i load the zathura or skim, but when i use \lv, it shows `not using a previewer`

[EdwardWong1994]

Description

I have been struggled for almost two days just want to make the pdfviewer show up. But i can not succeed due to the problem "not using a previewer", not much solution i can find.

Here is my environment for mac system:

Darwin MacBook-Pro.local 20.5.0 Darwin Kernel Version 20.5.0: Sat May  8 05:10:31 PDT 2021; root:xnu-7195.121.3~9/RELEASE_ARM64_T8101 arm64

I do not know what's the real problem for this. I do not know whether it is related with dbus. When i use brew services list, the status of dbus is stopped, not runing. But i can not solve.

Here is one of the suspected reason, see below figure:

Steps to reproduce

I am not using minimal.vim, I edit all the setting in ~/.vimrc and using \ll compile the .tex file.

Expected behavior

It run with no error but pdf viewer did not pop up.

Actual behavior

I compile my latex file without errors using \ll, but when I use command \lv to show the pdf, the viewer did not show up. I try to find such problem and find a similar, but the reason is quite different. I use \lo to output the compile information as below figure

I can use zathura a.pdf to open the file in the terminal, but when I try to show up the pdf file after compilation, it did not showup. I also try skim as my default viewer, it occur the same "not using a previewer" information.

Do you use a latexmkrc file?

No

VimtexInfo

System info:
  OS: macOS 11.4 (20F71)
  Vim version: VIM 9.0 ()
  Has clientserver: false

VimTeX project: exercise
  base: exercise.tex
  root: /Users/wangchenchen/Desktop/WCC/Latex
  tex: /Users/wangchenchen/Desktop/WCC/Latex/exercise.tex
  main parser: current file verified
  document class: article
  packages: amsbsy amsgen amsmath amsopn amstext
  compiler: latexmk
    engine: -pdf
    options:
      -verbose
      -file-line-error
      -synctex=1
      -interaction=nonstopmode
    callback: 1
    continuous: 1
    executable: latexmk
  viewer: Zathura
    xwin id: 0
  qf method: LaTeX logfile

[ejmastnak]

As you guessed, this is quite likely a dbus problem; it seems that getting macOS, dbus and Zathura to interact correctly is a common problem.

It is hard to tell what you have tried or what your configuration is, but my usual recommendation here is the same as in this comment or in this guide: start by uninstalling and re-installing the relevant software and then exactly repeat the steps in :help vimtex-faq-zathura-macos. I also notice your macOS is a bit old, but probably that is not an issue.

In case you haven't already, it would probably useful to read through #2391 from start to finish and see if anything applies to you.

There is also another problem: your VimtexInfo reads

Has clientserver: false

This means using inverse search will be impossible. My guess is you are using command line Vim; you will need GUI MacVim, command line Neovim, or to compile command line Vim from source with client server enabled if you want to use inverse search on macOS. This article might be helpful.

PS: If you post your vimrc and vimtex configuration, I could try to reproduce the issue to help you debug, but right now that is not possible. You should probably take care of this.

[EdwardWong1994]

Thanks for your reply. I follow the strict procedure before I post this question. Except one case that i change the directory /usr/local/opt in /opt/homebrew/opt, because I believe this is the default folder for homebrew run in Mac M1. I tried it many times, the status of dbus always stopped. My .vimrc file is attached here: [configuration vimrc files]{https://github.com/EdwardWong1994/coc-nvim-configuration.git}.

Also it was not just zathura can not running but also skim would the same information not using a previewer. I am quite headache for this issue. I really do not want to quit this plugin because I can not pop up the pdf, otherwise it make my work less interesting.

[ejmastnak]

I follow the strict procedure before i post this question.

Hmm, if you've followed :help vimtex-faq-zathura-macos and PDF preview is still not working, I won't say that it can't be done, but I believe the problem is beyond the scope of what I can help with. I don't have an M1 Mac I could test on (perhaps the dbus and Homebrew Zathura workflow only works on Intel Macs?). And I am mostly on Linux these days, so my macOS knowledge is limited.

Also it was not just zathura can not running but also skim would the same information not using a previewer

It does seem strange the Skim does not work either, I thought Skim did not require dbus to work. Perhaps someone who uses VimTeX on macOS can confirm.

