runtexshebang: Lua script running LaTeX document files with TeX-style shebang

Lua script running LaTeX document files with a TeX-style shebang (%#!)

What is a TeX-style shebang (%#!)

In short, a TeX-style shebang (%#!) is a special kind of TeX comment that you include in your TeX/LaTeX document file to tell the operating system's shell how to run the file for the rest of the file:

%#!lualatex foo.tex
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Hello, {\LaTeX} World!

Happy {\TeX}ing.
\end{document}

If you are using a TeX-style shebang, it must appear on the line that matched 20 lines or less in your LaTeX document, and it has to start with a TeX comment symbol (%) followed by a hash sign (#) and an exclamation mark (!), colloquially known as the bang, hence the name shebang for TeX/LaTeX.

Getting started

1. Install runtexshebang.lua in your TeX Live system.

cp runtexshebang.lua /some/where/TEXMFDIST_or_TEXMFLOCAL/scripts/runtexshebang/runtexshebang.lua

cd TEXLIVE_BIN_DIRECTORY
ln -s ../../TEXMFDIST_or_TEXMFLOCAL/scripts/runtexshebang/runtexshebang.lua runtexshebang

1. Make a sample file with a TeX-style shebang.

Make the following LaTeX document.

%#!lualatex foo.tex
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Hello, {\LaTeX} World!

Happy {\TeX}ing.
\end{document}

1. Run the sample file.

runtexshebang foo.tex

Then, it will run lualatex foo.tex.

Examples

TeXworks

Settings

1. Open "Typesetting" tab in TeXworks Preferences.
2. Add the tool configuration "runtexshebang" in "Processing tools" as below.
   • Name: runtexshebang
     • Program: runtexshebang
       • Arguments: $fullname
       • ☑ View PDF after running (if necessary)

LaTeX document in the internal editor of TeXwork

% !TEX program = is a magic comment of TeXworks. You can set one processing tool as % !TEX program = <your choice of tool configuration>.

% !TEX program = runtexshebang
%#! lualatex --synctex=1 foo

LaTeX Workshop: Visual Studio Code

Settings

Nothing!

LaTeX document in Visual Studio Code

% !TEX program = is a magic comment of LaTeX Workshop. You need another magic comment to the target LaTeX document file as below.

% !TEX program = runtexshebang
% !TEX options = "%DOC%".tex
%#! lualatex --synctex=1 foo

TeXShop

Settings

There the “Engine” settings for the command lines "TeX+dvipdfmx / TeX+dvips+distiller" as follows.

• TeX: runtexshebang
• LaTeX: runtexshebang

LaTeX document in the internal editor of TeXShop

% !TEX program = is a magic comment of TeXShop.

% !TEX program = runtexshebang
%#! lualatex --synctex=1 foo

Applications

What does the PATH variable set in my editor?

%#! echo $PATH

How about general configuration information for the activated TeX Live version and its configuration in my editor?

%#! tlmgr conf

Otherwise

You can run any command line on your OSs. For example, you can use any build tools as follows: make, rake, llmk, latexmk, and so on.

%#! make foo.pdf

% #! rake foo.pdf
% #! llmk
% #! latexmk foo
%% and so on.

You can typeset a LaTeX document file in a Docker container as below.

%#! docker run -i --rm --workdir /data --mount type=bind,src=$(pwd)/,dst=/data/   bar/foo     lualatex foo

References

Commentary

• TeXworks、TeXShop、VSCodeでTeX-style shebangしてみた - Qiita (in Japanese)

Tools supporting %#!

• YaTeX: Yet Another TeX mode for Emacs
• llmk: Light LaTeX Make

Enjoy Happy TeXing!

License

This program is licensed under the terms of the MIT License.

Munehiro Yamamoto https://github.com/munepi