TeXFlow

# TeXFlow System Dependencies TeXFlow includes a dynamic system dependency checker that monitors external tools required for full functionality. This system automatically detects available tools, their versions, and provides installation guidance for missing dependencies. ## Architecture The system consists of three main components: 1. **Manifest File** (`config/system_dependencies.json`) - Defines all dependencies with platform-specific installation info 2. **Checker Module** (`src/core/system_checker.py`) - Performs dependency detection and version checking 3. **MCP Resources** - Exposes dependency status through four MCP resources ## MCP Resources The TeXFlow MCP server exposes four resources for dependency information: ### `system-dependencies://status` Returns complete dependency status as JSON, including: - Detailed status for each dependency - Version information where available - Platform compatibility - Installation options for missing tools - Discovered LaTeX packages (Linux only) ### `system-dependencies://summary` Returns a human-readable summary with: - Overall system status (fully_operational, operational, degraded) - Essential vs optional dependency counts - Category-wise breakdowns with status icons ### `system-dependencies://missing` Returns installation guidance for missing dependencies: - Categorized by essential vs optional - Platform-specific installation commands - Package manager recommendations ### `system-dependencies://packages` Returns discovered LaTeX packages from system package manager (Linux only): - Total package count by category - Sample packages from each category - Distribution and package manager information - Important caveats about package availability ## Dependency Categories Dependencies are organized into logical categories: ### Essential (Required for Core Functionality) - **document_processing**: pandoc for format conversion - **latex_engine**: XeLaTeX for LaTeX compilation - **font_management**: fontconfig for font discovery ### Optional (Enhanced Functionality) - **printing**: CUPS for physical printing (Linux/macOS) - **pdf_processing**: poppler-utils, ghostscript for PDF manipulation - **latex_tools**: chktex for LaTeX syntax checking ## Platform Support The system supports cross-platform detection for: - **Linux**: apt, pacman, dnf package managers - **macOS**: Homebrew, system tools - **Windows**: chocolatey, scoop (limited support) ## Status Levels The checker reports four overall status levels: - **fully_operational**: All essential and optional dependencies available - **operational**: All essential dependencies available, some optional missing - **degraded**: Some essential dependencies missing - **unknown**: Unable to determine status ## Adding New Dependencies To add a new dependency to the manifest: 1. **Define the dependency** in `config/system_dependencies.json`: ```json { "new_tool": { "name": "new_tool", "description": "Description of the tool", "commands": ["command1", "command2"], "version_command": "command1 --version", "version_pattern": "version\\s+([\\d\\.]+)", "required_for": ["feature1", "feature2"], "category": "category_name", "platforms": { "linux": { "package_managers": { "apt": "package-name", "pacman": "package-name" } } } } } ``` 2. **Add category** if needed: ```json { "categories": { "new_category": { "description": "Category description", "essential": false } } } ``` 3. **Test the dependency**: ```bash python test_system_checker.py ``` ## Version Detection The system attempts to detect versions using: 1. **Specified version command** and regex pattern 2. **Fallback parsing** for common version formats 3. **"unknown" status** if version cannot be determined ## Caching The checker caches results during a single session to avoid repeated subprocess calls. Cache is cleared automatically between MCP server restarts. ## Error Handling The system gracefully handles: - Missing manifest files - Invalid JSON syntax - Command execution failures - Platform incompatibilities - Version detection failures ## Testing Two test scripts are provided: - `test_system_checker.py` - Tests core dependency checking functionality - `test_mcp_resources.py` - Tests MCP resource functions ## Examples ### Check if all essential dependencies are available: ```python from src.core.system_checker import SystemDependencyChecker checker = SystemDependencyChecker() missing = checker.get_missing_essential_dependencies() if not missing: print("✅ All essential dependencies available") else: print(f"❌ Missing: {', '.join(missing)}") ``` ### Get installation suggestions: ```python suggestions = checker.get_installation_suggestions() for dep in suggestions["missing_essential"]: print(f"Install {dep['name']}: {dep['installation_options']}") ``` ### Access via MCP resource: The resources are automatically available when the TeXFlow MCP server starts. Client applications can access them using the MCP protocol to display dependency status and provide user guidance. ## LaTeX Package Discovery TeXFlow includes automatic discovery of installed LaTeX packages through system package managers (Linux only). This helps users understand what LaTeX capabilities are available on their system. ### How It Works The package discovery system: 1. **Detects the Linux distribution** and package manager (apt/dpkg, pacman, rpm/dnf) 2. **Queries installed packages** related to LaTeX/TeX 3. **Categorizes packages** into logical groups (fonts, graphics, math, etc.) 4. **Provides warnings** about detection limitations ### Access Methods Package discovery is available through: 1. **Discover tool**: `discover(action="packages")` 2. **MCP Resource**: `system-dependencies://packages` 3. **System Status**: Included in `system-dependencies://status` under `discovered_packages` ### Package Categories Discovered packages are automatically categorized: - **core**: Essential TeX/LaTeX packages - **fonts**: Font packages for typography - **graphics**: Graphics and diagram packages (TikZ, PGF, etc.) - **math**: Mathematics and science packages - **templates**: Document classes and templates - **bibliography**: Citation and reference management - **formatting**: Layout and formatting tools - **science**: Domain-specific packages - **utilities**: Helper packages and tools - **documentation**: Package documentation - **other**: Uncategorized packages ### Important Caveats 1. **Package Manager Limitations**: Only shows packages installed through system package managers 2. **TeX Live Manager**: Packages installed via `tlmgr` are not detected 3. **Availability vs Installation**: Package manager may report packages that aren't fully configured 4. **Platform Specific**: Currently only supports Linux distributions ### Example Usage ```python # Via discover action from texflow import discover packages_info = discover("packages") print(packages_info) # Via system checker from src.core.system_checker import SystemDependencyChecker checker = SystemDependencyChecker() packages = checker.get_discovered_packages() ``` ## Integration with TeXFlow Tools The dependency checker integrates with TeXFlow's workflow guidance system: - Tools automatically check for required dependencies before execution - Missing dependencies trigger helpful error messages with installation hints - Workflow suggestions adapt based on available tools - Package discovery helps users understand available LaTeX capabilities This ensures users get clear guidance on what needs to be installed for full TeXFlow functionality.