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I have this path "~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Sync/160329_3DPP.bib". I cannot change that since the .bib file is synced through iCloud and updated frequently. I read that it is advised to use filename without spaces & special characters in latex. Isn't there any workaround yet (including packages that might handle this)?

I found some old & related topics that cannot provide a working solution, such as -

MRE:

. file

\documentclass[11pt]{article} % use "amsart" instead of "article" for AMSLaTeX format %\geometry{a4paper} % ... or a4paper or a5paper or letterpaper or... \usepackage[parfill]{parskip} % Activate to begin paragraphs with an empty line rather than an indent \usepackage[sort&compress]{natbib} \usepackage[sectionbib]{chapterbib}%bibliography after each chapter \usepackage{hyperref} \title{Title} \author{massisenergy} %\date{} % Activate to display a given date or no date \begin{document} Lorem Ipsum Odor \cite{2020FutomaThe-myth} \bibliographystyle{unsrt} \bibliography{/Users/massisenergy/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Sync/160329_3DPP.bib}
  1. After running

. . . (/usr/local/texlive/2023/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/ts1cmr.fd)

Package chapterbib Warning: The sectionbib option changes "\section *" to "\sec tion *" in \thebibliography on input line 285. (./2023_RS_AI.out) (./2023_RS_AI.out) [1] (./2023_RS_AI.bbl

Package natbib Warning: Empty `thebibliography' environment on input line 3. ) [2] (./2023_RS_AI.aux) ) Output written on 2023_RS_AI.pdf (2 pages). SyncTeX written on 2023_RS_AI.synctex.gz. Transcript written on 2023_RS_AI.log.

  1. After doing running

This is BibTeX, Version 0.99d (TeX Live 2023) The top-level auxiliary file: 2023_RS_AI.aux The style file: unsrt.bst White space in argument---line 18 of file 2023_RS_AI.aux : \bibdata{/Users/massisenergy/Library/Mobile : Documents/com\protect \unhbox \voidb@x \protect \penalty @M \ {}apple\protect \unhbox \voidb@x \protect \penalty @M \ {}CloudDocs/Sync/160329_3DPP.bib} I'm skipping whatever remains of this command I found no database files---while reading file 2023_RS_AI.aux Warning--I didn't find a database entry for "2020FutomaThe-myth" (There were 2 error messages)

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  • 2
    It's sometimes the same using URLs with href. If the path is fix, and your lazy, you could try just to escape the special characters. That's how I manage it with my .bib file. To be honest, that's not a real solution but more of a lazy guy's workaround ;) Commented Jun 24, 2023 at 14:00
  • 4
    show a real example how you are using the path and which error you get. Commented Jun 24, 2023 at 14:12
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    I've no experience using TeX with a Mac. Is the tilde ~ a verbatim character in Apple's path's? Using Latex it means a not breakable space character. So, there may be a misinterpretation of the path. Unfortunately, I'm not at home right now and only got a smartphone, so no chance to test it... Commented Jun 24, 2023 at 14:57
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    A possible solution is to set the environment variable BIBINPUTS to include the path to the directory with the bib file. Then in the .tex file, you just use \bibliography{160329_3DPP}. Commented Jun 24, 2023 at 20:29
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    If the filename stays the same (but the content is updared) then you could also try to create a symlink to it, see tex.stackexchange.com/questions/337952/… for an example. Commented Jun 25, 2023 at 8:53

1 Answer 1

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I wondered that this must be fairly common situation, like using multiple machines or using files which are updated & synced frequently. I'm just posting the answer from the comment by @Marijin in my question, using the following links -

This is an elegant solution, which not only solves my problem, but also provides ways to use other types of 'custom' files with LaTeX.

  1. Install & use the package: make-local-texmf
  2. Copy the directory/folder structure into my sync folder:

rsync -avh ~/Library/texmf ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Sync/texmf

  1. Move my bibliography file named 160329_MASTER.bib in the ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Sync/texmf/bibtex/bib/ folder.

  2. Delete the original folder created by make-local-texmf (otherwise running the following command will create another alias inside the ~/Library/texmf directory, like this ~/Library/texmf/texmf/)

  3. Symlink it using:

ln -s /Users/massisenergy/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Sync/texmf ~/Library/texmf

  1. MRE: + then + then twice this file:
\documentclass[11pt]{article} % use "amsart" instead of "article" for AMSLaTeX format %\geometry{a4paper} % ... or a4paper or a5paper or letterpaper or... \usepackage[parfill]{parskip} % Activate to begin paragraphs with an empty line rather than an indent \usepackage[sort&compress]{natbib} \usepackage[sectionbib]{chapterbib}%bibliography after each chapter \usepackage{hyperref} \title{Title} \author{massisenergy} %\date{} % Activate to display a given date or no date \begin{document} Lorem Ipsum Odor \cite{2020FutomaThe-myth} \bibliographystyle{unsrt} \bibliography{MASTER_since160329.bib}

BONUS: I was pleasantly surprised to find that even I changed my bib file name (from to 160329_3DPP.bib to MASTER_since160329.bib), still opened the right file without any error when I relaunched it! Placing the .bib file in particular directory or symlinking it must be the reason ๐Ÿ˜ƒ I'm going to move my (.sty) files also to benefit from this...

Works like a charm ๐Ÿ˜ Thanks to all the folks for your active participation & help ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ

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  • Of topic: the symlink and BIBINPUTS solutions suggested do work also on current Windiows (10/11). For windows users not at ease with console, as creation of symlink is tricky and env var not obvious to set/maintain, here is a simple workaround for names/paths containing spaces. Such names have a so called 8.3 alias, shown when doing dir /x on the console. E.g. Program Files can be replaced by PROGRA~1, Program Files (x86) by PROGRA~2, "Documents and settings ` by DOCUME~1 and so on. Here ~ is not placeholder for space nor home dIrectory but the real tilde character. Commented Jun 27, 2023 at 8:43
  • Follow up of previous comment : the suggested "workaround" is usefully for many things as paths to TeX's executables interpreted by Windows but does NOT solve the OP TeX question as it unfortunately replaces the special ` ` character by a TeX's more problematic special ~ character. Commented Jun 27, 2023 at 8:53
  • Indeed, it can be a whole different situation in Windows, compared to Unix (where command line interface is relatively easy to use). Commented Jun 27, 2023 at 14:00

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