Synctex doesn't work properly on Mac (Zathura or Skim)

[rltyty]

Description

Nvim + vimtex + Zathura once worked fine in my mac. However recently, after I upgraded system and switch to Nvim + lazy.nvim, they don't work properly now. I tried not to use lazy features for Vimtex after I read the help doc. I also tried to use minimal.vim, the problem still exists.

The current status is after I type <leader>ll or <leader>lv, it can open Zathura/Skim to display the PDF. But the sync doesn't work as expected.

For Zathura (which I mainly use), it reports "VimTex: Viewer cannot find Zathura window ID!" I already read related issues in history. Basically, the issue still exists, which is xdotool can find no id of zathura. So I switch the method to "zathura_simple", then the error disappears as expected. Now here are the sync problems:

1. Forward search is not automatic/continuous. I remember the viewer (Zathura) was able to focus on the point where the cursor was at in the tex file being edited. However, now, I have to manually trigger the forward search by type <leader>lv every time. I mean it can sync, but not continuously/automatically.

2. Inverse search doesn't work at all. the cursor is not able to relocate in the editor after I select/click the text here and there in the pdf viewer Zathura.

If you could shed some light on this, I would really appreciate. Thanks in advance.

Steps to reproduce

:checkhealth vimtex

VimTeX ~
- OK Vim version should have full support!
- OK Zathura should work properly!
- OK Compiler should work!

nvim Lua configuration

{
    'lervag/vimtex',
    config = function()
        vg.vimtex_view_method = 'zathura_simple'
        -- vg.vimtex_view_method = 'skim'
    end,
    enabled = vg.vimrclevel > 3
},

Expected behavior

No response

Actual behavior

No response

Do you use a latexmkrc file?

~/.latexmkrc

push @generated_exts, "cb";
push @generated_exts, "cb2";
push @generated_exts, "spl";
push @generated_exts, "nav";
push @generated_exts, "snm";
push @generated_exts, "tdo";
push @generated_exts, "nmo";
push @generated_exts, "brf";
push @generated_exts, "nlg";
push @generated_exts, "nlo";
push @generated_exts, "nls";
push @generated_exts, "synctex.gz";
push @generated_exts, "run.xml";

$pdflatex = "xelatex -synctex=1 %O %S";
$pdf_mode = 5;
$dvi_mode = 0;
$postscript_mode = 0;

VimtexInfo

System info:
  OS: macOS 12.7.2 (21G1974)
  Vim version: NVIM v0.9.5
  Has clientserver: true
  Servername: /var/folders/2k/r2yhqxdj0d54j8k7_wp94xj80000gn/T/nvim.rabbit/w5G7fI/nvim.20856.0

VimTeX project: cv
  base: cv.tex
  root: /Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv
  tex: /Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex
  main parser: current file verified
  document class: article
  packages: atbegshi atbegshi-ltx atveryend atveryend-ltx auxhook bigintcalc bitset enumitem etexcmds etoolbox expl3 fontenc fontspec fontspec-xetex geometry gettitlestring hycolor hyperref iftex ifvtex infwarerr intcalc keyval kvdefinekeys kvoptions kvsetkeys letltxmacro ltxcmds nameref parskip pdfescape pdftexcmds refcount rerunfilecheck stringenc uniquecounter url xcolor xparse
  compiler: latexmk
    engine: -xelatex
    options:
      -verbose
      -file-line-error
      -synctex=1
      -interaction=nonstopmode
    callback: 1
    continuous: 1
    executable: latexmk
    job: 
      jobid: 7
      output: /var/folders/2k/r2yhqxdj0d54j8k7_wp94xj80000gn/T/nvim.rabbit/w5G7fI/0
      cmd: max_print_line=2000 latexmk -verbose -file-line-error -synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode  -xelatex -pvc -pvctimeout- -view=none -e '$compiling_cmd = ($compiling_cmd ? $compiling_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_compiling"' -e '$success_cmd = ($success_cmd ? $success_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_success"' -e '$failure_cmd = ($failure_cmd ? $failure_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_failure"' 'cv.tex'
      pid: 20860
  viewer: Zathura
    cmd_start: zathura  -x "/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c \"VimtexInverseSearch %{line} '%{input}'\"" --synctex-forward 57:8:'/Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex' 'cv.pdf'&
  qf method: LaTeX logfile

[lervag]

I tried not to use lazy features for Vimtex after I read the help doc.

To be honest, my current thought is that you are still lazy loading VimTeX. So let's start by looking at that.

I also tried to use minimal.vim, the problem still exists.

