file-truename and tramp

Question

Is these a function that behaves like file-truename on local files, but does not add the /protocol:host: prefix on remote files? Currently if I run

(file-truename "./file.ext")

while in a remote directory, I get "/ssh:host:/remote/path/file.ext". but I just want "/remote/path/file.ext"

The reason that I am asking is that pdf export in org-mode does not work on remote file for me. I have tracked the problem down to the call (org-latex-compile "./myfile.org") which uses file-truename to produce the actual file name that is supplied to the latex shell call. This causes problems on remote files because the tramp prefix is included in the shell call. I would like to write a patch for this.

Answer 1

The behavior as described by you is the intended one. If you want only the remote pathname, you must call

(file-remote-p (file-truename "./file.ext") 'localname)

Answer 2

(expand-file-name "./file.ext")
=> "/home/brian/file.ext"