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Markdown to PDF converter with PlantUML support

Description

This project utilizes Pandoc and Pandoc PlantUML Filter to generate PDF file out of multiple Markdown files, including diagrams created in PlantUML.

I have used Xelatex as PDF engine.

Dependencies

  • Docker
  • Shell compatible with POSIX

Installing

Clone the repository to your PC

$ git clone [email protected]:Arhimenrius/markdown-to-pdf-with-plantuml.git

And you are ready to go!

How to use

Run following command:

$ /path/to/cloned/tool/run.sh /path/to/directory/with/markdown/files

Documentation

The script is going to combine all files with numeric prefix and .md extension into single, big Markdown file, and then generate PDF file out of it.

Example project schema

| .git
| .gitignore
| 0-Title-Page.md
| 1-Some-information.md
| 2-Another-information.md
| 2.2-Some-subheading-information.md
| 3-Even-more-information.md
| README.md
| logo.png

Convention

I'm personally recommending to create file per top heading. Furthermore, as natural sort is used, you can also separate subheadings to own files (what will improve readability, especially in case of bigger documents).

Using PlantUML

To be able to generate diagrams out of PlantUML syntax, just place the syntax into Markdown code block, for example like:

```plantuml
@startuml
    class TestClass {
        property: String
    }
@enduml
```

The script will resolve them into diagrams in final PDF file.

Styling

You can use Latex syntax in the markdown file (at least \pagebreak). Furthermore, to add things like heading, footer, title page and others, you can utilize YAML configuration, which should be placed on the beginning of first markdown file (didn't test what will happen if will be placed later).

Example:

---
header-includes: |
    \usepackage[export]{adjustbox}
    \usepackage{graphicx}
    \usepackage{fancyhdr}
    \pagestyle{fancy}
    
    \let\oldparagraph\paragraph
    \renewcommand{\paragraph}[1]{\oldparagraph{#1}\mbox{}}
    \let\oldsubparagraph\subparagraph
    \renewcommand{\subparagraph}[1]{\oldsubparagraph{#1}\mbox{}}
    
    \rfoot{\includegraphics[width=3cm,valign=c,scale=0.5,margin=0 0 0 0.3cm]{logo.png}}
    \renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0.4pt}
    \renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0.4pt}  
   
    \setmainfont [ Path = font/, 
        UprightFont = *-Regular,
        BoldFont = *-Bold
    ]
    {Montserrat}
geometry: "left=2.5cm,right=2.5cm,top=3cm,bottom=3cm"
papersize: a4paper
toc: true
output: pdf_document

title: "My Test Document"
author: "Author: Andrzej Wojtyś"
date: "Date: 12.11.2020"
---

Script above adds:

  • title page
  • geometry of document
  • logo to the footer
  • page number to the footer
  • custom font

This style assumes that there is logo.png image and directory font/ with font files.

Files to ignore

I'm trying to remove all things used for generation right after PDF is generated. However, if for some reason they will stay, those are files/directories which can be added to the .gitignore:

/path/to/directory/with/markdown/files/plantuml-images/
/path/to/directory/with/markdown/files/tex*
/path/to/directory/with/markdown/files/complete_markdown.md

Extending capabilities of Xelatex

My script by default installs only those Latex libraries, which I needed. Ff you need even more libraries, modify following line in the Dockerfile: RUN tlmgr install xcolor pgf fancyhdr parskip babel-english units lastpage mdwtools comment psnfss adjustbox collectbox By all needed libraries