Which minimal.vim? If you can reproduce your problem with a proper minimal.vim file, then there is no reason to discuss your real configuration. Instead, you should post the minimal config and the steps you use to reproduce.

1. Forward search …
2. Inverse search doesn't work at all. …

This sure sounds like a lazy loading issue...

{
    'lervag/vimtex',
    config = function()
        vg.vimtex_view_method = 'zathura_simple'
        -- vg.vimtex_view_method = 'skim'
    end,
    enabled = vg.vimrclevel > 3
},

Please change config to init. Also, what's the point of enabled = vg.vimrclevel > 3?

And, important: Do you perhaps have a global lazy load option for lazy.nvim enabled? In other words, what is your configuration of lazy.nvim itself?

What happens if you run this from a terminal?

/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c "VimtexInverseSearch 25 '/Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex'"

[rltyty]

... you are still lazy loading VimTeX

"I tried not to use lazy features" actually means I removed my personal key map which had been set using keys attribute, which caused almost all Vimtex commands to disappear, since the keys in lazy.nvim plugin spec is a trigger of lazy load.

I don't think my current situation is about lazy load, because :Lazy shows Vimtex is loaded after start.

I also tried to switch config to init, the problems are still there.

what's the point of enabled = vg.vimrclevel > 3

vim.g.vimrclevel is my personal Vim running level option, 5(default). This is an old simple way to control plugin load in different situations.

Do you perhaps have a global lazy load option for lazy.nvim enabled?

No. Just default settings.

Which minimal.vim?

The one suggested in the Issue template.

set nocompatible
let &runtimepath  = '~/.vim/bundle/vimtex,' . &runtimepath
let &runtimepath .= ',~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after'
filetype plugin indent on
syntax enable
" Add relevant options and VimTeX configuration below.

let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura_simple'

The problems can still reproduce when I run

vim -u minimal.vim /Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex

What happens if you run this from a terminal?

/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c "VimtexInverseSearch 25 '/Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex'"

If open the tex file at first

/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim /Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex

then run the above command in another terminal, the command returns 0, and the cursor jumps to L25 in the Vim buffer in the first terminal. With minimal.vim, it behaves the same way.

P.S., there is a LaTeX Font Warning during compilation (<leader>ll) I forgot to mention in my OP. I didn't think it matters.

Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex|| LaTeX Font Warning: Font shape TU/KaitiSC(0)/b/n' undefined using TU/KaitiSC(0)/m/n' instead on input line 24.

[lervag]

I don't think my current situation is about lazy load, because :Lazy shows Vimtex is loaded after start.

Ok, good!

I also tried to switch config to init, the problems are still there.

Ok; but notice that you should still keep this change. VimTeX assumes that the options are defined before you load it, and I've found that config sometimes messes with this assumption.

Which minimal.vim?

The one suggested in the Issue template.

set nocompatible
let &runtimepath  = '~/.vim/bundle/vimtex,' . &runtimepath
let &runtimepath .= ',~/.vim/bundle/vimtex/after'
filetype plugin indent on
syntax enable
" Add relevant options and VimTeX configuration below.

let g:vimtex_view_method = 'zathura_simple'

Ok; can we continue the thread using this minimal.vim?

The problems can still reproduce when I run

vim -u minimal.vim /Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex

Ok, so the problem persists regardless of whether you are using Vim or neovim? Notice, though, you should use vim --clean -u minimal.vim ...; the --clean ensures that you don't load any config from your personal runtimepath. Same if you use nvim.

What happens if you run this from a terminal?
/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c "VimtexInverseSearch 25 '/Users/rabbit/Documents/sci/cv/cv.tex'"

The cursor jumps to L25 in the Vim buffer.

Good, that asserts that you are not lazy loading.

P.S., there is a LaTeX Font Warning during compilation (<leader>ll) I forgot to mention in my OP. I didn't think it matters.

You are right, this is not relevant.

---

Now, I believe the next step for going in depth here is to have a proper LaTeX
test file. I.e., instead of your cv.tex, create a minimal LaTeX file such as

\documentclass{minimal}
\begin{document}
Hello World!

\newpage

Hello Moon!
\end{document}

Given minimal.vim and mwe.tex, you can do nvim --clean -u minimal.vim mwe.tex, then:

1. \ll to start compilation - does it work as expected? Do the viewer open automatically?

2. Test \lv - does it perform the forward sync?

3. Does inverse sync work? (I assume no, as we didn't really change anything yet.)

[lervag]

Also, just to be fully sure, could you comment out the config in your .latexmkrc file while we test things?

