Are you sure you're using the default template, and not
a custom template (perhaps shadowing the default from
~/.pandoc/templates or ~/.local/share/pandoc/templates)?

The template should contain the line

\author{$for(author)$author$sep$ \and $endfor$}


Ramiro Alvarez Ugarte <rami...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> writes:

> Hi —- I think I might have found a bug. I haven’t been able to find a
> discussion on this topic, so I am posting here first in case I am wrong.
>
> It happens when converting a simple .md file into .pdf using a YAML
> front-matter (pasted belor). I would get the following error:
>
> Error producing PDF.
> ! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
>
> See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
> Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
>  ...                                              
>
> l.51 A
>
> When issuing the --verbose command I come up with a little more detail
> (just pasting the relevant section, full output attached).
>
> ! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
>
> See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
> Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
>  ...                                              
>
> l.51 A
>       uthor B. Problem
> !  ==> Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced!
> Transcript written on /private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/
> tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223/input.log.
>
> As you can see, the relevant problem seems to be when trying to render
> author, when parsing the fields in the YAML front-matter the author field
> is ignored:
>
> \title{Title works fine}
> Author B. Problem
> \date{2020-04-15}
>
> I am working with MacOs High Sierra 10.13.6
> pandoc 2.9.2.1
> pdfTeX 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.21 (TeX Live 2020)
> kpathsea version 6.3.2
>
> In a different computer, with older versions of both LaTeX (TexLive 2017)
> and Pandoc (2.9.1.1) the problem does not exist and the file compiles with
> no issue whatsoever. I did check however the template pandoc -D latex in
> case it was corrupted for some reason, but the file is the same in both
> computers. I also tried different ways of introducing the author
> information in the YAML front-matter, following the alternatives documented
> in the User’s Guide but all led to the same error.
>
> Of course, when I remove the author from the YAML front-matter the file is
> converted as expected.
> YAML front-matter
>
> ---
> title: Title works fine
> author: Author B. Problem
> date: 2020-04-15
> ...
>
> ​
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "pandoc-discuss" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pandoc-...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pandoc-discuss/66e919a8-9ea6-4a59-a04f-70bf0008787f%40googlegroups.com.
> ```
> [makePDF] temp dir:
> /private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223
> [makePDF] Command line:
> pdflatex "-halt-on-error" "-interaction" "nonstopmode" "-output-directory" "/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223" "/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223/input.tex"
>
> [makePDF] Environment:
> ("TEXINPUTS","/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223:")
> ("TEXMFOUTPUT","/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223")
> ("rvm_bin_path","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/bin")
> ("TERM_PROGRAM","Apple_Terminal")
> ("GEM_HOME","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.4.1")
> ("SHELL","/bin/bash")
> ("TERM","xterm-256color")
> ("IRBRC","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.4.1/.irbrc")
> ("TMPDIR","/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/")
> ("Apple_PubSub_Socket_Render","/private/tmp/com.apple.launchd.E7K89N4Qi6/Render")
> ("TERM_PROGRAM_VERSION","404.1")
> ("OLDPWD","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/Dropbox")
> ("MY_RUBY_HOME","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.4.1")
> ("TERM_SESSION_ID","3288BEC7-8740-4602-AF1A-EAD3D419AD03")
> ("USER","ramiroalvarezugarte")
> ("_system_type","Darwin")
> ("rvm_path","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm")
> ("SSH_AUTH_SOCK","/private/tmp/com.apple.launchd.3Bo6Pd0LBq/Listeners")