My .vimrc file is attached here: [configuration vimrc files]{https://github.com/EdwardWong1994/coc-nvim-configuration.git}.

@lervag, this appears to be his relevant VimTeX config based on the posted link; I don't see anything suspicious besides setting both vimtex_view_method and latex_view_general_viewer, perhaps you can comment?

let g:tex_flavor='latex'
"let g:vimtex_compiler_method='latexrun'
"set grepprg =grep\ -nH\ $*
"let g: tex_falvor='latex'
"let g:Tex_DefaultTargetFormat='pdf'
let g:vimtex_view_method='zathura'
let g:latex_view_general_viewer='zathura'
let g:vimtex_quickfix_mode =1
let g:vimtex_view_enabled=1
let g:vimtex_view_automatic=1

[lervag]

This issue is clearly not only dbus related. Without dbus, Zathura should still work, but forward and backward sync will not work.

Thanks for your reply. I follow the strict procedure before I post this question.

I'm slow, sorry: Which strict procedure are you referring to?

Except one case that i change the directory /usr/local/opt in /opt/homebrew/opt, because I believe this is the default folder for homebrew run in Mac M1.

Do you mean you first tried without changing the directory, and it didn't work? And then afterwards, you tried to change the directory, and it still doesn't work?

My .vimrc file is attached here: [configuration vimrc files]{https://github.com/EdwardWong1994/coc-nvim-configuration.git}.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but your .vimrc is a mess. You really should clean it up. You have a lot of duplicate lines and it is generally without structure. I get the feeling that you are copying things you find on the internet without understanding what it does. I strongly encourage you to slow down and clean up your vimrc file. Don't copy things before you read up on what it does.

For the VimTeX specific content in your .vimrc file, see my comments below:

" I'm not sure if vimtex and vim-latex-live-preview works well together.
" I would disable this when you are debugging issues with vimtex. Or, MUUUCH
" better, use the minimal example approach explained later!
Plugin 'xuhdev/vim-latex-live-preview'
let g:livepreview_previewer='zathura'
let g:livepreview_engine='latexmk'

Plugin 'lervag/vimtex'
" The following settings for VimTeX can be simplified:
let g:tex_flavor='latex'
let g:vimtex_view_method='zathura'
let g:latex_view_general_viewer='zathura'
let g:vimtex_quickfix_mode =1
let g:vimtex_view_enabled=1
let g:vimtex_view_automatic=1

" To this:
let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura'
let g:vimtex_quickfix_mode = 1

" VimTeX provides several similar shortcuts already, see :help vimtex-imaps
autocmd FileType tex inoremap ,alpha    \alpha
autocmd FileType tex inoremap ,beta     \beta
" ...

" Notice that there's a VimTeX extension for coc (coc-vimtex) to allow
" autocomplete with VimTeXs omnicompletion. E.g.:
let g:coc_global_extensions = [ ..., 'coc-vimtex' ]

I am not using minimal.vim, I edit all the setting in ~/.vimrc and using \ll compile the .tex file.

If you want me to spend my time helping you with this, then I expect you to spend time creating a minimal vimrc file. It was explained in the issue template, but I can explain it again:

1. Create an empty test folder with a test.vim and test.tex file with the below contents:

   " test.vim
   set nocompatible
   set runtimepath^=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex
   set runtimepath+=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after
   filetype plugin indent on
   syntax enable
   
   let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura'

   % test.tex
   \documentclass{minimal}
   \begin{document}
   Hello World!
   \end{document}

2. From a terminal, run vim -u test.vim test.tex. Or mvim or whatever dialect of Vim you are using. Check if things work. Explain the necessary steps to reproduce your issue.

3. If things still don't work, please post:

   1. Output of :scriptnames after you did vim -u test.vim test.tex.
   2. Output of \li after you did both \ll and \lv.
   3. Output of \lo after \ll.

[lervag]

Also: You claim that you are not using a .latexmkrc file. But can you double check that?

[lervag]

Oh, and thanks, @ejmastnak, for replying early and giving some initial helpful comments!

