13

How can I configure Emacs to run pdflatex rather than latex on a LaTeX file when I type C-c C-f (tex-file)?

Improve this question
1
  • Probably next time you'd like to post such a question at TeX.SE :)
    – Dror
    Jul 26, 2012 at 8:59

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
16

You can do this by setting latex-run-command; see the the emacs manual. Something like this in your .emacs should do it:

(setq latex-run-command "pdflatex")

Improve this answer
0
9

You can temporarily switch AucTeX to pdf mode with CTRLctp. To make this change permanent set

(TeX-PDF-mode t)

in your ~/.emacs file.

Improve this answer
1
  • very useful answer.... but NB ctrl-c ctrl-t ctrl-p ( not ctrl-c t p )
    – tom
    Aug 30, 2018 at 13:52
4

Should it not be 

(setq TeX-PDF-mode t)

in .emacs?

My version of emacs (GNU 24) complains when I just have (TeX-PDF-mode t).

(Or maybe this is because I am using AucTeX, which is awesome BTW.)

Improve this answer
1

After trying several approaches, the one that worked for me (also for AucTeX) was

M-x customize-group for TeX-command, and rewriting "Latex Command" to pdflatex.

(Changing the viewer to open the pdf wasn't even necessary, it just worked.)

(idea from here.)

Improve this answer
0

I tried to use pdflatex with Auctex and (TeX-PDF-mode t) or (setq TeX-PDF-mode t) in my ~/.emacs didn't work, so here is what I found out:

There is a variable and a function with the same name: TeX-PDF-mode. One can either set the variable directly with (setq TeX-PDF-mode t) or use the function (TeX-PDF-mode t). But the variable is not only buffer local, but automatically buffer local.

Buffer local means there is a default value for the variable and every buffers can have a local binding. Changes to the variable in buffers without a local binding change the default value. Changes to the variable in buffers with a local binding affect only the local binding.

Automatically buffer local means that every change to the variable becomes automatically buffer local, if there wasn't already a local binding it gets created. There is no way to change the default value with setq, one has to use setq-default.

So, using (setq TeX-PDF-mode t) or (TeX-PDF-mode t) in ~/.emacs should have no effect on yet to be created buffers. One has to use either (setq-default TeX-PDF-mode t), or better the provided function (TeX-global-PDF-mode t).

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .