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You know, gcc uses multiple passes, too, internally. If gcc were to use latex's model, you'd have to run it multiple times to get a working executable. Mind y
by shasta 16y ago
You know, gcc uses multiple passes, too, internally. If gcc were to use latex's model, you'd have to run it multiple times to get a working executable. Mind you, it would produce an executable every time, but those first ones would just crash. Latex can produce some nice looking documents, but as a technology, it's shoe strings and bubble gum.
- mturmon 16y agoThe only problem is that the cross-references may be out of sync. This is usually not a serious barrier to readability. Another gcc analogy is a dependence on a third-party library whose API keeps changing. Then you'd have to run gcc once to regenerate the library, and once on the client using the library. Peeling that back a level, the analogy is between files like libfoo.a and foo_defs.h (for gcc) and files like section1.aux and document.bbl (for latex).
- aeroevan 16y agoLaTeX will warn you when the references are out of sync, and there is no reason why it can't make a second (or third) pass internally without having to call (pdf)latex manually again and throwing .aux .log .other_random_stuff files everywhere.
- parfe 16y agoSo whip up a shell script and call it "better_latex" mark it +x and call the real exe multiple times. Now it's an improved version that does it internally, just like gcc