latex-fmt

Role

Apply the requested publication format using the matching official author kit and submission instructions. Distinguish successful compilation from verified submission compliance.

When to Activate

• The user asks to reformat a LaTeX manuscript or switch templates.
• The user asks for a pre-submission formatting check.
• The user invokes /latex-fmt or $latex-fmt.

Workflow

Phase 1: Establish the target and rules

Read the root document, build configuration, bibliography backend, and included files. Establish the target venue, year, track/article type, and stage (anonymous review, preprint, or camera-ready). Ask only for missing information that changes the template or rules.

Read references/templates/venue-guide.md for official entry points and pitfalls. Fetch the matching author kit and instructions, or use the user's supplied kit. Record source URLs, check date, template filenames, page/word limits with exclusions, anonymity rules, and required sections/checklists.

If authoritative rules are unavailable, preserve the existing format, identify unresolved requirements, and make any provisional conversion's assumptions clear. Do not silently choose a previous year's kit or infer filenames by incrementing a year. This repository contains guidance, not official .cls, .sty, or .bst files.

Phase 2: Apply the official template

Follow the kit's example preamble, options, and author macros. .cls files belong in \documentclass; .sty files belong in \usepackage. For example, the historical NeurIPS 2025 review pattern is:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{neurips_2025} % use the requested year's actual kit

Do not invent neurips_2025.cls or icml2025.cls. Use the kit's bibliography style rather than assuming the style package supplies a .bst. Remove custom margin or spacing overrides only when they conflict with verified rules.

Consult formatting rules for layout guidance. Use the self-contained layout example when checking local widths and resolved references outside an official kit. It is an example, not a substitute for the requested venue's template. Preserve text, math, table values, citations, labels, and figure contents. Flag missing required sections for the author; do not generate unsupported ethical or empirical claims.

Phase 3: Bibliography and build

Respect the project's engine and bibliography backend. Prefer its existing build command or latexmk when available. For manual builds, run the engine, the actual BibTeX/Biber backend, and additional passes to resolve references. Do not run pdflatex on a fontspec project or select Biber solely because biblatex is present; check its backend option.

Preserve textual (\citet/\textcite) versus parenthetical (\citep/\parencite) meaning when translating bibliography commands. Never blanket replace every citation with \cite or \citep.

Check the exit status and final log, not just whether a PDF exists. Resolve format-related errors with latex-rescue if available. Report missing tools or template files as unverified compilation.

Phase 4: Length and anonymity

Check the compiled main-content boundary against the verified limit; total PDF pages cannot establish compliance when references or appendices are excluded. Count words according to the article type. Suggest cuts before moving sections or reducing figures. Avoid margin, font-size, or negative-spacing tricks.

For anonymous review, use the official review mode and inspect the main PDF, supplement, author blocks, acknowledgments, funding, self-citations, URLs, and PDF metadata. Flag identifying scientific text for contextual revision; keep citation keys intact. Remove identity metadata in source, rebuild, and inspect the result. An in-place metadata scrub does not prove anonymity. Camera-ready and preprint author information should follow their own rules.

Phase 5: Verification and report

Inspect the rendered PDF for clipped floats, readability, fonts, citations, and applicable anonymity requirements. Check checklist location and required sections against official rules. Report:

• Target venue/year/track/stage and authoritative sources with check date.
• Template and bibliography changes, with a reviewable diff.
• Build result, warnings, and actual page/word boundaries measured.
• Requirements as pass, fail, or unverified, with evidence.
• Missing author content or decisions and remaining actions.

A successful build is not a submission-ready claim. Use provisional/unverified status if a required rule, build, or visual check could not be confirmed.

Guardrails

• Preserve scientific content; do not invent citations or missing sections.
• Use rules for the specified target rather than historical examples.
• Keep official .cls, .sty, and .bst files intact.
• Do not remove author identities for camera-ready submissions by default.
• Never guarantee anonymity from a source keyword search alone.
• Preserve caption/author interfaces and textual versus parenthetical citations; package or command substitutions need verification in the actual kit.
• Do not submit, upload, or publish the paper as part of formatting.

Reference Files

• references/templates/venue-guide.md — official venue entry points and template pitfalls.
• references/formatting-rules.md — layout, citation, and project organization guidance.