2c:null 2d:["$","title",null,{"children":"Using Notepad++ to Compile LaTeX | Christophe Yamahata | Observable"}] 32:T428,screencapture = { const container = html`

Screen Capture: Notepad++ configured with the Compile LaTeX macro and the custom (TX) toolbar icon.
👆🏻 Click to resize the illustration

`; container.onclick = () => { const currentWidth = container.style.width; container.style.width = currentWidth === "650px" ? "889px" : "650px"; }; return container; } 33:T85b,html`

Table of Contents

Compiled PDF Output
Setup Instructions
- Part 1: Core Setup
- Part 2: Icon Integration on the Toolbar
LaTeX Script (Template)
References & Community

`34:T119e,{ let showSecondPass = true; const scriptContainer = htl.html`

`; function renderScript() { scriptContainer.textContent = `NPP_SAVE cd "$(CURRENT_DIRECTORY)" pdflatex --shell-escape "$(NAME_PART)" ${showSecondPass ? 'pdflatex "$(NAME_PART)"\n' : ''}cmd /c start "" "$(NAME_PART).pdf" npp_console 0 ${showSecondPass ? '' : '\n'}`; } renderScript(); const toggleInput = htl.html``; toggleInput.addEventListener("change", (e) => { showSecondPass = e.target.checked; renderScript(); }); return md`

---

## Setup Instructions

Part 1: Core Setup

1. **Install MiKTeX** Ensure that MiKTeX is added to your Windows system path during installation so Notepad++ can call it globally. *_Note: If you prefer another TeX distribution, TeX Live is an alternative that works identically with this setup, provided its binaries are also mapped to your system path._* 2. **Install the \`NppExec\` Plugin** In Notepad++, navigate to \`Plugins\` > \`Plugins Admin...\`, search for \`NppExec\`, check the box, and click **Install**. 3. **Save the Compilation Script in \`NppExec\`** * Go to \`Plugins\` > \`NppExec\` > \`Execute...\` (or press **F6**). * Paste the following automation script: ${scriptContainer}

${toggleInput} Include 2^nd pdflatex pass (resolves cross-references & ToCs). Uncheck if not needed.

* Click **Save...**, name the script \`Compile LaTeX\`, and click **Save**. 4. **Expose the \`NppExec\` Script to the Notepad++ Menu** By default, external commands and shortcuts cannot see \`NppExec\` scripts until they are exposed to the main menu system: * Navigate to \`Plugins\` > \`NppExec\` > \`Advanced Options...\` * Under the *Associated script* dropdown, select \`Compile LaTeX\`. * Check the box that says *Place to the Macro submenu*. * Click the **Add/Modify** button. * Click **OK** and restart Notepad++. The script is now visible under \`Macro\` > \`Compile LaTeX\`. 5. **Assign a Keyboard Shortcut** To compile your document rapidly without using the interface menus: * Go to \`Settings\` > \`Shortcut Mapper...\` * Select the \`Plugins commands\` tab at the top of the window. * Find \`Compile LaTeX\` in the list, select it, and click **Modify**. * Set the shortcut keys to **Alt + Shift + L** (or any other preferred shortcut) and click **OK**. 6. **Verify Keyboard Shortcut** Create or load an existing \`.tex\` file, then press your configured shortcut. The console should briefly open to process the file, output a PDF in the same directory, and automatically close upon success.

Part 2: Icon Integration on the Toolbar (Optional)

7. **Install the \`Customize Toolbar\` Plugin** Go back to \`Plugins\` > \`Plugins Admin...\`, search for \`Customize Toolbar\`, and install it. 8. **Enable Custom Buttons** Ensure that the custom rendering option is active by verifying the checkmark here: \`Plugins\` > \`Customize Toolbar\` > **✓ Custom Buttons** 9. **Configure the Toolbar Icon** * Open the configuration file \`CustomizeToolbar.btn\` located in your user profile directory: \`%AppData%\\Notepad++\\plugins\\Config\\\` * Add the following configuration line to map your macro to the visual toolbar: \` Macro,Compile LaTeX,,,*G:TX,*G:TX\` 10. **Restart and Verify Toolbar Button** Restart Notepad++. Your new LaTeX icon (TX) will now appear in the main toolbar. Clicking this dedicated button will trigger the same compilation sequence as your configured shortcut (**Alt + Shift + L**). `; }35:T490,{ const downloadUrl = URL.createObjectURL( new Blob([LaTeX_script], { type: "text/plain;charset=utf-8" }) ); const container = html`

