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https://github.com/paolobrasolin/mnogootex

Mnogootex (многоꙮтех) simplifies and parallelizes compilation of a TeX document with multiple classes.
https://github.com/paolobrasolin/mnogootex

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Mnogootex (многоꙮтех) simplifies and parallelizes compilation of a TeX document with multiple classes.

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# Многоꙮтех



[![CI tests status badge][build-shield]][build-url]

[![Latest release badge][rubygems-shield]][rubygems-url]

[![License badge][license-shield]][license-url]

[![Maintainability badge][cc-maintainability-shield]][cc-maintainability-url]

[![Test coverage badge][cc-coverage-shield]][cc-coverage-url]



[build-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/workflow/status/paolobrasolin/mnogootex/CI/main?label=tests&logo=github

[build-url]: https://github.com/paolobrasolin/mnogootex/actions/workflows/main.yml "CI tests status"

[rubygems-shield]: https://img.shields.io/gem/v/mnogootex?logo=ruby

[rubygems-url]: https://rubygems.org/gems/mnogootex "Latest release"

[license-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/license/paolobrasolin/mnogootex

[license-url]: https://github.com/paolobrasolin/mnogootex/blob/main/LICENSE "License"

[cc-maintainability-shield]: https://img.shields.io/codeclimate/maintainability/paolobrasolin/mnogootex?logo=codeclimate

[cc-maintainability-url]: https://codeclimate.com/github/paolobrasolin/mnogootex "Maintainability"

[cc-coverage-shield]: https://img.shields.io/codeclimate/coverage/paolobrasolin/mnogootex?logo=codeclimate&label=test%20coverage

[cc-coverage-url]: https://codeclimate.com/github/paolobrasolin/mnogootex/coverage "Test coverage"



Многоꙮтех (mnogootex) is a utility that parallelizes compilation

of a LaTeX document using different classes and offers a

meaningfully filtered output.



The motivating use case is maintaining a single preamble while

submitting a paper to many journals using their outdated or crummy

document classes.



## Getting started



### Prerequisites



Многоꙮтех is written in [**Ruby**](https://www.ruby-lang.org) and requires version `>=2.5` (earlier ones are untested).

You can check whether it's installed by running `ruby --version`.

For installation instructions you can refer to the [official documentation](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/installation/).



Многоꙮтех heavily relies on [**`latexmk`**](https://ctan.org/pkg/latexmk).

You can check whether it's installed by running `latexmk --version`.

If you are missing it, follow the documentation of your specific LaTeX distribution and install the `latexmk` package.



### Installation



To install многоꙮтех execute



```bash

gem install mnogootex

```



If you're upgrading from a previous version, execute



```bash

gem update mnogootex

```



and remove any mention of `mnogootex` from your shell profile (it's not needed anymore).



### Quick start



First you write a LaTeX document:



```latex

% ~/demo/main.tex

\documentclass{scrarticle}

\begin{document}

  \abstract{Simply put, my article is awesome.}

  Let's port my \KOMAScript\ article to other classes!

\end{document}

```



Then you list the desided classes in a Многоꙮтех configuration file:



```yaml

# ~/demo/.mnogootexrc

jobs:

  - scrartcl

  - article

  - book

```



Finally you run `mnogootex build` and enjoy the technicolor:



![A user types `mnogootex build main.tex` in the console. Some spinners indicating progress appear. Then the outcome for each class is presented. Failing ones include abridged and color coded logs, to pinpoint the errors.](demo/demo.gif?raw=true "TTY demo GIF")



## Usage



A Многоꙮтех run does the following:

1. copy the _source_ folder of a project to many _target_ folders, one for each _job_;

2. replace the document class in the source of each _target_ folder with the name of the relative _job_;

3. call `latexmk` in parallel on each _target_ folder to compile the documents (or do other tasks);

4. wait for the outcomes and print the logs, filtered and colour-coded in a meaningful way.



Its convenience lies in the fact that it

* automates the setup process,

* parallelizes compilation,

* improves the readability of the infamous waterfall logs.



Многоꙮтех can be invoked from CLI using `mnogootex`.

It accepts various [commands](#mnogootex-commands) detailed below.



To leverage the full power of this tool you will need to learn writing [`mnogootex` configurations](#mnogootex-configuration) and ['latexmk' configurations](#latexmk-configuration).

It might sound daunting but they're really just a few lines.



### `mnogootex` commands



> **Notation:** `[FOO]` means that _`FOO` is optional_ while `FOO ...` means _one or more `FOO`s_.



All commands except `help` accept the same parameters, so let's examine them in advance to avoid repeating ourselves later.

Here is their syntax:



```bash

mnogootex COMMAND [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT

```



`JOB`s are the names of the document classes to compile your document with.

Zero or more can be provided, and when none is given the job list is loaded from the [configuration](#jobs).



`FLAG`s are `latexmk` options.

Zero or more can be provided to override the behaviour of the `latexmk` call underlying the `mnogootex` command.

You can obtain a list of available options with the inline help `latexmk --help`, and the full documentation with `man latexmk`.

Generally speaking, if you find yourself always using a `FLAG` you should properly [configure `latexmk`](#latexmk-configuration) instead.



The last mandatory parameter is the `ROOT` file for compiling of your document.



Let's examine the details of each command now.



#### `help [COMMAND]`



This command prints the help for `COMMAND` (or all commands if none is given).



#### `exec [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT`



This command simply runs `latexmk` on the `ROOT` document for each of your `JOB`s passing the given `FLAG`s.



All other commands below are specializations of this one.

However you'll seldom use it unless you're debugging.



#### `build [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT`



This command builds your document.



It is equivalent to `exec [JOB ...] -interaction=nonstopmode ROOT`.



You will probably need to pass some `FLAG`s (e.g. to use the correct engine) but it is not recommended: [configure `latexmk`](#latexmk-configuration) instead.



#### `open [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT`



This command opens the final compilation artifact (after running the build if necessary).



It is equivalent to `exec [JOB ...] -pv -interaction=nonstopmode ROOT`.



You might need to pass some `FLAG`s (e.g. to use the correct viewer) but it is not recommended: [configure `latexmk`](#latexmk-configuration) instead.



#### `clean [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT`



This command deletes all nonessential build files while keeping the compiled artifacts.



It is equivalent to `exec [JOB ...] -c ROOT`.



#### `clobber [JOB ...] [FLAG ...] ROOT`



This command deletes all nonessential build files including the compiled artifacts.



It is equivalent to `exec [JOB ...] -C ROOT`.



### `mnogootex` configuration



`mnogootex` is configured through [`YAML`](https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/yaml/)

files named `.mnogootexrc` put into your projects' root directory.



When `mnogootex` loads a configuration it also looks up for `.mnogootexrc`

files in all parent directories to merge then together (from the

shallowest to the deepest path).  This means that e.g. you can keep

a configuration file in your home folder and use it as a global

configuration for all you projects, while overwriting only specific

options in the configuration files of each one.



`mnogootex` currently accepts three options.



#### `jobs`



This option represents the `JOB`s to build your document (when none are given via CLI).



It must contain valid document class names, given as a list of strings.



By default there are no `JOB`s:



```yaml

# Default value:

jobs: []

```



Here is a slightly more interesting example:



```yaml

jobs:

  - scrartcl

  - article

  - book

```



#### `work_path`



This option is the folder where all elaboration happens.



It must be a well formed path, given as a string.



By default none is given, meaning that each run of any given job happens in a dedicated temporary folder:



```yaml

# Default value:

work_path: null

```



Overriding this allows you to have easier access to the compilation artifacts.

A good choice is setting it to `./build` and keep everything below your source folder:



```yaml

work_path: ./build

```



#### `spinner`



This option is the spinner animation shown by the CLI.



It is a series of frames given as characters of a string.



By default it's a hole looping around in a blister:



```yaml

# Default value:

spinner: ⣾⣽⣻⢿⡿⣟⣯⣷

```



Here is a couple more in case your terminal doesn't like Unicode:



```yaml

# A wriggly ASCII worm:

spinner: )}]|[{({[|]}

# An extended ASCII boomerang:

spinner: ╒┍┌┎╓╖┒┐┑╕╛┙┘┚╜╙┖└┕╘

```



Feel free to get creative!



### `latexmk` configuration



`latexmk` is configured through [`Perl`](https://www.perl.org/)

files named `.latexmkrc` put into your projects' root directory.



When `latexmk` loads a configuration it also looks up for `.latexmkrc`

files in all parent directories to merge then together (from the

shallowest to the deepest path).  This means that e.g. you can keep

a configuration file in your home folder and use it as a global

configuration for all you projects, while overwriting only specific

options in the configuration files of each one.



`latexmk` has a gazillion of options.

We'll just skim over the most common ones here.



First of all, one must pick the correct engine.

Assuming you want to produce a PDF artifact, you have a few choices:



```perl

$pdf_mode = 1; # create PDF with pdflatex

# $pdf_mode = 2; # create PDF with ps2pdf (via PS)

# $pdf_mode = 3; # create PDF with dvipdf (via DVI)

# $pdf_mode = 4; # create PDF with lualatex

# $pdf_mode = 5; # create PDF with xelatex

```



Then, if your PDF previewer is not being detected, you might need to configure it.

Assuming you want to use evince:



```perl

$pdf_previewer = 'start evince';

```



Most people won't probably need anything more than that.

However, for further details read the documentation in the commandline with `man latexmk` or on [CTAN](https://ctan.mirror.garr.it/mirrors/ctan/support/latexmk/latexmk.txt)



## Acknowledgements



* Thanks to [@tetrapharmakon](https://github.com/tetrapharmakon) for being the first tester and user.