vimtex doesn't seem to recognise latexmkrc requesting lualatex about vimtex

[aaannestad]

(I didn't intend to open this as a bug - it's probably some config issue on my end - but now that it is a bug I see no way to change it)

[lervag]

I'm trying to compile a file that uses the fontspec package, which requires xelatex or lualatex to run. My latexmkrc is set up to trigger that:

$latex = 'lualatex %O %S';

and indeed, the file compiles perfectly well if I run latexmk file.tex from the terminal …

Yes. latexmk by default will use the latex option here, and you changed that to run lualatex.

However:

(I didn't intend to open this as a bug - it's probably some config issue on my end - but now that it is a bug I see no way to change it)

Correct. The problem is that it is not the correct way to specify by .latexmkrc to use lualatex. Instead, you should do this:

# This specifies to use lualatex
$pdf_mode = 4;

# This is typically also useful (and will be used both for latex, xelatex,
# pdflatex and lualatex)
set_tex_cmds('-synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode --shell-escape %O %S');

You can find details in the latexmk manual.

Notice that VimTeX will recognize the pdf_mode setting from your .latexmkrc file.

[aaannestad]

Thank you! That was remarkably difficult information to find just by googling.

[lervag]

Heh, yes; it's much easier if you already know it. ;)

The main things to know here is how latexmk works and how VimTeX is running it. Still, it's easy to see how this is hard-to-build knowledge.