Download ${tex`\LaTeX`} script Copy ${tex`\LaTeX`} script to clipboard

`; const copyBtn = container.querySelector("#copy-btn"); copyBtn.onclick = (e) => { e.preventDefault(); navigator.clipboard.writeText(LaTeX_script); const originalText = copyBtn.innerHTML; copyBtn.innerText = "Copied to clipboard!"; setTimeout(() => { copyBtn.innerHTML = originalText; }, 1500); }; return container; }36:T41e,viewof display_inspect = { const el = htl.html`

Variables & Functions

⇣ Check to inspect the notebook script

`; const checkbox = el.querySelector("input"); const spacer = el.querySelector("div"); function update() { const show = checkbox.checked; document.querySelectorAll(".observablehq--inspect").forEach(node => { if (el.contains(node)) return; node.style.display = show ? "" : "none"; }); spacer.style.height = show ? "0" : "20vh"; } checkbox.addEventListener("change", update); const observer = new MutationObserver(update); observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); update(); invalidation.then(() => observer.disconnect()); return el; }37:[{"id":"54e0eac4323d5a70378d421acc65c19a62e6b52c91d2f900845524ca40802f8ddce094da4896a4f953eed4b9587787a292ebd879b15aa7316189c8551eb1d2fb","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/54e0eac4323d5a70378d421acc65c19a62e6b52c91d2f900845524ca40802f8ddce094da4896a4f953eed4b9587787a292ebd879b15aa7316189c8551eb1d2fb","name":"LateX_in_Notepad++.png","type":"image/png","lastModified":1785406157396.949,"size":31692},{"id":"82c88bc0b858c2359b68588d35cec2cd9ac8f032fc397ad3775fe8fa8a6dd4a63c59aa310cc0e370f66996669dad8c5b278e45217fde32a6de347b728d97ebf3","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/82c88bc0b858c2359b68588d35cec2cd9ac8f032fc397ad3775fe8fa8a6dd4a63c59aa310cc0e370f66996669dad8c5b278e45217fde32a6de347b728d97ebf3","name":"LaTeX_in_Notepad++.pdf","type":"application/pdf","lastModified":1785412021351.915,"size":267353},{"id":"5c7bfad10d59c22506995acbb2e253fab143a727d3465671b397cdbe328f02e77cdfd9f16a4497959193cfb7cf5bb3af3789592f78a18b3dfcc4e8dd2daf6628","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/5c7bfad10d59c22506995acbb2e253fab143a727d3465671b397cdbe328f02e77cdfd9f16a4497959193cfb7cf5bb3af3789592f78a18b3dfcc4e8dd2daf6628","name":"LaTeX_in_Notepad++.tex","type":"application/octet-stream","lastModified":1785408936167.141,"size":7329}] 30:{"id":"44669b26cd667cb7","slug":"using-notepad-plus-plus-to-compile-latex","title":"Using Notepad++ to Compile LaTeX","thumbnail":"535066a65ed51f22f051dfa20c7edde7a283555b255701876391e4e1309a61ad","access_level":"public","create_time":"$D2026-07-30T09:38:33.003Z","update_time":"$D2026-09-05T14:30:07.797Z","view_time":null,"first_public_time":"$D2026-07-30T12:20:51.980Z","fork":false,"stars":0,"starred":false,"owner":{"type":"team","id":"dd67891d326bcfb1","login":"christophe-yamahata","name":"Christophe Yamahata","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/8256ac716aa8395babba412b2835913d186874fa4190df57a4a28f2e60129876","tier":"starter_2024"},"version":724,"publish_version":724,"role":null,"authored":false,"authors":[{"type":"individual","id":"06f083eba60f5a76","login":"christophe-yamahata","name":"Christophe Yamahata","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/8256ac716aa8395babba412b2835913d186874fa4190df57a4a28f2e60129876","tier":null}],"members":[{"type":"individual","id":"06f083eba60f5a76","login":"christophe-yamahata","name":"Christophe Yamahata","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/8256ac716aa8395babba412b2835913d186874fa4190df57a4a28f2e60129876","tier":null,"role":"editor"},{"type":"team","id":"dd67891d326bcfb1","login":"christophe-yamahata","name":"Christophe Yamahata","avatar_url":"https://avatars-next.observableusercontent.com/8256ac716aa8395babba412b2835913d186874fa4190df57a4a28f2e60129876","tier":"starter_2024","role":"editor"}],"comments":[],"custom_thumbnail":false,"trashed":false,"subscribed":null,"forks":0,"collection":{"id":"89503c6463a74372","slug":"tools","title":"Tools","owner":{"id":"dd67891d326bcfb1","login":"christophe-yamahata","name":"Christophe Yamahata"}},"type":"notebook","body":{"title":"Using Notepad++ to Compile LaTeX","cells":[{"id":0,"value":"# Using Notepad++ to Compile LaTeX","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":75,"value":"

