Troubleshooting

Fix upload, compile, citation, figure, and evidence issues.

DOCUMENTEDUPDATED AUG 2026

Start with the first error in the compile log. Later errors are often side effects. Preserve a copy of the generated output before making structural fixes.

Upload problems#

Overleaf cannot find `main.tex`

You may have zipped the outer journal-output/ folder instead of using the generated archive. Upload submission/overleaf-upload.zip exactly as produced.

ZIP ROOT

✓ submission/overleaf-upload.zip → main.tex at ZIP root
✕ journal-output.zip → submission/overleaf-upload/main.tex

The ZIP is rejected or too large

Remove unused raw media and intermediate analysis files from the upload copy. Keep them in the source workspace; the Overleaf bundle should contain only manuscript dependencies.

Compile problems#

Missing .cls or .sty

Copy the official class or style file into the project root, then recompile. Do not substitute an unrelated package.

Undefined control sequence

Check that the journal package providing the command is present and loaded. Compare against the official sample manuscript.

Wrong compiler

Open README_OVERLEAF.md and match the project compiler to the documented setting.

Build works locally, not online

Check filename case, relative paths, and packages unavailable in Overleaf’s current TeX distribution.

Citation problems#

Citations show as `[?]`

Confirm that the citation key exists in references.bib, the bibliography filename matches main.tex, and the configured backend matches the document.

A reference is present but incomplete

Repair the BibTeX entry using a reliable bibliographic source. Do not invent missing DOI, page, volume, or author data.

Figure problems#

Symptom	Check
Figure not found	Path, filename spelling, and capitalization
Blank or broken PDF	Export compatibility and embedded fonts
Figure floats too far	Placement specifier and surrounding text; avoid forcing every float
Image looks soft	Replace with vector PDF or higher-resolution raster

Content and evidence#

The manuscript contains an unsupported statement

Trace it to the source folder. If the evidence is absent, delete the statement or mark it as an unresolved author query. Add the missing source before asking the agent to revise.

Two source files disagree

Do not silently choose one. Record the conflict in the workspace README, identify the authoritative source, and rerun only the affected section.