[Tex/LaTex] Odd graphics error — “division by 0”

errorsgraphics

When I compile this code in xelatex…

\documentclass[letterpaper]{texMemo}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\memoto{You}
\memofrom{Me}
\memodate{\today}
\memosubject{Some stuff}
\logo{\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{/Dropbox/foo/bar/baz/my_cool_logo_file.png}}

\begin{document}

    \maketitle

    \lipsum[1]

\end{document}

I get errors about unable to load picture or PDF file and package graphics Error: division by 0. I did find this page, which looked promising, but it didn't solve the problem. I also had a look at the grffile package, but it didn't seem to offer anything I could use. How should I fix this problem?

Best Answer

The unable to load picture or PDF file error is a clue that something's wrong, not on the TeX side but on the filesystem side. Possible causes include a corrupted image file, a permissions-protected image file, or a nonexistent image file. The division by 0 error is secondary to the first: TeX is trying to draw a box without having dimensions to form its corners.

If you can open and view the image with a previewer then it's likely the problem is not with the file itself (or its permissions, since TeX is running as you). So I guessed the nonexistent file, i.e., bad file name. Knowing that Dropbox usually doesn't mount at the top level of the file system was another clue that the path was wrong.

cfr's check that this is the problem is worth repeating.

copy the image file to the working directory, delete the leading parts of the path from the filename in the source, and try compiling.

It's another example of how simplifying the non-compiling document down to the barest bones can isolate the error.

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