[EdwardWong1994]

This issue is clearly not only dbus related. Without dbus, Zathura should still work, but forward and backward sync will not work.

Yes, without dbus, zathura can run in the command line. It just can not pop up when i type in vim and type \lv

Thanks for your reply. I follow the strict procedure before I post this question.

I'm slow, sorry: Which strict procedure are you referring to?
I follow the information given by :help vimtex-faq-zathura-macos

Except one case that i change the directory /usr/local/opt in /opt/homebrew/opt, because I believe this is the default folder for homebrew run in Mac M1.

Do you mean you first tried without changing the directory, and it didn't work? And then afterwards, you tried to change the directory, and it still doesn't work?

No, i did not install twice. because i know for the x86-64 mac, brew will install all the bin,library in\usr\local\homebrew, but for M1, the homebrew change its default install directory, which is \opt\homebrew> > My .vimrc file is attached here: [configuration vimrc files]{https://github.com/EdwardWong1994/coc-nvim-configuration.git}.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but your .vimrc is a mess. You really should clean it up. You have a lot of duplicate lines and it is generally without structure. I get the feeling that you are copying things you find on the internet without understanding what it does. I strongly encourage you to slow down and clean up your vimrc file. Don't copy things before you read up on what it does.

I am actually new to vimscript and i will learn in the near feature and i believe it will help me to command vim more better. I just roughly know what the command in vimrc does.

For the VimTeX specific content in your .vimrc file, see my comments below:

" I'm not sure if vimtex and vim-latex-live-preview works well together.
" I would disable this when you are debugging issues with vimtex. Or, MUUUCH
" better, use the minimal example approach explained later!
Plugin 'xuhdev/vim-latex-live-preview'
let g:livepreview_previewer='zathura'
let g:livepreview_engine='latexmk'

Plugin 'lervag/vimtex'
" The following settings for VimTeX can be simplified:
let g:tex_flavor='latex'
let g:vimtex_view_method='zathura'
let g:latex_view_general_viewer='zathura'
let g:vimtex_quickfix_mode =1
let g:vimtex_view_enabled=1
let g:vimtex_view_automatic=1

" To this:
let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura'
let g:vimtex_quickfix_mode = 1

" VimTeX provides several similar shortcuts already, see :help vimtex-imaps
autocmd FileType tex inoremap ,alpha    \alpha
autocmd FileType tex inoremap ,beta     \beta
" ...

" Notice that there's a VimTeX extension for coc (coc-vimtex) to allow
" autocomplete with VimTeXs omnicompletion. E.g.:
let g:coc_global_extensions = [ ..., 'coc-vimtex' ]

I am not using minimal.vim, I edit all the setting in ~/.vimrc and using \ll compile the .tex file.

If you want me to spend my time helping you with this, then I expect you to spend time creating a minimal vimrc file. It was explained in the issue template, but I can explain it again:

1. Create an empty test folder with a test.vim and test.tex file with the below contents:

   " test.vim
   set nocompatible
   set runtimepath^=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex
   set runtimepath+=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after
   filetype plugin indent on
   syntax enable
   
   let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura'

   % test.tex
   \documentclass{minimal}
   \begin{document}
   Hello World!
   \end{document}
   

2. From a terminal, run vim -u test.vim test.tex. Or mvim or whatever dialect of Vim you are using. Check if things work. Explain the necessary steps to reproduce your issue.

3. If things still don't work, please post:

   1. Output of :scriptnames after you did vim -u test.vim test.tex.
   2. Output of \li after you did both \ll and \lv.
   3. Output of \lo after \ll.

I created the test.vim and test.tex file exactly the same with you. When i type :scriptnames, the following information is given

:scriptnames
  1: ~/Desktop/example/test.vim
  2: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/plugin/vimtex.vim

and it seems that the \li and \lv, \lo doesn't response. I am not sure whether i need to add some more in the test.vim, i change the test.vim to :

set nocompatible
set runtimepath=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex
set runtimepath+=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after
filetype plugin indent on
let g:vimtex_view_method='zathura'
call vundle#begin()
Plugin 'lervag/vimtex'
call vundle#end()

It gives me errors shown in the following figur

e

Do i need to reinstall vundle ?

