Use when compiling or troubleshooting a LaTeX document inside a VS Code project whose build is governed by LaTeX Workshop. Do not use for LaTeX compilation outside a VS Code project.
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---
name: latex-workshop
description: >-
Use when compiling or troubleshooting a LaTeX document inside a VS Code project whose build is governed by LaTeX Workshop. Do not use for LaTeX compilation outside a VS Code project.
---
<!-- BEGIN BLUEPRINT INTERFACES -->
> Generated from `blueprint.yaml`. Do not edit this block by hand.
Used Interfaces: none
<!-- END BLUEPRINT INTERFACES -->
Skill: latex-workshop
## Goal
Behave the way VS Code LaTeX Workshop is configured to behave for the target
LaTeX document.
Do not assume that outputs belong beside the source file, that `latexmk` is the
intended tool, or that `_build` is the correct outdir unless the effective
LaTeX Workshop configuration implies that.
## Workflow
1. Resolve the effective LaTeX Workshop configuration.
- Check workspace-level config first:
- `.vscode/settings.json`
- any `*.code-workspace` file in the repo
- Look for relevant LaTeX Workshop settings, especially:
- `latex-workshop.latex.outDir`
- `latex-workshop.latex.recipes`
- `latex-workshop.latex.tools`
- If no workspace-level override exists, check user-level VS Code settings:
- Linux: `~/.config/Code/User/settings.json`
- macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\\Code\\User\\settings.json`
- Workspace-level config overrides user-level config.
- If the outdir contains `%DIR%`, resolve it relative to the directory of the
target `.tex` file.
2. Reconstruct the LaTeX Workshop build behavior.
- Prefer the configured recipe/tool behavior when it is readable from settings.
- If no recipe/tool information is available, use the effective outdir setting
and a conservative `latexmk` fallback.
- If there is a repo script or Makefile that clearly matches the configured
LaTeX Workshop workflow, it is fine to use that instead.
3. Compile with the effective behavior.
- Typical fallback when an outdir is configured:
```bash
latexmk -pdf -outdir="<resolved-outdir>" -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error "<file>.tex"
```
- Typical fallback when no outdir is configured:
```bash
latexmk -pdf -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error "<file>.tex"
```
4. Read artifacts from the effective output location.
- Inspect logs, PDFs, and bibliography artifacts in the resolved output
directory, not next to the source file unless the effective config implies
that.
- If an earlier compile was run in the wrong location, say so plainly and switch
to the configured location for later runs.
5. Report the source of truth.
- State whether the effective behavior came from workspace config, user config,
or a fallback.
- If fallback behavior was used because LaTeX Workshop settings were incomplete,
say exactly what was missing.
## Retrieval Commands
- Workspace-level search:
```bash
rg -n 'latex-workshop\\.latex\\.(outDir|recipes|tools)' .vscode *.code-workspace
```
- User-level search on Linux:
```bash
rg -n 'latex-workshop\\.latex\\.(outDir|recipes|tools)' ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
```
## Notes
- There is usually no direct terminal command that means "invoke LaTeX Workshop
itself." In practice, use the discovered LaTeX Workshop settings to
reconstruct the intended build behavior.
- Treat user mentions of VS Code or LaTeX Workshop as a signal to inspect these
settings before compiling.
- Prefer matching LaTeX Workshop behavior over ad hoc shell habits.