ValueError: xelatex error converting to xdv, cannot display Chinese character

[yasenstar]

Description of bug / unexpected behavior

I'm learning https://docs.manim.community/en/stable/guides/using_text.html#latex-maths-fonts-the-template-library, the second sample, and make it simpler with only Chinese character: 你好.

from manim import *

class LaTeXTemplateLibrary(Scene):
    def construct(self):
        tex = Tex(
            r"{你好}",
            tex_template=TexTemplateLibrary.ctex,
            font_size = 96
            # font = "simhei"
        )
        self.add(tex)

but get this error:

manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo






PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo





PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo



PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo

PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo

PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py demo
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python> cd .\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10
PS D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10> manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py LaTeXTemplateLibrary
Manim Community v0.18.1


Sorry, but miktex-makemf did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-makemf.log
Couldn't open `OT:script=hani;language=dfl.cfg'

hbf2gf (CJK ver. 4.8.4)


Sorry, but miktex-maketfm did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-maketfm.log

Sorry, but miktex-makemf did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-makemf.log
Couldn't open `OT:script=hani;language=dfl.cfg'

hbf2gf (CJK ver. 4.8.4)


Sorry, but miktex-maketfm did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-maketfm.log

Sorry, but miktex-makemf did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-makemf.log
Couldn't open `OT:script=hani;language=dfl.cfg'

hbf2gf (CJK ver. 4.8.4)


Sorry, but miktex-maketfm did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-maketfm.log

Sorry, but miktex-makemf did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-makemf.log
Couldn't open `OT:script=hani;language=dfl.cfg'

hbf2gf (CJK ver. 4.8.4)


Sorry, but miktex-maketfm did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-maketfm.log

Sorry, but miktex-makemf did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-makemf.log
Couldn't open `OT:script=hani;language=dfl.cfg'

hbf2gf (CJK ver. 4.8.4)


Sorry, but miktex-maketfm did not succeed.

The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:

  C:\Users\v0cn037\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\miktex\log\miktex-maketfm.log
[12/10/24 10:19:01] ERROR    LaTeX compilation error: Package fontspec Error:   tex_file_writing.py:314