> ("rvm_prefix","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte")
> ("PATH","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/Downloads/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.4.1/bin:/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.4.1@global/bin:/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.4.1/bin:/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/Library/TeX/texbin:/usr/local/MacGPG2/bin:/opt/X11/bin:/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/bin")
> ("PWD","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/Dropbox/Working_papers")
> ("LANG","en_US.UTF-8")
> ("_system_arch","x86_64")
> ("XPC_FLAGS","0x0")
> ("_system_version","10.13")
> ("XPC_SERVICE_NAME","0")
> ("rvm_version","1.29.3 (latest)")
> ("SHLVL","1")
> ("HOME","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte")
> ("LOGNAME","ramiroalvarezugarte")
> ("GEM_PATH","/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.4.1:/Users/ramiroalvarezugarte/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.4.1@global")
> ("DISPLAY","/private/tmp/com.apple.launchd.Ueuci4WHcS/org.macosforge.xquartz:0")
> ("RUBY_VERSION","ruby-2.4.1")
> ("_system_name","OSX")
> ("_","/usr/local/bin/pandoc")
>
> [makePDF] Source:
> %Este
> % Options for packages loaded elsewhere
> \PassOptionsToPackage{unicode}{hyperref}
> \PassOptionsToPackage{hyphens}{url}
> %
> \documentclass[
> ]{article}
> \usepackage{lmodern}
> \usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}
> \usepackage{ifxetex,ifluatex}
> \ifnum 0\ifxetex 1\fi\ifluatex 1\fi=0 % if pdftex
>   \usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
>   \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
>   \usepackage{textcomp} % provide euro and other symbols
> \else % if luatex or xetex
>   \usepackage{unicode-math}
>   \defaultfontfeatures{Scale=MatchLowercase}
>   \defaultfontfeatures[\rmfamily]{Ligatures=TeX,Scale=1}
> \fi
> % Use upquote if available, for straight quotes in verbatim environments
> \IfFileExists{upquote.sty}{\usepackage{upquote}}{}
> \IfFileExists{microtype.sty}{% use microtype if available
>   \usepackage[]{microtype}
>   \UseMicrotypeSet[protrusion]{basicmath} % disable protrusion for tt fonts
> }{}
> \makeatletter
> \@ifundefined{KOMAClassName}{% if non-KOMA class
>   \IfFileExists{parskip.sty}{%
>     \usepackage{parskip}
>   }{% else
>     \setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
>     \setlength{\parskip}{6pt plus 2pt minus 1pt}}
> }{% if KOMA class
>   \KOMAoptions{parskip=half}}
> \makeatother
> \usepackage{xcolor}
> \IfFileExists{xurl.sty}{\usepackage{xurl}}{} % add URL line breaks if available
> \IfFileExists{bookmark.sty}{\usepackage{bookmark}}{\usepackage{hyperref}}
> \hypersetup{
>   pdftitle={Title works fine},
>   pdfauthor={Author B. Problem},
>   hidelinks,
>   pdfcreator={LaTeX via pandoc}}
> \urlstyle{same} % disable monospaced font for URLs
> \setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em} % prevent overfull lines
> \providecommand{\tightlist}{%
>   \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
> \setcounter{secnumdepth}{-\maxdimen} % remove section numbering
>
> \title{Title works fine}
> Author B. Problem
> \date{2020-04-15}
>
> \begin{document}
> \maketitle
>
> Does this work?
>
> Hi --- much love to the community. I think I might have found a bug, so
> posting here first in case I am wrong.
>
> It happens when converting a simple \texttt{.md} file into
> \texttt{.pdf}. I would get the following error:
>
> \end{document}
>
> [makePDF] Run #1
> This is pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.21 (TeX Live 2020) (preloaded format=pdflatex)
>  restricted \write18 enabled.
> entering extended mode
>
> (/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb11
> 2223/input.tex
> LaTeX2e <2020-02-02> patch level 5
> L3 programming layer <2020-03-06>
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/article.cls
> Document Class: article 2019/12/20 v1.4l Standard LaTeX document class
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/size10.clo))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/lm/lmodern.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsfonts/amssymb.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsfonts/amsfonts.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsmath.sty
> For additional information on amsmath, use the `?' option.
