doomemacs/modules/tools/pdf/README.org

#+TITLE:   tools/pdf
#+DATE:    February 6, 2018
#+SINCE:   v2.0
#+STARTUP: inlineimages nofold

* Table of Contents :TOC_3:noexport:
- [[#description][Description]]
  - [[#maintainers][Maintainers]]
  - [[#module-flags][Module Flags]]
  - [[#plugins][Plugins]]
  - [[#hacks][Hacks]]
- [[#prerequisites][Prerequisites]]
  - [[#building-epdfinfo-on-windows][Building =epdfinfo= on Windows]]
- [[#features][Features]]
- [[#configuration][Configuration]]
- [[#troubleshooting][Troubleshooting]]

* Description
This module improves support for reading and interacting with PDF files in Emacs.

It uses =pdf-tools=, which is a replacement for the built-in ~doc-view-mode~ for
PDF files. The key difference being pages are not pre-rendered, but instead
rendered on-demand and stored in memory; a much faster approach, especially for
larger PDFs.

Displaying PDF files is just one function of =pdf-tools=. See [[https://github.com/politza/pdf-tools][its project
website]] for details and videos.

** Maintainers
This module has no dedicated maintainers.

** Module Flags
This module provides no flags.

** Plugins
+ [[https://github.com/politza/pdf-tools][pdf-tools]]

** Hacks
+ Added out-of-the-box support for HiDPI or Retina displays.

* Prerequisites
This module requires =epdfinfo=, a program the the =pdf-tools= plugin will build
automatically when you open your first pdf file, unless you're on Windows.
Windows users must build it themselves.

** Building =epdfinfo= on Windows
1. [[https://www.msys2.org/][Install MSYS2]] and update the package database and core packages using the
   instructions provided.

2. Update and install dependencies, skipping any you already have

   #+BEGIN_SRC sh
   pacman -Syu
   pacman -S base-devel
   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-toolchain
   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-zlib
   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-libpng
   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-poppler
   pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-imagemagick
   #+END_SRC

3. Install PDF tools in Emacs, but do not try to compile the server. Instead, get a separate copy of the source somewhere else.

   #+BEGIN_SRC sh
   git clone https://github.com/politza/pdf-tools
   #+END_SRC

4. Open mingw64 shell (Note: You must use mingw64.exe and not msys2.exe)

5. Compile pdf-tools:
   #+BEGIN_SRC sh
   # Cask requires python2 (important: not 3!)
   pacman -S python2

   # Make the mingw-shell aware of your python installation. Adjust the path if
   # Emacs is installed elsewhere!
   export PATH="/c/Program Files (x86)/Emacs/bin/:$PATH"

   # Cask needs to know where git.exe is; change this path if git is installed
   # elsewhere!
   export PATH="/c/Program Files/Git/bin:$PATH"

   # Install cask. Certificate errors can be ignored with (unsafe) -k option.
   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cask/cask/master/go | python

   # Make sure the build process can see cask
   export PATH="$HOME/.cask/bin:$PATH"

   cd /path/to/pdf-tools
   make -s
   #+END_SRC

6. This should produce a file =server/epdfinfo.exe=. Copy this file into the
   =~/.emacs.d/.local/straight/build/pdf-tools/=.

7. Start Emacs.

8. Open a pdf file (or run ~M-x pdf-tools-install~)

9. Test it out: ~M-x pdf-info-check-epdfinfo~

* TODO Features
# An in-depth list of features, how to use them, and their dependencies.

* TODO Configuration
# How to configure this module, including common problems and how to address them.

* TODO Troubleshooting
# Common issues and their solution, or places to look for help.