miktex-pdftex 1 &PACKAGE_NAME; &miktexrev; User Commands
miktex-pdftex &DVI;/&PDF; output from &TeX;
&miktexpdftex; option file \command

## Description

Run the &pdfTeX; typesetter on file, usually creating `file.pdf`. If the file argument has no extension, `.tex` will be appended to it. Instead of a file name, a set of &pdfTeX; commands can be given, the first of which must start with a backslash. With a `&format` argument &pdfTeX; uses a different set of precompiled commands, contained in `format.fmt`; it is usually better to use the `--undump=format` option instead.

&pdfTeX; is a version of &TeX;, with the &eTeX; extensions, that can create &PDF; files as well as &DVI; files.

In &DVI; mode, &pdfTeX; can be used as a complete replacement for the &TeX; engine.

The typical use of &pdfTeX; is with a pregenerated formats for which &PDF; output has been enabled. The &miktexpdftex; command uses the equivalent of the plain &TeX; format, and the &miktexpdflatex; command uses the equivalent of the &LaTeX; format. To generate formats, use the `--initialize` switch.

In &PDF; mode, &pdfTeX; can natively handle the &PDF;, &JPG;, JBIG2 and &PNG; graphics formats. &pdfTeX; cannot include &PostScript; or Encapsulated &PostScript; (&EPS;) graphics files; first convert them to &PDF; using miktex-epstopdf 1. &pdfTeX;’s handling of its command-line arguments is similar to that of of the other &TeX; programs in the &MiKTeX; implementation.

## Options

`--draftmode`

  Sets \pdfdraftmode so &pdfTeX; doesn't write a &PDF; and doesn't read any included images, thus speeding up execution.

  --draftmode
`--output-format=format`

  Set the output format mode, where format must be either `dvi` or `pdf`. This also influences the set of graphics formats understood by &pdfTeX;.

--output-format=format

## Files

- pdftex.cfg 5

## Environment

## See also

- miktex-epstopdf 1

The full &pdfTeX; manual can be accessed from the home page or &CTAN; page.