Advanced Usage of PaperCraftr

PaperCraftr provides advanced features for users who want more control over how the tool interacts with their projects. This guide will walk you through these features, including multi-prompt responses, file backups, and the reload-files command.

Multiple Prompts Feature

By default, PaperCraftr uses multiple prompts when generating or refining content. This feature allows for more detailed and comprehensive outputs by breaking the response into parts and requesting confirmation before continuing. If you prefer a single, uninterrupted response, you can disable this feature by editing the Papercraftr.json configuration file.

In your papercraftr.json file:

{
  "multiple_answer": false
}

With multiple_answer set to false, PaperCraftr will generate a single, complete response for any prompt, without dividing it into sections.

Backup Files

PaperCraftr automatically creates backups of any files it modifies. These backup files have a .back extension and are created in the same directory as the original file. This feature ensures that you always have a copy of your previous work and can easily revert to a previous state if needed.

For example, if you run a command to generate or refine a chapter, PaperCraftr will create a backup of the current file before making any changes:

chapters/chapter_1.md
chapters/chapter_1.md.back

The backup file allows you to compare the before and after states or recover content if needed.

Reload Files with Papercraftr reload-files

The reload-files command is a powerful feature that allows you to synchronize your local content with the retrieval system used by PaperCraftr. This ensures that any recent changes you’ve made are correctly picked up by the assistant, enhancing its understanding of your story before you execute additional commands.

Example Usage: 

Papercraftr reload-files --book-path "path/to/your/book"

This command will:

  • Re-sync all content: It updates the assistant’s context to reflect any new or edited content in your project.
  • Overwrite current agent files: All agent files will be overwritten, ensuring the latest versions are used for retrieval during prompts.

When to Use reload-files

  • After Manual Edits: If you’ve made manual changes to the markdown files within your book project, use reload-files to ensure these changes are understood by PaperCraftr before running new commands.
  • After Deleting Content: If you delete any sections or chapters, running reload-files will help PaperCraftr adapt to the new structure of your project, avoiding references to content that no longer exists.

Summary

  • Multiple Prompts: Enabled by default, but can be turned off for a single-response output.
  • Backup Files: Automatically generated with a .back extension for every modified file.
  • Reload Files: Use Papercraftr reload-files to update the assistant’s context after making manual changes.
  • Custom Sections: Create custom sections between methodology and results with specified order numbers.

These advanced features provide greater control over your workflow and ensure that your project evolves smoothly and consistently.

Custom Sections

PaperCraftr allows you to create custom sections between the methodology and results sections of your paper. This is useful for papers that require additional sections like theoretical frameworks, data collection details, or specialized analyses.

Creating Custom Sections

To create a custom section, use the custom command with the --order option to specify its position:

papercraftr generate_section custom --order 1 "Theoretical Framework" "Develop a theoretical framework that connects AI models with cognitive processes."

The --order parameter determines the sequence of custom sections. For example:

  • --order 1 places the section immediately after methodology
  • --order 2 places it after the first custom section
  • And so on…

File Naming Convention

Custom sections are saved with filenames that include their order number and title:

sections/custom_1_theoretical_framework.md
sections/custom_2_data_collection.md

This naming convention ensures that sections are processed in the correct order when generating the final PDF.

Refining Custom Sections

You can refine custom sections just like any other section:

papercraftr generate_section custom --order 1 "Theoretical Framework" "Add more details about the connection between neural networks and memory processes."

The system will recognize the existing section and refine it rather than creating a new one.

Publishing Options

PaperCraftr provides several advanced options for publishing your papers:

Custom Templates

You can use custom LaTeX templates for your papers. The default template is IEEE format, but you can create your own:

papercraftr publish pdf en --template path/to/your/template.tex

Translation Support

PaperCraftr supports translation of papers using OpenAI’s translation capabilities:

papercraftr publish pdf en --translate es

This will translate your paper from English to Spanish before generating the PDF.

Custom Output Directory

By default, PDFs are saved in the output directory. You can specify a custom output directory:

papercraftr publish pdf en --output-dir path/to/output

Custom Sections in PDF

PaperCraftr automatically detects and includes custom sections from the sections directory. These sections are appended to the end of your paper in alphabetical order.

To add a custom section:

  1. Create a new Markdown file in the sections directory
  2. Name it according to your desired order (e.g., 01_custom_section.md)
  3. The section will be automatically included when you publish your paper

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with PDF generation:

  1. Missing Dependencies: Ensure Pandoc and pdflatex are installed correctly
  2. Template Errors: Check your LaTeX template for syntax errors
  3. Translation Issues: Verify your OpenAI API key is set correctly
  4. Custom Sections: Ensure your custom sections are properly formatted Markdown

For more detailed information about publishing, see the Publishing Guide.