Spaces in filenames and outputdir paths cause OS-dependent and option-dependent errors

[gpoore]

See https://github.com/gpoore/minted/issues/85#issuecomment-669696829 for original source.

Using filenames with spaces under Linux without outputdir seems to work fine (produces a correct PDF), but gives catchfile errors. Using outputdir paths with spaces with outputdir fails without producing a PDF. Some of this seems to involve ifplatform.sty running \ShellEsc around line 94, and quoting a path that is already quoted. outputdir doesn't auto-quote, so it requires manual quoting, and ifplatform.sty assumes no quoting. The manual quoting approach is what allows ~ expansion to work.

Windows is different. When there are spaces in the output directory path, outputdir needs to be quoted. When that is used with -file-line-error or -recorder, compilation fails. This is due to some operation that strips spaces from filenames.

It may be impossible to have a solution that works with ifplatform.sty (assumes no quoting under Linux, wraps with quotes) while also allowing ~ expansion. Alternatives may involve patching ifplatform.sty or using a different approach to OS detection.

[yihuajack]

I would add that this problem also occurs under Windows if the filename in braces is not quoted. The error information is

Package minted Error: Missing Pygments output; \inputminted was
probably given a file that does not exist--otherwise, you may need 
the outputdir package option, or may be using an incompatible build tool,
or may be using frozencache with a missing file.

[muzimuzhi]

Alternatives may involve patching ifplatform.sty or using a different approach to OS detection.

The expl3 programming environment provides \sys_if_platform_windows:TF {<true code>} {<false code>} and similar functions. See one possible emulation in https://github.com/wspr/will2e/issues/12#issuecomment-1724524879.