[rltyty]

After remove ~/.latexmkrc, and run nvim --clean -u minimal.vim mwe.tex

1. \ll compilation works as expected and opens the viewer automatically.
2. If put the cursor on "Hello Moon!" and then \lv, it performs forward sync, Zathura scroll to the next page with "Hello Moon!" line highlighted.
3. Inverse sync doesn't work.

[lervag]

Ok, so things work except inverse sync. Can you post the output of :VimtexInfo after step 2? There's a command there that I want you to run from a terminal to see if there are error messages. Something like this:

zathura  -x "nvim --headless -c \"VimtexInverseSearch %{line} '%{input}'\"" --synctex-forward 57:8:'mwe.tex' 'mwe.pdf'&

Now, if you run that command (modified to match what you find in :VimtexInfo) after you've closed the initial window - what happens if you do inverse sync?

[rltyty]

System info:
  OS: macOS 12.7.2 (21G1974)
  Vim version: NVIM v0.9.5
  Has clientserver: true
  Servername: /var/folders/2k/r2yhqxdj0d54j8k7_wp94xj80000gn/T/nvim.rabbit/ehpwhg/nvim.26189.0

VimTeX project: mwe
  base: mwe.tex
  root: /Users/rabbit/tmp/test
  tex: /Users/rabbit/tmp/test/mwe.tex
  main parser: current file verified
  document class: minimal
  compiler: latexmk
    engine: -pdf
    options:
      -verbose
      -file-line-error
      -synctex=1
      -interaction=nonstopmode
    callback: 1
    continuous: 1
    executable: latexmk
    job: 
      jobid: 5
      output: /var/folders/2k/r2yhqxdj0d54j8k7_wp94xj80000gn/T/nvim.rabbit/ehpwhg/0
      cmd: max_print_line=2000 latexmk -verbose -file-line-error -synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode  -pdf -pvc -pvctimeout- -view=none -e '$compiling_cmd = ($compiling_cmd ? $compiling_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_compiling"' -e '$success_cmd = ($success_cmd ? $success_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_success"' -e '$failure_cmd = ($failure_cmd ? $failure_cmd . " ; " : "") . "echo vimtex_compiler_callback_failure"' 'mwe.tex'
      pid: 26190
  viewer: Zathura
    cmd_start: zathura  -x "/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c \"VimtexInverseSearch %{line} '%{input}'\"" --synctex-forward 7:1:'/Users/rabbit/tmp/test/mwe.tex' 'mwe.pdf'&
  qf method: LaTeX logfile

run that command (modified to match what you find in :VimtexInfo) after you've closed the initial window

I'm not sure what do you mean by "the initial window", you mean the initial viewer window?

I closed the viewer zathura window. and run

$ zathura  -x "/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c \"VimtexInverseSearch %{line} '%{input}'\"" --synctex-forward 7:1:'/Users/rabbit/tmp/test/mwe.tex' 'mwe.pdf'&
[1] 26555
 ~/tmp/test                                                           
$ warning: Unknown option: best-fit

It opens Zathura and do the forward sync to the 2nd page "Hello Moon!" which is as expected.

Then when I click "Hello World!" on the 1st page in Zathura, nothing happened. No error output in the terminal.
No cursor jump in the editor. In Zathura, it says: "Copied selected text to selection clipboard: Hello World!" at the bottom.

[lervag]

Ok, that's strange. And if you; while having the mwe open after step 2 above; run /Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --headless -c "VimtexInverseSearch ...", then the editor updates its position as expected?

[lervag]

Btw., do you have the same issue with Skim?

[lervag]

Also, notice (just so it's clear) that /Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim will start with your regular configuration - not with the minimal config.

[rltyty]

while having the mwe open after step 2 above; run

zathura  -x "/Users/rabbit/rmac.local/neovim/bin/nvim --clean -u minimal.vim --headless -c \"VimtexInverseSearch %{line} '%{input}'\"" --synctex-forward 7:1:'/Users/rabbit/tmp/test/mwe.tex' 'mwe.pdf'&

I ran with -clean -u minimal.vim, still the same. This command does the forward sync correctly. No cursor jump in mwe and it get no update when I click "Hello World!" in the viewer.

do you have the same issue with Skim?

Yes. Inverse sync doesn't work either if I switch the method to Skim

let g:vimtex_view_method = 'skim'

[rltyty]

Btw, this has nothing to do with plugin manager right(I don't config Vundle.vim right now). Since we already use minimal.vim.