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latex-setup

LaTeX environment setup on macOS. TRIGGERS - install LaTeX, MacTeX, Skim viewer, SyncTeX setup.

Stars
49
Source
terrylica/cc-skills
Updated
2026-05-30
Slug
terrylica--cc-skills--latex-setup
View on GitHubRaw SKILL.md

// install — copy + paste into any project

mkdir -p .claude/skills && curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/terrylica/cc-skills/HEAD/plugins/doc-tools/skills/latex-setup/SKILL.md -o .claude/skills/latex-setup.md

Drops the SKILL.md into .claude/skills/latex-setup.md. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any agent that loads SKILL.md files from .claude/skills/.

LaTeX Environment Setup

Self-Evolving Skill: This skill improves through use. If instructions are wrong, parameters drifted, or a workaround was needed — fix this file immediately, don't defer. Only update for real, reproducible issues.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

  • Installing LaTeX on a new machine
  • Setting up MacTeX distribution
  • Configuring Skim PDF viewer with SyncTeX
  • Verifying LaTeX installation
  • Troubleshooting missing packages

Quick Reference

Recommended Stack

Component Purpose Status
MacTeX 2025 Full LaTeX distribution (TeX Live 2025) ✅ Recommended
Skim 1.7.11 PDF viewer with SyncTeX support ✅ macOS only
TeXShop 5.57 Integrated LaTeX IDE (optional) ✅ Native macOS

Quick Start

Install MacTeX

brew install --cask mactex
# Size: ~4.5 GB (includes everything)

Verify Installation

tex --version
# Expected: TeX 3.141592653 (TeX Live 2025)

pdflatex --version
latexmk --version

Test Compilation

echo '\documentclass{article}\begin{document}Hello World!\end{document}' > test.tex
pdflatex test.tex
ls test.pdf  # Verify PDF created

Post-Installation Checklist

  • Verify tex --version shows TeX Live 2025
  • Verify latexmk --version shows 4.86a+
  • Verify pdflatex test.tex creates PDF
  • Install Skim if using mactex-no-gui
  • Test SyncTeX: compile with -synctex=1 flag
  • Configure Skim preferences for editor integration
  • Add /Library/TeX/texbin to PATH if needed
  • Test package installation: sudo tlmgr install <package>

Reference Documentation

For detailed information, see:

See Also:

  • Build Workflows: Use latex/build skill for latexmk automation
  • Table Creation: Use latex/tables skill for tabularray usage

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Solution
tex command not found PATH not configured Add /Library/TeX/texbin to PATH in shell profile
Permission denied (tlmgr) Need sudo for system packages Use sudo tlmgr install <package>
Package not found Missing from TeX Live Run tlmgr search <package> to find correct name
Skim not showing PDF SyncTeX not enabled Compile with -synctex=1 flag
Outdated TeX Live Old MacTeX version Run sudo tlmgr update --self --all
Compilation hangs Infinite loop in document Check for circular includes or missing \end{}
Missing font error Font not in TeX distribution Install with tlmgr install <font-package>
Disk space error Full TeX Live too large Consider BasicTeX (smaller) if space limited

Post-Execution Reflection

After this skill completes, check before closing:

  1. Did the command succeed? — If not, fix the instruction or error table that caused the failure.
  2. Did parameters or output change? — If the underlying tool's interface drifted, update Usage examples and Parameters table to match.
  3. Was a workaround needed? — If you had to improvise (different flags, extra steps), update this SKILL.md so the next invocation doesn't need the same workaround.

Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.