

---

## Workflow

### Step 1: Install Environment

Tectonic is not pre-installed. Install it first:

```bash
cd ~ && curl -fsSL https://drop-sh.fullyjustified.net | sh && ls -la tectonic
```

**Note**: Tectonic will be installed to `~/tectonic` (user home directory)

**Compilation Command**:

**Must** use `/app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py` script to compile. The script will automatically:
- Filter redundant package download logs
- Filter compilation progress info
- Preserve all errors and warnings
- Show PDF statistics (size, pages, word count, figures/tables)

**Do NOT use Tectonic directly.**

```bash
# Single compilation
python3 /app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py main.tex

# Multiple runs (for cross-references and bibliography)
python3 /app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py main.tex --runs 2

# Keep full logs (for debugging)
python3 /app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py main.tex --keep-logs
```

### Step 2: Pre-Writing Analysis

Before writing .tex code, **must** consider:

1. **Identify scenario type** (formal/functional/presentation/creative)
2. **Determine user needs and goals**

#### Scenario Classification & Strategy

**Formal scenario**: Papers, submissions, journals, conferences, standards
- Strategy: Follow standard academic formatting, focus on correct citation standards

**Functional scenario**: Reports, documentation, specifications, manuals
- Strategy: Prioritize information density and readability, data presentation over visual design

**Presentation scenario**: Proposals, presentations, plans, demos
- Strategy: Overall professional (not too flashy), 1-2 visual highlights (cover, key data pages)

**Creative scenario**: Portfolios, designs, creative, branding
- Strategy: Bold color, font, content, layout choices, break conventional layouts, focus on high-impact moments

### Step 3: Design Principles

When user doesn't specify style, follow this **minimal but high-quality** design system:

1. **Contrast**: Clear contrast between text/background, headings/body
2. **Hierarchy**: Establish visual hierarchy through size, weight, color
3. **Whitespace**: Proper margins and line spacing for breathing room
4. **Consistency**: Unified fonts, colors, spacing

#### Optional Components

**Visual enhancement**: Quote blocks, info boxes, sidebars, comparison cards (use `tcolorbox`)
**Academic/Technical**: Theorem boxes (`amsthm` + `tcolorbox`), timelines, flowcharts (use TikZ)
**System styling**: Headers/footers (`fancyhdr`), chapter title pages (`titlesec`)

**When to use**: Match document type, proactively use appropriate components when content fits

---

## Core Rules

### Rule 1: Compilation Error Handling - Must Fully Fix

The compilation script returns three types of issues:
1. **Errors** - Block compilation, must fix immediately
2. **Layout Issues** - Affect typesetting quality, must fix
   * Overfull \hbox / Overfull \vbox
   * Underfull \hbox / Underfull \vbox
   * Font shape not available / Missing character
3. **Warnings** - Other warnings, need evaluation and fixing

**Unacceptable behavior**:
- Saying "warnings don't affect output, can ignore"

**Must do**:
- Fix all issues as much as possible, especially layout issues

### Rule 2: Code Length Limit & Splitting Strategy

Model can write approximately **500 lines** of TeX per turn.

**Criteria**:
- If expected PDF is **over 5 pages**
- Or contains **multiple complex components** (3+ tables/figures, long formulas)

**Then must split** into multiple .tex files, combine with `\input{}`.

### Rule 3: Required Packages & Configuration

```latex
\documentclass{article}

% Required base packages
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{amsmath}  % Load before hyperref

% hyperref - MUST load last with full config for clickable links
\usepackage[
    colorlinks=true,
    linkcolor=blue,       % TOC, cross-refs
    citecolor=darkgray,   % Citations - gray for academic style
    urlcolor=blue,        % URLs
    bookmarks=true,       % PDF bookmarks
    bookmarksnumbered=true,
    unicode=true
]{hyperref}

% Recommended geometry config
\geometry{a4paper, top=2.5cm, bottom=2.5cm, left=3cm, right=2.5cm}
% For resume: \geometry{a4paper, margin=1.5cm}

% Superscript citations (academic standard)
\usepackage[numbers,super,sort&compress]{natbib}
\bibliographystyle{unsrtnat}

% Add as needed (see "Common Packages List")
\usepackage{tcolorbox}
\usepackage{colortbl}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{enumitem}
```

**hyperref must be loaded LAST** (after most other packages) to avoid conflicts.

### Rule 4: LaTeX Syntax Standards

**Prohibited**:
- Emoji (LaTeX doesn't support)
- Markdown `*asterisk*` bold syntax (causes compilation errors)

**Reason**: These are common model mistakes, must avoid.

**Correct approach**:
```latex
\textbf{bold text}
\emph{emphasized text}
```

### Rule 5: Multilingual & Fonts

**Multilingual packages**:
- `babel` + `polyglossia` conflict, cannot use together
- `amsmath` must be loaded before `polyglossia`

**Font related**:
- Tectonic auto-downloads standard LaTeX fonts (Latin Modern, etc.)
- `\setmainfont{}` system fonts need detection: `fc-list :lang=ar`
- Recommended fonts: DejaVu, Noto series (wide coverage)

### Rule 6: Clickable Navigation (All Links Must Work)

**Every reference in the PDF must be clickable.** This is a professional standard.

#### 6.1 Table of Contents (Auto-Clickable)
```latex
\tableofcontents      % Main TOC - each entry clickable
\listoffigures        % List of figures - clickable
\listoftables         % List of tables - clickable
```
TOC is automatically clickable with hyperref. No extra config needed.

