Text Formatting ⇒ Reportedly invalid Character
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- Posts: 35
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Reportedly invalid Character
Hello,
I did some changes to a .bib file (added sequences of characters like \c{C}). Afterwards my main .tex file stopped compiling, with (over 100 times issued) error message: "Line 1, !Text line contains an invalid character". Needless to say, there is no weird character on line 1.
I took the bibliography out altogether (after trying to remove all the \c{C}), I still get the same message. Any ideas on to why this happens?
Thanks
I did some changes to a .bib file (added sequences of characters like \c{C}). Afterwards my main .tex file stopped compiling, with (over 100 times issued) error message: "Line 1, !Text line contains an invalid character". Needless to say, there is no weird character on line 1.
I took the bibliography out altogether (after trying to remove all the \c{C}), I still get the same message. Any ideas on to why this happens?
Thanks
Last edited by laailalalaa on Wed Feb 01, 2012 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Posts: 35
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 5:31 pm
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
After trying everything I found online (including another topic from this forum), I deleted the .out file (I'm not sure what it does), as the .log file indicated the problem was on the first line in the .out file (as opposed to TexMaker, that said the problem was in the .tex file).
After that, I could recompile the .tex file. The universe works in misterious ways.
After that, I could recompile the .tex file. The universe works in misterious ways.
- Stefan Kottwitz
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Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Probably you mean the .aux file? Deleting that can fix "mysterious" errors, as even if the .tex document has been changed, the .aux file may still contain errors preventing compilation.
Stefan
Stefan
LaTeX.org admin
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Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Nope, it's an .out file. I think is has smth to do with the hyperref package I'm using. It contains a detailed outline of my paper (up to the subsection level).
- Stefan Kottwitz
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Reportedly invalid Character
Ah, ok, .out should be the bookmark file of hyperref. From the
hyperref manual:

StefanThe bookmark commands are stored in a file called jobname.out. The files is not processed by LaTeX so any markup is passed through. You can postprocess this file as needed; as an aid for this, the .out file is not overwritten on the next TeX run if it is edited to contain the lineCode: Select all
\let\WriteBookmarks\relax
LaTeX.org admin
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Hi every one,
I have a similar problem.
A whol chapter is not working, and when I open it, it showing just a blank sheet, with no content.
Here is the error:
Text line contains an invalid character
in Line 1
One thing more: when I delete this chapter from the chapters folder and put another working chapter with the same name, then it works...
So I dont think that the problem is in the .aux file.
What do you think
I would highly apreciate if you could help me out. I really like latex and dont wanna go back to office because of such problems
Thank you
I have a similar problem.
A whol chapter is not working, and when I open it, it showing just a blank sheet, with no content.
Here is the error:
Text line contains an invalid character
in Line 1
One thing more: when I delete this chapter from the chapters folder and put another working chapter with the same name, then it works...
So I dont think that the problem is in the .aux file.
What do you think
I would highly apreciate if you could help me out. I really like latex and dont wanna go back to office because of such problems

Thank you
- Stefan Kottwitz
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10347
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:44 pm
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Hi Alex,
welcome to the forum!
A quick idea: you could copy the visible content of that chapter file to a new file and use that. Just for the case their might be an invisible character.
Stefan
welcome to the forum!
A quick idea: you could copy the visible content of that chapter file to a new file and use that. Just for the case their might be an invisible character.
Stefan
LaTeX.org admin
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Hi Stefan,
Although I can select them, tey are all actually invisible (character). And I did try this thing to copy them in an other chapter--> it still didnt function
Although I can select them, tey are all actually invisible (character). And I did try this thing to copy them in an other chapter--> it still didnt function
- Stefan Kottwitz
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10347
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:44 pm
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Try to get rid of them ... such as by copying and pasting to a simple text editor, and then copying to a new chapter file. Or remove those characters manually, in that procedure.
Stefan
Stefan
LaTeX.org admin
Re: Reportedly invalid Character
Stefan,
I tried all this small things...!
As I told you before, there is nothing, just a blank sheet. I cant copy any text!
I tried all this small things...!
As I told you before, there is nothing, just a blank sheet. I cant copy any text!