Simple test case latex source
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pstool}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\psfragfig*{comparison01-matlabfrag}
\end{figure}
\end{document}
Errors logfile( texlive 2011 on windows 7):
This is pdfTeX, Version 3.1415926-2.3-1.40.12 (Web2C 2011) (format=pdflatex 2012.6.5) 15 JUN 2012 16:31
entering extended mode
\write18 enabled.
%&-line parsing enabled.
**learningexamnew.tex
(./learningexamnew.tex
Package grfext Info: Graphics extension search list:
(grfext) [.png,.pdf,.jpg,.mps,.jpeg,.jbig2,.jb2,.PNG,.PDF,.JPG,.JPE
G,.JBIG2,.JB2,.eps]
(grfext) \AppendGraphicsExtensions on input line 452.
(c:/texlive/2011/texmf-dist/tex/latex/latexconfig/epstopdf-sys.cfg
File: epstopdf-sys.cfg 2010/07/13 v1.3 Configuration of (r)epstopdf for TeX Liv
e
))
runsystem(echo "
=== pstool: begin processing ===")...executed.
\openout4 = `./comparison01-matlabfrag-pstool.tex'.
runsystem(cd "./" & latex -shell-escape -output-format=dvi -output-directory=".
/" -interaction=batchmode "comparison01-matlabfrag-pstool.tex" & call echo ^%E
RRORLEVEL^%> pstool-statusfile.txt)...executed.
(./pstool-statusfile.txt)
runsystem(cd "./"& del "pstool-statusfile.txt" )...executed.
! Missing number, treated as zero.
<to be read again>
T
l.7 \end
{figure}
A number should have been here; I inserted `0'.
(If you can't figure out why I needed to see a number,
look up `weird error' in the index to The TeXbook.)
! Missing = inserted for \ifnum.
<to be read again>
T
l.7 \end
{figure}
I was expecting to see `<', `=', or `>'. Didn't.
! Missing number, treated as zero.
<to be read again>
T
l.7 \end
{figure}
A number should have been here; I inserted `0'.
(If you can't figure out why I needed to see a number,
look up `weird error' in the index to The TeXbook.)
! Missing { inserted.
<to be read again>
e
l.7 \end
{figure}
A left brace was mandatory here, so I've put one in.
You might want to delete and/or insert some corrections
so that I will find a matching right brace soon.
(If you're confused by all this, try typing `I}' now.)
)
Runaway text?
enabled. entering extended mode "eERRORLEVELe" > \z@ \PackageWarning \ETC.
! File ended while scanning text of \write.
<inserted text>
}
<*> learningexamnew.tex
I suspect you have forgotten a `}', causing me
to read past where you wanted me to stop.
I'll try to recover; but if the error is serious,
you'd better type `E' or `X' now and fix your file.
! Emergency stop.
<*> learningexamnew.tex
(job aborted, no legal \end found)
I had similar problem with pstool, while working with pdflatex shell-escape options. I have used matlabfrag to generate .eps and .tex figures from Matlab.
The problem started when i update the Miktex packages on 30 May 2011 (Approx) when Ghostscrpit bin was updated.
Before that the auxillary process of generating pictures was fine with pstool package. I have mailed the problem to the Developer of Pstool(https://tex.stackexchange.com/users/179/will-robertson).
I am waiting for the reply from Will Robertson. The problem may be due to ifplatform package recognition for the OS
I have checked on Linux with texlive 2011, its working fine. There is problem of pstool on Windows, with miktex 2.9 latest and also with texlive 2011 on windows in the PDFLATEX route. For a texlive 2011 on windows, there is problem reported here
texlive shell escape problems with psfrag
(May be both questions can be combined as one)
When i checked with options [cleanup={}], you can analyze the problem in auxillary process. For me it stops at Postscript figure creation. Normally it should create a PDF of the text included postscript file. My guess would be Ghostscript binary are not picked properly by the auxillary process of pstool. Somewhere around ps2pdf operation. I spent a lot of time debugging the problem and googling for solutions.
If we go through the Latex-DVI route. pstool works fine for me. But i have lot of .png files in my .tex file. Hence i choose pdflatex route.
The workaround would be apply latex-dvi until we get the PDF with proper text font and then run pdflatex asusual.
I have switched to linux to work on this project temporarily until there would be some solution from Miktex or pstool authors.
Best Answer
The last two who had this error had a problem with a virus program kicking in (Avast in both cases).
See e.g. https://github.com/MiKTeX/miktex/issues/585