[EdwardWong1994]

Also: You claim that you are not using a .latexmkrc file. But can you double check that?

Yes, i did not configure latexmkrc and also zathura

[lervag]

This issue is clearly not only dbus related. Without dbus, Zathura should still work, but forward and backward sync will not work.

Yes, without dbus, zathura can run in the command line. It just can not pop up when i type in vim and type \lv

My point was simply that, since Zathura does not open after \lv, then this is more than simply a problem with dbus, because an issue with dbus would only affect the sync behaviour. So, the main problem here is something else.

Do you mean you first tried without changing the directory, and it didn't work? And then afterwards, you tried to change the directory, and it still doesn't work?

No, i did not install twice. because i know for the x86-64 mac, brew will install all the bin,library in\usr\local\homebrew, but for M1, the homebrew change its default install directory, which is \opt\homebrew

Ok!

I am actually new to vimscript and i will learn in the near feature and i believe it will help me to command vim more better. I just roughly know what the command in vimrc does.

No problem, we all start out with little knowledge and learn as we go. And some of us really enjoy the experience of learning these things; I hope you do or will do to!

I created the test.vim and test.tex file exactly the same with you. When i type :scriptnames, the following information is given

:scriptnames
  1: ~/Desktop/example/test.vim
  2: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/plugin/vimtex.vim

That's strange; this should be a much longer list. As a reference, with the same minimal test.vim file, the output looks like this on my end (after vim -u test.vim):

:scriptnames
  1: ~/test/test.vim
  2: /usr/share/vim/vim90/filetype.vim
  3: ~/.local/plugged/vimtex/ftdetect/cls.vim
  4: ~/.local/plugged/vimtex/ftdetect/tex.vim
  5: ~/.local/plugged/vimtex/ftdetect/tikz.vim
  6: /usr/share/vim/vimfiles/ftdetect/conkyrc.vim
  7: /usr/share/vim/vim90/ftplugin.vim
  8: /usr/share/vim/vim90/indent.vim
  9: /usr/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syntax.vim
 10: /usr/share/vim/vim90/syntax/synload.vim
 11: /usr/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syncolor.vim
 12: /usr/share/vim/vim90/colors/lists/default.vim
 13: ~/.local/plugged/vimtex/plugin/vimtex.vim
 14: ~/.dotfiles/vim/.vim/plugin/open-in-browser.vim
 15: ~/.dotfiles/vim/.vim/plugin/windows.vim
 16: /usr/share/vim/vimfiles/plugin/fzf.vim
 17: /usr/share/vim/vimfiles/plugin/redact_pass.vim
 18: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/getscriptPlugin.vim
 19: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/gzip.vim
 20: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/logiPat.vim
 21: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/manpager.vim
 22: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/matchparen.vim
 23: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/netrwPlugin.vim
 24: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/rrhelper.vim
 25: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/spellfile.vim
 26: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/tarPlugin.vim
 27: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/tohtml.vim
 28: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/vimballPlugin.vim
 29: /usr/share/vim/vim90/plugin/zipPlugin.vim

Do i need to reinstall vundle ?

No, we want a minimal example, so don't use Vundle now! Let's take it step by step. In a terminal, do vim then :scriptnames and copy the output here. This should show how it looks with your regular vimrc. With that, I can fully confirm the location of VimTeX, because the set runtimepath needs the correct location.

[EdwardWong1994]

Here is the out put when i do :scriptnames in vim.