#### 6.2 Cross-References
**Labels** (place immediately after the element):
```latex
\section{Introduction}\label{sec:intro}

\begin{figure}[htbp]
    \includegraphics{...}
    \caption{System architecture}\label{fig:arch}
\end{figure}

\begin{table}[htbp]
    \caption{Results}\label{tab:results}
    ...
\end{table}

\begin{equation}\label{eq:main}
    E = mc^2
\end{equation}
```

**References** (all become clickable):
```latex
As discussed in Section~\ref{sec:intro}...
Figure~\ref{fig:arch} shows...
Table~\ref{tab:results} indicates...
From Equation~\eqref{eq:main}...  % Use \eqref for equations (adds parentheses)
See page~\pageref{sec:intro}...
```

**Best practices**:
- Use `~` (non-breaking space) before `\ref` to prevent awkward line breaks
- Use `\eqref{}` for equations (auto-adds parentheses)
- Label naming: `sec:`, `fig:`, `tab:`, `eq:`, `lst:`

#### 6.3 Bibliography Citations

**Superscript style (Recommended for academic)**:
```latex
% natbib with superscript - cleanest approach
\usepackage[numbers,super,sort&compress]{natbib}
\bibliographystyle{unsrtnat}

% Usage:
This has been studied\cite{smith2023}.  % renders as: studied^[1]
Multiple refs\cite{a,b,c}.              % renders as: refs^[1-3]

\bibliography{references}
```

**Bracket style (alternative)**:
```latex
\usepackage[numbers]{natbib}
\bibliographystyle{plainnat}

\cite{smith2023}    % [1]
\citep{smith2023}   % (Smith, 2023)
\citet{smith2023}   % Smith (2023)

\bibliography{references}
```

**With biblatex**:
```latex
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=numeric-comp]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}

According to~\cite{smith2023}...

\printbibliography
```

#### 6.4 URLs and External Links
```latex
\url{https://example.com}              % Plain URL
\href{https://example.com}{Click here} % Custom text
\href{mailto:a@b.com}{a@b.com}         % Email
```

#### 6.5 PDF Metadata & Bookmarks
```latex
\hypersetup{
    pdftitle={Document Title},
    pdfauthor={Author Name},
    pdfsubject={Subject},
    pdfkeywords={keyword1, keyword2}
}
```

PDF bookmarks are auto-generated from `\section`, `\chapter`, etc.

#### 6.6 Compilation for Cross-References
**Cross-references require 2+ compilation runs**:
```bash
# References show "??" after first run - this is normal
python3 /app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py main.tex --runs 2

# With bibliography: need 3 runs
python3 /app/.kimi/skills/pdf/scripts/compile_latex.py main.tex --runs 3
```

**If references still show "??"**: Check label names match exactly.

#### 6.7 Common Issues

| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Links show "??" | Only compiled once | Use `--runs 2` |
| Links not colored | Missing hyperref options | Add `colorlinks=true` |
| TOC not clickable | hyperref not loaded | Ensure hyperref is included |
| Citations show "[?]" | .bib not found or biber not run | Check path, compile again |
| No PDF bookmarks | `bookmarks=false` | Add `bookmarks=true` |

---

## Common Packages List

### Required Configuration Packages
- `hyperref` (see Rule 3)
- `geometry` (see Rule 3)
- `listings` (`\lstset{basicstyle=\ttfamily\small, numbers=left, backgroundcolor=\color{gray!5}}`)
- `enumitem` (`\setlist[itemize]{itemsep=0.3em, leftmargin=1.5em}`)

### Tables
- `booktabs`
- `longtable`
- `multirow`
- `array`
- `colortbl`

### Graphics & Charts
- `tikz`
- `pgfplots`
- `float`
- `wrapfig`
- `subfig` / `subcaption`

### Fonts / CJK
- `fontspec` (XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX)
- `ctex`

### Math / Academic
- `amsmath`
- `amssymb`
- `amsthm`
- `biblatex`
- `natbib`
- `siunitx`

### Algorithm / Professional
- `algorithm`, `algpseudocode`
- `chemfig`

### Layout Enhancement
- `tcolorbox`
- `fancyhdr`
- `titlesec`
- `tocloft`
- `multicol`
- `setspace`
- `microtype`
- `parskip`
- `adjustbox`
- `marginnote`

### Code
- `listings`
- `minted` (requires Pygments)

---

## Script Reference

| Script | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| `compile_latex.py` | LaTeX compilation with log filtering and PDF statistics |

## Tech Stack

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Tectonic | LaTeX compilation engine (auto-downloads packages) |

---

## Important Notes

### CJK Font Support
Tectonic **automatically downloads** required fonts including CJK fonts. No manual configuration needed.

For Chinese documents, use:
```latex
\usepackage{ctex}  % Tectonic auto-downloads fonts
```

### First Run Download
Tectonic downloads packages on first use. Initial compilation may take longer:
- First run: 1-5 minutes (downloading packages)
- Subsequent runs: 10-30 seconds

### Network Requirements
Tectonic requires network access for first compilation of new packages. If offline:
- Previously used packages are cached in `~/.cache/Tectonic/`
- New packages will fail to download

### Tectonic vs Traditional LaTeX
| Feature | Tectonic | Traditional (pdflatex) |
|---------|----------|------------------------|
| Package management | Automatic | Manual (tlmgr) |
| Multiple runs | Single command | Manual bibtex/biber cycles |
| Cross-references | Automatic | Manual multiple passes |
| Installation | Single binary | Full TeX Live (~4GB) |