📄 LaTeX CV Compiler

1. Introduction and Purpose

🎯 Introduction

This program provides a simple, user-friendly graphical interface for compiling a LaTeX-based CV (cv.tex) using PowerShell and XeLaTeX. It automates the compilation process by executing a PowerShell script that generates a clean, formatted PDF from your LaTeX file.

❓ Purpose & Problem Statement

Manually compiling LaTeX documents on Windows can be cumbersome, especially when involving multiple passes and file clean-up. This tool solves that by letting users:

• Select their LaTeX project folder.
• Automatically run a PowerShell script to compile the CV using xelatex.
• Clean up unnecessary files afterward — all with the click of a button.

✅ Value Proposition

• No command-line knowledge needed.
• Clean and organized output: All non-PDF files are automatically removed.
• Error handling and logging included.
• Ideal for Windows users managing their CVs in LaTeX.

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2. Dependencies (Required Software/Libraries)

The following dependencies are required to run this program effectively:

🐍 Python

• Exact Name: Python 3.x
• Description: Required to run the GUI-based script (latex_cv_compiler.py).
• Installation:
  Download and install Python from the official website:
  👉 https://www.python.org/downloads/

🧰 tkinter

• Exact Name: tkinter
• Description: Used to create the graphical interface (GUI).
• Installation:
  Usually included with standard Python installations. If missing, install using:

  sudo apt-get install python3-tk  # (Linux)

💻 Windows PowerShell

• Exact Name: PowerShell (with administrator privileges)
• Description: Required to execute the script.ps1 which performs the LaTeX compilation.
• Installation:
  PowerShell is included by default on most Windows systems.
  To manually update: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/

🧾 XeLaTeX (from TeX distribution)

• Exact Name: xelatex (included in full TeX distributions)
• Description: Compiles the cv.tex file into a PDF.
• Installation:
  Install a full TeX distribution such as:
  👉 MiKTeX (Windows)
  👉 TeX Live (Cross-platform)

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3. Getting Started (Installation & Execution)

🔽 Download the Repository

1. Click the green "<> Code" button on the GitHub page.
2. Select "Download ZIP".
3. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a convenient location.

▶️ Run the Program

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Open Command Prompt:

   • Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the Extracted Directory: Use the cd command to change to the program folder:

   cd path\to\extracted\folder

3. Run the Python Script:

   python latex_cv_compiler.py

🔒 Note: The PowerShell script requires administrator privileges to run correctly.

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4. User Guide (How to Effectively Use the Program)

🧭 Program Flow:

1. Click "Select Project Directory":

   • Choose a folder that contains both:
     • cv.tex — your LaTeX CV document.
     • script.ps1 — the provided PowerShell compilation script.

2. Click "Run Compilation Script":

   • This will:
     • Run xelatex twice to ensure proper references.
     • Move the output PDF to the output folder.
     • Delete all non-PDF files from output.

3. View the Output:

   • The final cv.pdf will be located in the output subfolder within the selected directory.

🧑‍💻 Expected Inputs:

• A directory containing:
  • cv.tex (LaTeX CV file)
  • script.ps1 (PowerShell script)

📤 Program Output:

• A cleaned and compiled PDF version of your CV in:

  [your-selected-folder]\output\cv.pdf
  

⚙️ Configurable Settings:

There are no configurable options exposed to the user. The tool is intentionally simple and minimal.

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5. Use Cases and Real-World Examples

📌 Use Case 1: Update and Compile a LaTeX CV

Scenario: You’ve just updated your CV in cv.tex.
Action: Use this tool to quickly compile and generate the updated PDF.
Expected Output: output/cv.pdf containing the latest version.

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📌 Use Case 2: Streamline Portfolio Submissions

Scenario: You're submitting your CV for a job application and need a quick PDF with no clutter.
Action: Run the compiler to generate a clean PDF, free of log files and other build artifacts.
Expected Output: A polished cv.pdf file ready to send.

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📌 Use Case 3: Non-technical User Needs to Compile a LaTeX CV

Scenario: A designer or writer who doesn’t use the command line needs to generate a LaTeX CV.
Action: Launch the GUI, select the folder, and click one button.
Expected Output: A correctly compiled CV PDF without needing technical help.

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6. Disclaimer & Important Notices

• This repository and its contents may be updated at any time without notice.
• Future changes may render portions of this README obsolete.
• No guarantees are made regarding functionality, compatibility, or correctness.
• The program and all associated scripts are provided as-is.