dvipdfm fails to convert to pdf in 140pre3 but works in WinLyX137

[techmech@…]

There is an example file, sample.tex, found in /texmf/doc/dvipdfm/sample.tex
This file contains both .eps and .jpg images. This file will convert in WinLyX
137 with dvipdfm but not pdflatex. It can be viewed and saved or exported. But
in LyX140pre3, pdflatex also fails as expected, but dvipdfm also fails.

[techmech@…]

Also conversion to DVI work for LyX137 but fails for LyX140pre3.

[Georg Baum]

Please attach the .lyx file to this report, since we don't know how you created
it.

[techmech@…]

Requested .lyx involved with Bug#2299

[techmech@…]

Georg wrote: Please attach the .lyx file to this report, since we don't know
how you created it.

SH: There is an example file, sample.tex found in /texmf/doc/dvipdfm/sample.tex
I used LyX to import this file using the Latex import function of LyX.

This file comes with a full install of Miktex. I don't know if it is included
in the small or large installs of Mixtex, but probably the large. This bug is
about converting files with images, contrasting pdflatex (fails) with dvipdfm
which works in LyX137, but fail in LyX140pre3. The Miktex installation remains
the same, so the change in behavior is generated by LyX. To see this, the image
files are also needed which are included in the sample.tex directory. The .lyx
file tested remains the same for both Lyx137 and LyX140pre3(created with Msys).
In Linux, ​http://gaspra.kettering.edu/dvipdfm/dvipdfm-0.13.2c.tar.gz unpacks to
~/dvipdfm/latex-support and contains sample.tex and graphics files; but I'm not
reporting a bug in the Linux display, but in WinLyX changing between versions.

I uploaded sample.lyx as requested (there's a typo, /texmf not tex/mf) although
I'm not sure why importing with LyX is not better since demonstrating the bug
that I'm reporting requires Win/Miktex which includes the sample.tex directory.

[techmech@…]

I notice that the attachment upload changed the name of the file from
sample.lyx to attachment. attachment should be rename to sample.lyx
attachment.lyx displays the correct file content of sample.lyx

[techmech@…]

I did more testing. Linux(FC4)137 found 1 error rahter than 6 when importing
sample.tex, converting to sample.lyx, and then Viewing as DVI. This behavior
is different than WinLyX137 which did not balk. The error was the [dvips]entry
\usepackage [dvips] {graphicx}(in the sample.tex file) so I removed [dvips]
which corrected then to \usepackage {graphicx} and now dvipdfm displayed the
images properly with xpdf and DVI. The idea came from a H. Voss post (MarcD).

So I tried fixing WinLyx140pre3 with the same edit but it didn't work reporting
4 errors when trying View->DVI or dvipdfm; pdflatex reports about 6 errors. I
don't have Linux LyX140 installed to see if dvipdfm/DVI is also worse in 140.
I think LinuxLyx137 is probably proper behavior compared to lenient WinLyX137.

[Georg Baum]

I can reproduce the problem with your file (after getting the images from the
dvipdfm distribution), and I also know the cause: dvipdfm needs .bb files for
all graphics. LyX simply does not know that and does not copy these files to
the temporary directory where latex and dvipdfm are run.
This means that LyX 1.4 is currently not able to produce pdf via dvipdfm if the
file contains graphics. LyX 1.3.x should have the same problem if you are using
a temporary directory.
I'll try to fix this for 1.4.1 (or maybe 1.4.1 if it turns out to be
unexpectedly difficult)

[techmech@…]

Georg wrote: I also know the cause: dvipdfm needs .bb files for all graphics.
LyX simply does not know that and does not copy these files to the temporary
directory where latex and dvipdfm are run.

SH: On my system, the dvipdmf/pdf file is still created in the temp directory.
I can navigate there with Adobe and open and display sample.lyx/pdf correctly.
Adobe used to automatically open and display the file. Copying transistor.bb,
ssomething.bb and mwicks.bb to the Lyx temp directory from /texmf/doc/dvipdfm
which contains sample.lyx (all those files were created at some point) does not
enable automatic display by Adobe. I can't confirm your observation that "LyX
1.3.x should have the same problem if you are using a temporary directory."
for LyXWin1.3.7 I broke Adobe's automatic display of dvipdfm in this situation
when I tried to upgrade to the current dvipdfmx version. But the file is made.

[techmech@…]

Copying the .bb files to the LyX temp directory did enable dvipdfm in LyX140_5
However, I had to rename the .bb files in the original directory and I think
that they were created by LyX137 so creating the *.bb may be a 140_x problem.

[Georg Baum]

fix

[lasgouttes]

move bugs to 1.4.2. Sorry for the spam

[Richard Heck]

Moving all bugs targeted to before 1.5.0 to 1.5.x.

If these are yours, please check that they have not been fixed and, if so, close
them.

Otherwise, sorry for the spam.

[Juergen Spitzmueller]

1.5.x is frozen. Shifting all 1.5.x-targetted bugs to 1.6.x.

If you have reported this bug, please verify if it still occurs in 1.6.0 and
close the report, if not.

[ps]

do we still use dvipdfm in lyx? Georg, should this go in?

[ps]

#2690 is related

[Richard Heck]

Georg, is it worth updating this patch?

[Georg Baum]

Meanwhile dvipdfmx is used (succesor of dvipdfm). If it still needs the .bb files the patch should be updated and go in, but I currently don't have the time to do that and test the result.

[Julien Rioux]

The attached file works for me. Somehow this have been fixed along the way.

[Georg Baum]

This is not fixed. The test case works because LyX automatically converts the images to EPS, and then the EPS images are used by dvipdfm instead of JPEG/PNG/PDF. In addition, LyX does not issue the correct document options for dvipdfmx.
Something like the patch would still be needed if the possibly lossy images conversion is to be avoided. Even worse, dvipdfmx uses .xbb files instead of .bb.

[Richard Kimberly Heck]

Jürgen, do you have any view about this old bug? I ask because of the work done on external templates.

[Juergen Spitzmueller]

Replying to rikiheck:

Jürgen, do you have any view about this old bug?

No, sorry.

[Richard Kimberly Heck]

OK, thanks for looking. Not pressing. I wonder if anyone even uses dvipdfm anymore.