Pitiger

Q: tex compiler problem on iCloud

I do not know how many of you would know about it but academicians use the 'tex' language to produce scientific articles. These programs compile the tex code which produces a pdf file. The problem is that, if you keep your tex file (with .tex extension) on an iCloud drive, problems occur. With one compiler (Latexian), a pdf file is not produced at all, with another compiler (Texpad) seperate pdf files are produced everytime the code is executed. I contacted the support services of these programs and they have told me that it is iCloud causing this. And they are right. They also tell me that they cannot fix this and Apple should fix this. And I think they are right. It cannot be that two different programs have bugs. Here I am requesting Apple to fix iCloud folders in a way that allows these or such programs to compile tex code. The problem can be reproduced easily without these program but by simply runing a lot of typesets with pdfTeX. In my opinion Apple should fix this.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Sep 2, 2016 12:07 PM

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Q: tex compiler problem on iCloud

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 2, 2016 12:55 PM in response to Pitiger
    Level 9 (69,991 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 2, 2016 12:55 PM in response to Pitiger

    Apple doesn’t routinely monitor the discussions. These are mostly user to user discussions.

     

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem or a suggestion for improvement. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem/suggested change solved sooner.

     

    Feedback

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 2, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Pitiger
    Level 10 (105,702 points)
    iLife
    Sep 2, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Pitiger

    I am keeping all my tex files in iCloud.

    I have not used the tex software you are using, but the MacTeX package:   https://tug.org/mactex/elcapitan.html

    MacTeX is working well on El Capitan with TeXShop as the graphical user interface and can read the sources in my iCloud folders.

     

    Maybe the fix explained in https://tug.org/mactex/elcapitan.html. will help to get your TeX applications to work.  The problem is, that TeX and LaTeX are usually installed in /usr/texbin., but El Capitan is reserving the /usr directory for Apple software.

    SO the teX binaries should be relocated to a directory in /Library, and the applications reconfigured to search for the TeX binaries in another directory.

  • by Pitiger,

    Pitiger Pitiger Sep 9, 2016 3:08 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 9, 2016 3:08 AM in response to léonie

    Here is a reply from Texpad:

     

    Thanks for letting us know, but this refers to a bug in MacTeX from about 18 months ago. In 10.11 Apple changed the permissions on the /usr files and MacTeX was trying to install to it. That has long since been patched by the MacTeX installer. This is a reproducible bug in iCloud. Until it is patched, there is no way I personally would trust iCloud with my work or any files of value to me. We do not know of any similar problems with any other cloud provider.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 9, 2016 3:17 AM in response to Pitiger
    Level 10 (105,702 points)
    iLife
    Sep 9, 2016 3:17 AM in response to Pitiger

    Let's hope that macOS Sierra will fix this cloud problem. Otherwise the new Sierra feature of putting the complete Documents folder on iCloud Drive will be a disaster for TeX users.