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Adapting TeXnicCenter for processing ConTeXt documents

You can build and view a ConTeXt document in TeXnicCenter as follows:

  • Follow the instructions for installing ConTeXt under Windows.
  • Make sure that ruby and perl are in your PATH (Start menu -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Environment Variables; then edit PATH). In my system (root = C:\ConTeXt) the first items are: C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\ruby\bin; C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\ruby\lib; C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\perl\bin; C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\perl\lib
  • Start TeXnicCenter. From the menu select: Build -> Define Output Profiles.
  • Add a Profile with the name ConTeXt.
  • Check "Run (La)TeX in this profile".
  • Under "Path to the (La)TeX compiler" enter:

C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\tex\setuptex.bat & C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\tex\texmf-mswin\bin\texmfstart
If you have another root, then change C:\ConTeXt accordingly.

  • Under "Command line arguments to pass to the compiler" enter:

texexec.rb, the parameters and "%bm" for the file to be compiled. In my case this line reads as follows:
texexec.rb --bat --nonstop --pdf --interface=nl --color "%bm"

Now your ConTeXt file should compile after selecting "Build -> Build" from the menu or pressing Ctrl+F7 or clicking on the corresponding toolbar icon.

  • For installing Acrobat Reader as your viewer again select: Build -> Define Output Profiles.
  • Select the tab "Viewer".
  • Under "Path of Executable" you enter the path to the program AcroRd32.exe
  • Under "View project's output" select: "DDE command".
  • The Command should be: [DocOpen("%bm.pdf")][FileOpen("%bm.pdf")]
  • Server is "acroview" and Topic: "control"
  • Same choices for "Forward Search" and "Close document before running (La)TeX", except for the Command which in the latter case should be: [DocClose("%bm.pdf")]

Automatically deleting unnecessary auxiliary files after compilation is realised as follows:

  • Select: Build -> Define Output Profiles.
  • Select the tab "Postprocessor".
  • Create a new item "cleanup" by clicking on the first icon after the text "Postprocessors to run after the (La)TeX-compiler".
  • In the edit line after "Executable" enter:

C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\tex\setuptex.bat & C:\ConTeXt\usr\local\context\tex\texmf-mswin\bin\texmfstart.exe
And in the edit line after "Arguments" enter:
texutil.rb --purgeall.
If you have another root, then change C:\ConTeXt accordingly.