\n If Notepad++ is your favorite plain text editor, you already know that it is an excellent tool to write ${tex`\\TeX`} files and enable syntax highlighting in them. You can unlock its full potential to transform it into a lightweight, powerful ${tex`\\LaTeX`} environment. This guide provides instructions for a simple setup. By the end, you will be able to write your ${tex`\\TeX`} documents, compile them, and generate PDFs on the fly without leaving Notepad++.\n

","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":83,"value":"$32","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":244,"value":"**Environment:** Successfully tested with Notepad++ v8.8.1 (Windows 10, 64-bit).\n\n\n**Prerequisites:** In addition to Notepad++, you must install MiKTeX and the `NppExec` plugin (**Mandatory**, see Setup > Part 1). The `Customize Toolbar` plugin is recommended but remains optional (see Setup > Part 2).","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":344,"value":"$33","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":246,"value":"{\n const file = FileAttachment(\"LaTeX_in_Notepad++.pdf\");\n const blob = new Blob([await file.arrayBuffer()], { type: \"application/octet-stream\" });\n const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);\n\n return html`\n

Compiled PDF Output

\n The downloadable PDF below was generated directly from Notepad++ following the exact setup described in this notebook.\n

\n Download Compiled PDF\n

\n `;\n}","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":258,"value":"pdfView(await FileAttachment(\"LaTeX_in_Notepad++.pdf\").url(), {\n width: \"100%\",\n style: \"border: 1px solid #d0d7de; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\"\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":464,"value":"$34","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":216,"value":"

\n\n---\n## ${tex`\\LaTeX`} Script & Setup Guide\n\nBelow is the complete, ready-to-compile source code. You can copy it directly or download the `.tex` file using the buttons below:","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":48,"value":"$35","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":279,"value":"

\n Raw ${tex`\\LaTeX`} Script (`LaTeX_in_Notepad++.tex`)\n

","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"html","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":19,"value":"{ \n const iframe = html``;\n \n iframe.onload = () => {\n const doc = iframe.contentDocument;\n doc.open();\n doc.write(`\n \n \n \n \n \n

\n \n `);\n doc.close();\n doc.getElementById(\"content\").textContent = LaTeX_script;\n };\n\n return iframe;\n}","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":390,"value":"

\n\n---\n\n### References & Community\n\n* Reddit Discussion: Using Notepad++ to compile LaTeX\n* GitHub Gist: Notepad++ LaTeX Compilation Setup Guide & Template\n* LinkedIn Post (July 2026)","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":466,"value":"$36","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":158,"value":"image_LateX_in_Notepad_plusplus = await FileAttachment(\"LateX_in_Notepad++.png\").url()","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":175,"value":"LaTeX_script = FileAttachment(\"LaTeX_in_Notepad++.tex\").text()","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"},{"id":263,"value":"import { pdfView } from \"@saneef/pdf-view\"","pinned":true,"hidden":true,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined"}],"files":"$W37","stdlib":"1","titling":"auto"}} 31:"$30:body"

Part 1: Core Setup

Part 2: Icon Integration on the Toolbar (Optional)

Variables & Functions

Compiled PDF Output

\n Raw ${tex`\\LaTeX`} Script (LaTeX_in_Notepad++.tex)\n

\n Raw ${tex`\\LaTeX`} Script (`LaTeX_in_Notepad++.tex`)\n