Compile appendix but don't print it

Question

I have a report that is 50 pages with a 250 page appendix. I want to create two PDF files, one with and without the appendix. The main chapters of the report reference the appendices, and so I want those links to be preserved.

I'm compiling the report with pdfLaTeX (and Knitr). I tried using the R package pdftools but that breaks my hyperlinks.

Is there a LaTeX based solution to this? I've seen people use pdftk, but I don't have access to this on my computer at work.

Here's an example. I want to compile the entire report to keep the links and references, but don't want the appendix included.

\documentclass{report}

\begin{document}

    \chapter{Report}
    Report body.

    I want to reference \ref{sec:appendix1}

    \appendix

    \chapter{Appendix}
    Here's a really long appendix with a reference \label{sec:appendix1}.

\end{document}

I am using those, but when you don’t include the appendix, it doesn’t create the references (they show up as ??) unless I’m mistaken — Lloyd Christmas, Feb 08 '20 at 02:19
You need to compile it once with \includeonly{main,appendix}, where main.tex contains `\chapter{Report} Report body.
I want to reference \ref{sec:appendix1}` and `appendix.tex` contains `\appendix \chapter{Appendix} Here's a really long appendix with a reference \label{sec:appendix1}.`. After the first compilation you can use `\includeonly{main}` and the references will show (since you have created the aux file in the first run) but the appendix will no longer be compiled nor shown in the resulting pdf. — , Feb 08 '20 at 02:25
Does this answer your question? latexmk with external references — GoingMyWay, May 29 '21 at 01:45
@Mensch -- The poster who provided the useful answer is no longer active, but the answer is nice and "clean", and I can't find a decent duplicate. Can you post an answer including this information? It would be too bad to lose it, which could happen if this question is deleted. — barbara beeton, May 29 '21 at 18:42
@barbarabeeton I retracted my close vote and added an answer ... — Mensch, May 31 '21 at 01:52

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 31 '21 at 01:51

Well, in an comment user user194703 mentioned, that commands \include and \includeonly can do what you want. Let us take a look into details ...

Please see that you need two tex files, for example main.tex

\chapter{Report}
Report body.
I want to reference \ref{sec:appendix1}

and appendix.tex

\appendix
\chapter{Appendix}
Here's a really long appendix with a reference \label{sec:appendix1}.

to be included in your file mwe.tex like this:

\documentclass{report}
\includeonly{main,appendix}% <========================================== first compile run
%\includeonly{main}% <================================================== second and more runs
\begin{document}
\include{main.tex} % <==================================================
\include{appendix.tex}% <===============================================
\end{document}

Command \includeonly{main,appendix} in your preamble includes only the two files main.tex and appendix.tex (there might be more files included in your document) into the compile run with the result that you get the two files main.aux and appendix.aux containing the needed informations for correct references.

Please see that after the first run you see only ?? instead a reference (that is okay! a second run is needed).

For the second (and third etc) run move the %sign to have only command \includeonly{main} called:

\documentclass{report}
%\includeonly{main,appendix}
\includeonly{main}% <================================================== second and more runs
\begin{document}
\include{main.tex} % <==================================================
\include{appendix.tex}% <===============================================
\end{document}

Then you get thw wished result: no appendix printed, but the reference to Appendix A is printed as you can see in the following pdf:

Great answer, nonetheless more care is needed for the bibliography, otherwise citations from the appendix will bleed into the bibliography. If one wants the short version: bibtex/biber should be run while the appendix is not included and there is no file appendix.aux. — Cryme, Dec 27 '22 at 17:51

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 28 '21 at 14:40

0

Here is a very simple tutorial for you:

https://www.overleaf.com/learn/how-to/Cross_referencing_with_the_xr_package_in_Overleaf

It solved my problem.

answered May 28 '21 at 14:40

GoingMyWay

387

Compile appendix but don't print it

2 Answers2

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