Using pdf-tools

Using pdf-tools

[Julius Hamilton]

Hey,

I'm a beginner to emacs and I'm trying to get going with the library
pdf-tools.

The documentation says I should add the line "(pdf-tools-install)"
"somewhere in my .emacs.el file".

I noticed that in my home directory I have a .emacs.d file. Some
documentation said people usually have a .emacs file but sometimes also a .
emacs.el file or a .emacs.d/init.el file, as an init file.

I was wondering, what are the reasons for having these different kinds of
init files?

I added "(pdf-tools-install)" at the end of my init.el file, and restarted
emacs. I tried a command from the pdf-tools docs, "M-x pdf-tools-help RET",
which the system did not recognize.

I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand and explain to me why this
is and what a good next step would be. Should I set up my emacs with a
emacs.el init file instead?

Thanks very much,
Julius

Re: Using pdf-tools

[pillule]

Hi Julius,

Julius Hamilton <julkhami@gmail.com> writes:

> I noticed that in my home directory I have a .emacs.d file. Some
> documentation said people usually have a .emacs file but sometimes also a .
> emacs.el file or a .emacs.d/init.el file, as an init file.

There are effectively many options possibles, as described by the section 49.4 of the manual, The Emacs Initialization File.
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Init-File.html

> I was wondering, what are the reasons for having these different kinds of
> init files?

Because peoples may have asked a cleaner file system (less dotfiles in their home directory) but emacs keeps older solutions for backward compatibility.

> I added "(pdf-tools-install)" at the end of my init.el file, and restarted
> emacs. I tried a command from the pdf-tools docs, "M-x pdf-tools-help RET",
> which the system did not recognize.

You surely also need to require this library before being able to use it.

(require 'pdf-tools)

> I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand and explain to me why this
> is and what a good next step would be. Should I set up my emacs with a
> emacs.el init file instead?

This is only an organization matter for your home directory, choose what you like.



--

Re: Using pdf-tools

[Óscar Fuentes]

pillule <pillule@riseup.net> writes:

> You surely also need to require this library before being able to use it.
>
> (require 'pdf-tools)

Not if it was installed with the package manager.

Re: Using pdf-tools

[Óscar Fuentes]

Julius Hamilton <julkhami@gmail.com> writes:

> Hey,
>
> I'm a beginner to emacs and I'm trying to get going with the library
> pdf-tools.

Which method did you use for installing pdf-tools?

> The documentation says I should add the line "(pdf-tools-install)"
> "somewhere in my .emacs.el file".
>
> I noticed that in my home directory I have a .emacs.d file. Some
> documentation said people usually have a .emacs file but sometimes also a .
> emacs.el file or a .emacs.d/init.el file, as an init file.
>
> I was wondering, what are the reasons for having these different kinds of
> init files?

That's probably just an historical artifact, resulting from the shifting
preferences and traditions within the Emacs community.

Please note that if you have an ~/.emacs or ~/.emacs.el file it wont load
~/.emacs.d/init.el

> I added "(pdf-tools-install)" at the end of my init.el file, and restarted
> emacs. I tried a command from the pdf-tools docs, "M-x pdf-tools-help RET",
> which the system did not recognize.
>
> I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand and explain to me why this
> is and what a good next step would be. Should I set up my emacs with a
> emacs.el init file instead?

If you have .emacs.d/init.el and none of the other optios (.emacs,
.emacs.el) it should work, provided that pdf-tools is properly
installed.