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## Chapter 2. pdfTeX

### Note

The contents of this section was taken from `pdftex(1)`.

## 2.1 Options

pdfTeX understands the following command line options.

### 2.1.1 `--file-line-error-style`

Print error messages in the form `file:line:error` which is similar to the way many compilers format them.

### 2.1.2 `--fmt format`

Use `format` as the name of the format to be used, instead of the name by which pdfTeX was called or a `%&` line.

### 2.1.3 `--help`

Print help message and exit.

### 2.1.4 `--ini`

Be pdfinitex, for dumping formats; this is implicitly true if the program is called as pdfinitex.

### 2.1.5 `--interaction mode`

Sets the interaction mode. The mode can be one of `batchmode`, `nonstopmode`, `scrollmode`, and `errorstopmode`. The meaning of these modes is the same as that of the corresponding `\commands`.

### 2.1.6 `--ipc`

Send DVI or PDF output to a socket as well as the usual output file. Whether this option is available is the choice of the installer.

### 2.1.7 `--ipc-start`

As `--ipc`, and starts the server at the other end as well. Whether this option is available is the choice of the installer.

### 2.1.8 `--jobname name`

Use `name` for the job name, instead of deriving it from the name of the input file.

### 2.1.9 `--kpathsea-debug bitmask`

Sets path searching debugging flags according to the `bitmask`. See the Kpathsea manual for details.

### 2.1.10 `--maketex fmt`

Enable mktexfmt, where `fmt` must be one of `tex` or `tfm`.

### 2.1.11 `--no-maketex fmt`

Disable mktexfmt, where `fmt` must be one of `tex` or `tfm`.

### 2.1.12 `--output-comment string`

Use `string` for the DVI file comment instead of the date.

### 2.1.13 `--parse-first-line`

If the first line of the main input file begins with `%&` parse it to look for a dump name or a `--translate-file` option.

### 2.1.14 `--progname name`

Pretend to be program `name`. This affects both the format used and the search paths.

### 2.1.15 `--recorder`

Enable the filename recorder. This leaves a trace of the files opened for input and output in a file with extension `.fls`.

### 2.1.16 `--shell-escape`

Enable the `\write18{command}` construct. The command can be any Bourne shell command. This construct is normally disallowed for security reasons.

### 2.1.17 `--translate-file tcxname`

Use the `tcxname` translation table.

### 2.1.18 `--version`

Print version information and exit.

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