[tex-k] Writing output to standard output rather than to a file

[Heiko Oberdiek]

On Sun, Mar 11, 2012 at 12:32:38PM -0600, Jay F Shachter wrote:

> Is there a pdfetex option (or another program) that reads TeX input
> and sends pdf or PostScript output to the standard output rather than
> to a file?

No, except for "dvips -o" I don't know such option.

> I am
> trying to construct print filters that will enable me to invoke, e.g.,
> "lp file.tex" and which will, upon recognizing a TeX input file,
> automatically run the appropriate filters and print the output.

A TeX file could be anything, e.g. LaTeX usually writes
.aux files and need two or more runs to get the references right.
Also other tools might be involved (makeindex, bibtex, ...).

For a filter you could use a scratch directory (see also
pdfTeX's option -output-directory), doing the compile
runs and cat the final PDF page and cleanup afterwards.

Yours sincerely
  Heiko Oberdiek
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