[pdftex] Why does pdflatex needs pictures?

[Lars Madsen]

HHa wrote:
> Hi Jjonathan and others,
>> 1. Comment out the offending \includegraphics lines (to not have the
>> pictures in your compiled work). (Thanks for the quick answer, Reinhard
>> Kotucha.)
> that will corrupt the document structer
>> 2. Say: \usepackage[draft]{graphicx}
> this needs the picture, too,
>> or \usepackage[demo]{graphicx} in your preamble.
> this doesn't work

why? It has worked for every file I've tried it on. It will simply 
replace all \includegraphics statements with something similar to a 
special \rule, and thus do not need the actual files.

If it does not work then please provide a MWE showing us how your friend 
program

I wonder a bit, how other latex programs work on this document without 
complaining, thus again I'd like to see some code.

>> 3. Better option: Get your friend to send you an archive of the relevant
>> files, including the pictures.
> I don't want them.
>> 4. Possibly the best option: Have your friend place all of the TeX source
>> material (input files, graphics, metapost/metafont/etc.) in a version
>> control repository. git works quite well [1]. Subversion works well too
>> [2].
> this is no option.
> What I am looking for is a parameter/option that draws a rectangle with the size of 
> the picture, like latex ... would do.


-- 

/daleif