[AUCTeX] Re: default TeX-PDF-mode in Auctex

[Ralf Angeli]

Please keep the mailing list copied when replying.

* jlr 0 (2006-01-04) writes:

>>>>>> On Tue, 03 Jan 2006, at 10:56:15 , Ralf Angeli <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>   >> | (add-hook 'plain-tex-mode-hook
>   >> |             'latex-mode)
>
>   RA> You want LaTeX mode even for plain TeX files?  That's a strange wish.
>
> Since I sometime use the .tex suffix for latex file, what I actually want is
> that all my .tex files open in TeX-PDF mode.

The code snippet above is not related to TeX-PDF mode.  It forces
AUCTeX into LaTeX mode even if a file was recognized as a plain TeX
file.

You also seem to have the impression that .ltx is the common extension
for LaTeX files.  It is not.  The extension .tex is commonly used for
them.  And AUCTeX opens these files per default in LaTeX mode if their
content does not indicate otherwise.  See `C-h v TeX-default-mode RET'.

Regarding TeX-PDF mode I already told you that this is a minor mode.
So you usually want your LaTeX files to be opened with LaTeX mode as
major mode and in addition TeX-PDF mode being activated.

>   RA> TeX-PDF-mode is a minor mode and you can set its default value
>   RA> e.g. with `M-x customize-variable RET TeX-PDF-mode RET'.  In contrast,
>   RA> the "mode:" entry in the local variables section AUCTeX inserts is
>   RA> concerned with the major mode.
>
> Ok.
>
> Would the following work as well?
>
> ,----
> | %%% Local Variables: 
> | %%% minor-mode: TeX-PDF
> | %%% End: 
> `----

No, there is no such thing as a "minor-mode:" entry for the local
variables section.  Minor modes can be toggled with a "mode:" entry
just like major modes can.

> or the following ?
>
> ,----
> | %%% Local Variables: 
> | %%% TeX-PDF: t
> | %%% End: 
> `----

It would need to be "TeX-PDF-mode: t".  This will set the mode
_variable_ to t.  But it is not guaranteed that this will activate the
mode correctly.  AUCTeX includes some adaptions to make this work but
those are a bit controversial and I am not sure if they will stay
forever.  As long as Emacs does not provide a way to explicitely
activate (in contrast to toggling) a mode they are likely to stay
however.

I still don't know why you need the TeX-PDF stuff in the local
variables section.  You are activating the mode yourself via a hook
(and I told you another way to use TeX-PDF mode per default by
customizing the variable `TeX-PDF-mode').  You already have what you
want.

-- 
Ralf