latexcompile

Latexcompile is a small rust library which utilizes some latex compiler in a clean temp enviroment. It provides basic templating features and accepts files and binary streams.

Context

The service should be used to integrate pdf generation facilities into other programs. For example, some web program can use this service to generate pdfs on-the-fly.

Goals

lib

• Provide a robust library to generate pdfs, if the input is valid.
• Provide a basic named templating. For example, ##a## gets replaced at runtime by an some provided value.
• easy interface
• Loops or other higher constructs are not part of the library.

Milestones

1. Library prototype
2. testing (unit/integration)

Solution

The library should have an easy interface. The workflow of the library should be the following:

• Create a new LatexCompiler
• Provide the templating hashmap
• Provide the files or text streams as latex input along with the name of the main file
• recieve the ouput pdf as binary stream

The workflow of the rest service should be:

• The rest service is up and running
• It accepts files or text streams along with a key value hashmap as query param.
• It dispatches a new LatexCompiler and compiles the pdf
• The pdf is returned to the sender

Notes

• Quite basic approach with limited templating and no search for installed latex compilers as well as configuring them.

Timeline

7.11.18 Design document, take over of old code 8.11.18 Completed the first library design 27.01.19 Publish lib