/paper-compilation

name: paper-compilation
description: Compile LaTeX papers to PDF with automatic error detection, chktex style checking, and citation/reference validation. Runs the full pdflatex + bibtex pipeline. Use when the user wants to compile a paper, fix compilation errors, or debug LaTeX.
argument-hint: [tex-file-path]

Paper Compilation

Compile a LaTeX paper to PDF with error detection and correction.

Input

• `$ARGUMENTS` — Path to the main `.tex` file

Scripts

Compile paper

python ~/.claude/skills/paper-compilation/scripts/compile_paper.py paper/main.tex
python ~/.claude/skills/paper-compilation/scripts/compile_paper.py paper/main.tex --check-style
python ~/.claude/skills/paper-compilation/scripts/compile_paper.py paper/main.tex --output paper/output.pdf

Reports: compilation status, page count, warnings, citation/reference stats, style issues.

Validate citations before compiling

python ~/.claude/skills/citation-management/scripts/validate_citations.py \
  --tex paper/main.tex --bib paper/references.bib --check-figures --figures-dir paper/figures/

Auto-fix LaTeX errors

python ~/.claude/skills/paper-compilation/scripts/fix_latex_errors.py \
  --tex paper/main.tex --log compile.log --output paper/main_fixed.tex

Fixes: HTML tags in LaTeX, mismatched environments, missing figures. Key flags: `--dry-run`, `--auto-detect`

Compile with auto-fix retry

python ~/.claude/skills/paper-compilation/scripts/compile_paper.py paper/main.tex --auto-fix

Runs fix_latex_errors.py + recompile up to 3 rounds until compilation succeeds.

Workflow

Step 1: Pre-Compilation Validation

Run `validate_citations.py` to catch issues before compiling:

• Every `\cite{key}` has a matching `.bib` entry
• Every `\includegraphics{file}` exists
• No duplicate labels or sections

Step 2: Compile

Run `compile_paper.py` which executes: `pdflatex → bibtex → pdflatex → pdflatex`

Step 3: Error Correction Loop (up to 5 rounds)

If compilation fails, read the error output and fix:

• `! Undefined control sequence` → Add missing package or fix typo
• `! Missing $ inserted` → Wrap math in `$...$`
• `! Missing } inserted` → Fix unmatched brace
• `Citation 'key' undefined` → Add to .bib or fix `\cite`
• `</end{figure}>` → Replace with `\end{figure}` (HTML syntax in LaTeX)

Apply minimal fixes. Do not remove packages unnecessarily. Recompile after each fix.

Step 4: Post-Compilation Report

Check: page count vs venue limit, remaining warnings, chktex style issues.

Troubleshooting

pdflatex not found

# macOS
brew install --cask mactex-no-gui
# Ubuntu
sudo apt install texlive-full

Alternative: latexmk (auto-handles multiple passes)

latexmk -pdf -interaction=nonstopmode main.tex

Related Skills

• Upstream: [latex-formatting](../latex-formatting/), [citation-management](../citation-management/), [figure-generation](../figure-generation/), [table-generation](../table-generation/)
• Downstream: [self-review](../self-review/)
• See also: [paper-assembly](../paper-assembly/)