Import an existing LaTeX project

Already have a LaTeX project on your computer or in another editor? Put its files in a .zip and import it. Luzbase creates a new project with all your files and folders, ready to compile.

What comes across

Imported	Not imported
Your `.tex`, `.bib`, `.sty`, `.cls` and other source files	Version history, comments and settings from another tool
Images in PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, PDF or EPS format	Unsupported file types, such as SVG images and font files (see step 3)
Your folder structure	Collaborators and sharing

1. Make a .zip of your project

Files on your computer: compress the project folder. On macOS, right-click the folder and choose Compress. On Windows, right-click it and choose Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder.
Another online editor: use its option to download the project’s source as a .zip.

Before you zip, it helps to know two things about your project, because a .zip doesn’t record them: which file is the main document, and which compiler it uses (pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX). Steps 4 and 5 show how Luzbase handles both.

2. Import the .zip

Go to your projects and click New project.
Under Start from, choose Import .zip.
Drop the .zip onto Upload a .zip, or click it to choose the file. The project name is filled in from the file name; change it if you like.
Click Import project.

The New project dialog with Import .zip selected under Start from, a .zip file chosen, and the Import project button

Luzbase uploads the file, checks and extracts it, and opens the new project. Large projects can take a minute. You can close the dialog; the import carries on, and the project appears in your list when it’s ready.

You need a confirmed email address to import a project. A project can hold up to 500 files and 500 MB. For every limit, see Upload and import.

3. Check the import message

When the import finishes, Luzbase tells you if it skipped anything, for example “Skipped 2 files: …”, with the reason for each. Files are skipped when:

The file type isn’t supported. SVG images, font files (.ttf, .otf), Word documents and code files such as .py or .R can’t be stored. Convert SVG images to PDF or PNG and upload them again.
The file is too large. Text files can be up to 1 MB, and images or PDFs up to 10 MB.
The file is a latexmkrc. Luzbase never runs project build scripts.
The file is system clutter, such as __MACOSX or .DS_Store. These are dropped silently.

If some text files use an older encoding, Luzbase converts them to UTF-8 and tells you which ones. Check that their accented letters look right.

4. Check the main file

Luzbase picks the main file for you when it imports. It looks for, in order:

A % !TEX root = … comment at the top of a .tex file, naming the main file.
A file called main.tex at the top level of the project.
The .tex file that has both \documentclass and \begin{document}.

If your project has several candidate files and Luzbase picks the wrong one, rename your main document to main.tex at the top level and import again. See The main file.

5. Check the compiler

Luzbase uses pdfLaTeX unless the main file says otherwise:

It switches to XeLaTeX automatically when the main file loads fontspec, unicode-math, polyglossia, xltxtra or xunicode.
For LuaLaTeX, or to be explicit, add a magic comment on its own line near the top of the main file:

% !TEX program = lualatex
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\begin{document}
Hello from LuaLaTeX.
\end{document}

The supported values are pdflatex, xelatex and lualatex. See Compilers and TeX Live.

6. Compile

Click Compile. Most projects compile unchanged. If yours doesn’t, these are the usual reasons:

Cause	What to do
TeX Live version. Luzbase uses one recent TeX Live distribution for every project.	If your project relied on an older package version, update the code for the current one.
A package that isn’t in TeX Live. Compiles have no internet access, so nothing is downloaded.	Upload the package’s `.sty` or `.cls` file. Luzbase finds it in any folder of the project.
Custom `latexmkrc` rules, such as search paths or extra tools.	They don’t run. Search paths aren’t needed, because Luzbase searches every folder of the project.
Shell escape. Packages that run external programs, such as `minted`, `pythontex` or `svg`, need it, and Luzbase doesn’t allow it.	Use `listings` instead of `minted`, and convert SVG images to PDF.
Custom fonts as `.ttf` or `.otf` files.	Font files can’t be uploaded. Use a font that ships with TeX Live.
A top-level folder named `out`. Luzbase reserves it for compile output.	Rename the folder and update the paths that point to it.

For a specific error message, see Common LaTeX errors.

7. Invite your co-authors

Collaborators don’t come with the .zip. Invite them from the project’s Members tab. See Invite collaborators.