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amstext.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsgen.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsbsy.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsopn.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/ifxetex.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/iftex.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/ifluatex.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/fontenc.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/lm/t1lmr.fd))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/inputenc.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/textcomp.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/upquote/upquote.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics/keyval.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype-pdftex.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype.cfg))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/parskip/parskip.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/kvoptions/kvoptions.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/ltxcmds/ltxcmds.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/kvsetkeys/kvsetkeys.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/etoolbox/etoolbox.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/xcolor/xcolor.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics-cfg/color.cfg)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics-def/pdftex.def))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/xurl/xurl.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/url/url.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/bookmark/bookmark.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/hyperref.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/pdftexcmds/pdftexcmds.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/infwarerr/infwarerr.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/kvdefinekeys/kvdefinekeys.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/pdfescape/pdfescape.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hycolor/hycolor.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/letltxmacro/letltxmacro.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/auxhook/auxhook.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/pd1enc.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/intcalc/intcalc.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/etexcmds/etexcmds.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/puenc.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/bitset/bitset.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/bigintcalc/bigintcalc.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/atbegshi/atbegshi.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/hpdftex.def
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/atveryend/atveryend.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/rerunfilecheck/rerunfilecheck.sty
>
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/uniquecounter/uniquecounter.sty
> ))) (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/bookmark/bkm-pdftex.def))
>
> ! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
>
> See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
> Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
>  ...                                              
>                                                  
> l.51 A
>       uthor B. Problem
> !  ==> Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced!
> Transcript written on /private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/
> tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223/input.log.
>
> [makePDF] Run #2
> This is pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.21 (TeX Live 2020) (preloaded format=pdflatex)
>  restricted \write18 enabled.
> entering extended mode
>
> (/private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/tex2pdf.-415aca18cb11
> 2223/input.tex
> LaTeX2e <2020-02-02> patch level 5
> L3 programming layer <2020-03-06>
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/article.cls
> Document Class: article 2019/12/20 v1.4l Standard LaTeX document class
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/size10.clo))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/lm/lmodern.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsfonts/amssymb.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsfonts/amsfonts.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsmath.sty
> For additional information on amsmath, use the `?' option.
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amstext.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsgen.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsbsy.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsmath/amsopn.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/ifxetex.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/iftex.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/iftex/ifluatex.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/fontenc.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/lm/t1lmr.fd))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/inputenc.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/base/textcomp.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/upquote/upquote.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics/keyval.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype-pdftex.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/microtype/microtype.cfg))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/parskip/parskip.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/kvoptions/kvoptions.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/ltxcmds/ltxcmds.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/kvsetkeys/kvsetkeys.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/etoolbox/etoolbox.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/xcolor/xcolor.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics-cfg/color.cfg)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/graphics-def/pdftex.def))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/xurl/xurl.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/url/url.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/bookmark/bookmark.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/hyperref.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/pdftexcmds/pdftexcmds.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/infwarerr/infwarerr.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/kvdefinekeys/kvdefinekeys.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/pdfescape/pdfescape.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hycolor/hycolor.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/letltxmacro/letltxmacro.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/auxhook/auxhook.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/pd1enc.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/intcalc/intcalc.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/etexcmds/etexcmds.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/puenc.def)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/bitset/bitset.sty
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/bigintcalc/bigintcalc.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/atbegshi/atbegshi.sty))
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/hyperref/hpdftex.def
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/atveryend/atveryend.sty)
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/rerunfilecheck/rerunfilecheck.sty
>
> (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/generic/uniquecounter/uniquecounter.sty
> ))) (/usr/local/texlive/2020/texmf-dist/tex/latex/bookmark/bkm-pdftex.def))
>
> ! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
>
> See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
> Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
>  ...                                              
>                                                  
> l.51 A
>       uthor B. Problem
> !  ==> Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced!
> Transcript written on /private/var/folders/sl/2116h56d2nv7cnlvr3bb59b40000gn/T/
> tex2pdf.-415aca18cb112223/input.log.
>
> Error producing PDF.
> ! LaTeX Error: Missing \begin{document}.
>
> See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
> Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
>  ...                                              
>                                                  
> l.51 A
> ```