  1: ~/.vimrc
  2: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syntax.vim
  3: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/synload.vim
  4: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syncolor.vim
  5: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/colors/lists/default.vim
  6: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/filetype.vim
  7: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/scripts.vim
  8: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/autoload/dist/script.vim
  9: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/colors/desert.vim
 10: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/indent.vim
 11: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/ftplugin.vim
 12: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/nosyntax.vim
 13: ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim/autoload/vundle.vim
 14: ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim/autoload/vundle/config.vim
 15: ~/.vim/bundle/gruvbox/colors/gruvbox.vim
 16: ~/.vim/plugin/acp.vim
 17: ~/.vim/autoload/acp.vim
 18: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/buffer.vim
 19: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/dictionary.vim
 20: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/member.vim
 21: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/tag.vim
 22: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete.vim
 23: ~/.vim/bundle/ultisnips/plugin/UltiSnips.vim
 24: ~/.vim/bundle/ultisnips/autoload/UltiSnips/map_keys.vim
 25: ~/.vim/bundle/vim-snippets/plugin/vimsnippets.vim
 26: ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim/plugin/acp.vim
 27: ~/.vim/bundle/vim-fugitive/plugin/fugitive.vim
 28: ~/.vim/bundle/command-t/plugin/command-t.vim
 29: ~/.vim/bundle/command-t/autoload/commandt/mirkwood.vim
 30: ~/.vim/bundle/vim-latex-live-preview/plugin/latexlivepreview.vim
 31: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/plugin/vimtex.vim
 32: ~/.vim/bundle/nerdtree/plugin/NERD_tree.vim
 33: ~/.vim/bundle/nerdtree/autoload/nerdtree.vim

The runtimepath ? do i need to add plugin behind ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/plugin? I try it with additional /plugin, it still only give me same situation.

[lervag]

Ok, what's :scriptnames after vim -u NORC?

And further, again with this:

set nocompatible
set runtimepath^=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex
set runtimepath+=~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after
filetype plugin indent on
syntax enable

What's the output of vim -u test.vim then :scriptnames?

Also, what's the output of :version after you start Vim?

[EdwardWong1994]

oh, sorry, i though ^= was a typo before, after i add ^ in, the scriptnames when i using vim -u test.vim test.tex

scriptnames
  1: ~/Desktop/example/test.vim
  2: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/filetype.vim
  3: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/ftdetect/cls.vim
  4: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/ftdetect/tex.vim
  5: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/ftdetect/tikz.vim
  6: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/ftplugin.vim
  7: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/indent.vim
  8: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syntax.vim
  9: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/synload.vim
 10: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/syntax/syncolor.vim
 11: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/colors/lists/default.vim
 12: ~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/plugin/vimtex.vim
 13: ~/.vim/plugin/acp.vim
 14: ~/.vim/autoload/acp.vim
 15: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/buffer.vim
 16: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/dictionary.vim
 17: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/member.vim
 18: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/tag.vim
 19: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete.vim
 20: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/getscriptPlugin.vim
 21: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/gzip.vim
 22: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/logiPat.vim
 23: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/manpager.vim
 24: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/matchparen.vim
 25: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/netrwPlugin.vim
 26: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/rrhelper.vim
 27: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/spellfile.vim
 28: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/tarPlugin.vim
 29: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.0000/share/vim/vim90/plugin/tohtml.vim

the output of li after i press \lland lv, the output is something like this:

The output for \lo is "not using a previewer "

I have been struggled for two days for this problem but no answer can be found

[lervag]

I have been struggled for two days for this problem but no answer can be found

I'm trying to understand what's going on. I will find answers for you, but you need to slow down and provide what I ask for. As you said yourself, you are inexperienced. I know what I am doing and what I am asking for.

... the scriptnames when i using vim -u test.vim test.tex ...

Ok, now we are getting somewhere!

Notice how you have several plugins that are loaded:

 13: ~/.vim/plugin/acp.vim
 14: ~/.vim/autoload/acp.vim
 15: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/buffer.vim
 16: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/dictionary.vim
 17: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/member.vim
 18: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete/tag.vim
 19: ~/.vim/plugin/neocomplete.vim

I advice that you, for now, remove all of these (move them to a temporary folder). You can add them back afterwards when things work. But notice that these are plugins in your config that are loaded in addition to the ones you load with Vundle.

the output of li after i press \lland lv, the output is something like this:

No, that is not the output after you press \ll and \lv! Please, slow down. Do what I ask, don't assume too much. There is a reason I ask for the output after you do \ll and \li! Specifically, if you do \li afterwards, it will show the commands used to start latexmk and zathura.

The output for \lo is "not using a previewer "

"Not using a previewer" is actually expected. I should have catched this immediately, but I understand part of this now. For the viewer to open automatically, you need +clientserver. See :help vimtex-clientserver for more info.