LaTeX Environment Setup

Step 1: Detect Current State

1. Check installed TeX distribution:

   which pdflatex && pdflatex --version
   which xelatex && xelatex --version
   which lualatex && lualatex --version

2. Check bibliography processor:

   which biber && biber --version
   which bibtex && bibtex --version

3. Check package manager:

   which tlmgr && tlmgr --version

Step 2: Analyze the Project

1. Document class:

   \documentclass{article}

   ,

   \documentclass{IEEEtran}

   , etc.
2. Bibliography system:

   • \usepackage{biblatex}

     → needs

     biber

   • \usepackage{natbib}

     or

     \bibliographystyle{...}

     → needs

     bibtex

3. Required packages: extract from all

   \usepackage{...}

   declarations
4. Special requirements: TikZ, minted (needs pygments), algorithm2e, etc.

Step 3: Venue Template Detection

• Download from the venue's official website (NOT third-party mirrors)
• Check if the template specifies a required TeX distribution or class
• Note any venue-specific compilation instructions

Step 4: Install Missing Components

On Ubuntu/Debian

# Base installation (if nothing installed)
sudo apt install texlive-base texlive-latex-recommended

# Common extras
sudo apt install texlive-latex-extra  # most \usepackage needs
sudo apt install texlive-fonts-recommended texlive-fonts-extra
sudo apt install texlive-bibtex-extra biber  # if biblatex used
sudo apt install texlive-science  # algorithm2e, etc.

On macOS

# Full installation (recommended)
brew install --cask mactex

# Minimal
brew install --cask basictex
sudo tlmgr update --self
sudo tlmgr install <package-name>

Individual packages via tlmgr

# If specific packages are missing
sudo tlmgr install <package-name>

Step 5: Configure Compilation

For bibtex projects

pdflatex main.tex
bibtex main
pdflatex main.tex
pdflatex main.tex

For biblatex/biber projects

pdflatex main.tex
biber main
pdflatex main.tex
pdflatex main.tex

Common compilation issues

• Missing .bib file: check

  \bibliography{...}

  path is correct
• Undefined citations: run bibtex/biber + pdflatex twice
• Missing packages: install via tlmgr, not apt (apt packages are coarse-grained)
• Font errors: install texlive-fonts-extra
• TikZ externalize errors: ensure write18 is enabled

Step 6: Verify Setup

1. Run the full compilation pipeline
2. Check the PDF opens correctly
3. Verify bibliography entries appear
4. Check for any remaining warnings in the .log file

Output Format

1. Current state: what's installed, what's missing
2. Project requirements: detected from .tex files
3. Installation commands: only what's needed, OS-specific
4. Compilation command: the exact pipeline for this project
5. Verification: confirm successful compilation