╭─────────────────────────────── Traceback (most recent call last) ────────────────────────────────╮
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\cli\render\commands.py:120 in render                      │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│   117 │   │   │   try:                                                                           │   
│   118 │   │   │   │   with tempconfig({}):                                                       │   
│   119 │   │   │   │   │   scene = SceneClass()                                                   │   
│ ❱ 120 │   │   │   │   │   scene.render()                                                         │   
│   121 │   │   │   except Exception:                                                              │   
│   122 │   │   │   │   error_console.print_exception()                                            │   
│   123 │   │   │   │   sys.exit(1)                                                                │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\scene\scene.py:229 in render                              │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│    226 │   │   """                                                                               │   
│    227 │   │   self.setup()                                                                      │   
│    228 │   │   try:                                                                              │   
│ ❱  229 │   │   │   self.construct()                                                              │   
│    230 │   │   except EndSceneEarlyException:                                                    │   
│    231 │   │   │   pass                                                                          │   
│    232 │   │   except RerunSceneException as e:                                                  │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ D:\GitHub\python\Manim\2_Thematic\2.3_Text-Formula\2_text_with_LaTeX\2.3_2_10\TemplateLib.py:5   │   
│ in construct                                                                                     │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│    2                                                                                             │   
│    3 class LaTeXTemplateLibrary(Scene):                                                          │   
│    4 │   def construct(self):                                                                    │   
│ ❱  5 │   │   tex = Tex(                                                                          │   
│    6 │   │   │   r"{你好}",                                                                      │   
│    7 │   │   │   tex_template=TexTemplateLibrary.ctex,                                           │   
│    8 │   │   │   font_size = 96                                                                  │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\mobject\text\tex_mobject.py:443 in __init__               │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│   440 │   def __init__(                                                                          │   
│   441 │   │   self, *tex_strings, arg_separator="", tex_environment="center", **kwargs           │   
│   442 │   ):                                                                                     │   
│ ❱ 443 │   │   super().__init__(                                                                  │   
│   444 │   │   │   *tex_strings,                                                                  │   
│   445 │   │   │   arg_separator=arg_separator,                                                   │   
│   446 │   │   │   tex_environment=tex_environment,                                               │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\mobject\text\tex_mobject.py:293 in __init__               │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│   290 │   │   │   │   │   │   """,                                                               │   
│   291 │   │   │   │   │   ),                                                                     │   
│   292 │   │   │   │   )                                                                          │   
│ ❱ 293 │   │   │   raise compilation_error                                                        │   
│   294 │   │   self.set_color_by_tex_to_color_map(self.tex_to_color_map)                          │   
│   295 │   │                                                                                      │   
│   296 │   │   if self.organize_left_to_right:                                                    │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\mobject\text\tex_mobject.py:272 in __init__               │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│   269 │   │   self.brace_notation_split_occurred = False                                         │   
│   270 │   │   self.tex_strings = self._break_up_tex_strings(tex_strings)                         │   
│   271 │   │   try:                                                                               │   
│ ❱ 272 │   │   │   super().__init__(                                                              │   
│   273 │   │   │   │   self.arg_separator.join(self.tex_strings),                                 │   
│   274 │   │   │   │   tex_environment=self.tex_environment,                                      │   
│   275 │   │   │   │   tex_template=self.tex_template,                                            │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\mobject\text\tex_mobject.py:81 in __init__                │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│    78 │   │                                                                                      │   
│    79 │   │   assert isinstance(tex_string, str)                                                 │   
│    80 │   │   self.tex_string = tex_string                                                       │   
│ ❱  81 │   │   file_name = tex_to_svg_file(                                                       │   
│    82 │   │   │   self._get_modified_expression(tex_string),                                     │   
│    83 │   │   │   environment=self.tex_environment,                                              │   
│    84 │   │   │   tex_template=self.tex_template,                                                │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\utils\tex_file_writing.py:63 in tex_to_svg_file           │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│    60 │   if svg_file.exists():                                                                  │   
│    61 │   │   return svg_file                                                                    │   
│    62 │                                                                                          │   
│ ❱  63 │   dvi_file = compile_tex(                                                                │   
│    64 │   │   tex_file,                                                                          │   
│    65 │   │   tex_template.tex_compiler,                                                         │   
│    66 │   │   tex_template.output_format,                                                        │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│ C:\tools\Manim\Lib\site-packages\manim\utils\tex_file_writing.py:213 in compile_tex              │   
│                                                                                                  │   
│   210 │   │   if exit_code != 0:                                                                 │   
│   211 │   │   │   log_file = tex_file.with_suffix(".log")                                        │   
│   212 │   │   │   print_all_tex_errors(log_file, tex_compiler, tex_file)                         │   
│ ❱ 213 │   │   │   raise ValueError(                                                              │   
│   214 │   │   │   │   f"{tex_compiler} error converting to"                                      │   
│   215 │   │   │   │   f" {output_format[1:]}. See log output above or"                           │   
│   216 │   │   │   │   f" the log file: {log_file}",                                              │   
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯   
ValueError: xelatex error converting to xdv. See log output above or the log file:
media\Tex\feef9d8b4eb4a6d8.log
Program 'manim.exe' failed to run: Index was outside the bounds of the array.At line:1 char:1
+ manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py LaTeXTemplateLibrary
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ manim -pql .\TemplateLib.py LaTeXTemplateLibrary
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed

Expected behavior

Should have the Chinese word displayed

How to reproduce the issue

See the code already pasted

Additional media files

None

Logs

None

System specifications

System Details

• OS (with version, e.g., Windows 10 v2004 or macOS 10.15 (Catalina)): Windows 11
• RAM: 64GB
• Python version (python/py/python3 --version): 3.13
• Installed modules (provide output from pip list):

Package           Version
----------------- -----------
click             8.1.7
cloup             3.0.5
colorama          0.4.6
decorator         5.1.1
glcontext         3.0.0
isosurfaces       0.1.2
manim             0.18.1
ManimPango        0.6.0
mapbox_earcut     1.0.2
markdown-it-py    3.0.0
mdurl             0.1.2
moderngl          5.12.0
moderngl-window   3.0.3
networkx          3.4.2
numpy             2.2.0
pillow            11.0.0
pip               24.3.1
pycairo           1.27.0
pydub             0.25.1
pyglet            2.0.20
PyGLM             2.7.3
Pygments          2.18.0
rich              13.9.4
scipy             1.14.1
screeninfo        0.8.1
setuptools        75.6.0
skia-pathops      0.8.0.post2
srt               3.5.3
svgelements       1.9.6
tqdm              4.67.1
typing_extensions 4.12.2
watchdog          6.0.0
wheel             0.45.1

Thanks,
Xiaoqi

[uwezi]

ValueError: xelatex error converting to xdv. See log output above or the log file:
media\Tex\feef9d8b4eb4a6d8.log

this log-file might hold the crucial information needed to understand what the cause of the problem is. But I suggest you come over to Discord where we have discussed similar problems before and there is also a Chines-language group
https://docs.manim.community/en/stable/faq/general.html?highlight=discord#where-can-i-find-more-resources-for-learning-manim

I almost assume that you are lacking a certain font on your system which would be necessary to render the code in LaTeX. On my system the example works without a problem:

[yasenstar]

Thanks and I'll follow up as you mentioned