[Tex/LaTex] PdfLatex call does not work with graphics package and eps figure

epstopdfgraphicspdftex

I noticed that pdflatex does not compile the following minimal working example with an eps figure when the additional options are used for the graphics in the \includegraphics part. Without the additional options everything works fine. I tried compiling the source with latex command and everything works fine. I read about these engines and concluded that they are essentially the same program invoked with different options. I really wonder why there are problems with pdf output and not with dvi output. As far as I know these two engines should be using the same format, i.e LaTeX.

I also noticed that I did not have to use epstopdf package. Why is this the case?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[pdftex]{graphics}
\usepackage{float}
%\usepackage{epstopdf}

\begin{document}
    \begin{figure}[H]        
% \includegraphics[width=3.25in,height=3.25in]{trial.eps}
         \includegraphics[15,10][34,45]{trial.eps}
    \end{figure}
\end{document}

Best Answer

The set of file types allowed for image inclusion depends on the driver or back end being used.

"Traditionally" pdflatex does not allow EPS and latex/dvips do not allow pdf and you would have an error about unknown graphics type.

However pdflatex these days calls eps2pdf in the background to convert an EPS file to pdf so it can be included.

However I get

! Undefined control sequence.
<argument> ...onverted-to.pdf image\GPT@AttrShort

which means probably that no one has ever tried this with the graphics as opposed to graphicx package version.

Probably that's a bug, I'll see what I can do, but really there are no advantages to using graphics rather than graphicx and if you use the graphicx version it all works.

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