Timothy Murphy <[log in to unmask]> writes:

> On Sunday 21 March 2004 18:26, David Kastrup wrote:
>
> > That would mean that I could start an included file chapter2.tex
> > with
> >
> >   \includeonly[mainfile]{chapter2}
> >
> > and compilation of chapter2.tex would then instead compile mainfile
> > with \includeonly{chapter2} active.
> >
> > Something like that.  This would make working with \includeonly a lot
> > more convenient.
>
> Doesn't askinclude.sty do something like this?
> Then you can just say "latex mainfile"
> and specify chapter 2 once -
> it remembers your choice on subsequent occasions,
> unless you change it.

That's rather inconvenient to use in a typical TeX shell, whereas
running a file through the shell (or on the command line) is
comparatively easy.

Of course, as proposed this has to be in the core: an included file
can't request loading a package in case it is actually only included
instead of being run as the main file.

> But I'm sure you know all that - you probably wrote asking.sty .

Pffft.  I wrote almost nothing.  I am just good at bragging.

--
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum