Log File: ./build
Pdf File: ./build
Commands ($PATH): /usr/local/texlive/2016/bin/x86_64-darwin

documentclass[a4paper,twoside, openright,12pt]{report}

graphicspath{
    {./figures/tikz/}{./figures/non_tikz/}
}
usepackage{graphicx, color}
usepackage{tikz}
usetikzlibrary{external}
%tikzexternalize[shell escape=-enable-write1 -shell-escape, prefix=./build/]
tikzexternalize[prefix=./tikz_figures/]
%tikzexternalize
usepackage{pgfplots}
pgfplotsset{compat=newest}
%% the following commands are needed for some matlab2tikz features
usetikzlibrary{plotmarks}
usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
usepgfplotslibrary{patchplots}
usepackage{grffile}
usepackage{amsmath}

usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
usepackage{standalone}
input{./figures/tikz/tikz_definitions}


begin{figure}[H]
centering
includestandalone[width=textwidth]{example}
caption{example caption.}
label{fig:example}
end{figure}


addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Bibliography}
bibliography{references}
bibliographystyle{alphaurl}

end{document}

Package tikz Error: Sorry, the system call 'pdflatex -shell-escape -halt-on-e
rror -interaction=batchmode -jobname "./tikz_figures/main-figure0" "deftikzex
ternalrealjob{main}input{main}"' did NOT result in a usable output file './tik
z_figures/main-figure0' (expected one of .pdf:.jpg:.jpeg:.png:). Please verify
that you have enabled system calls. For pdflatex, this is 'pdflatex -shell-esca
pe'. Sometimes it is also named 'write 18' or something like that. Or maybe the
 command simply failed? Error messages can be found in './tikz_figures/main-fig
ure0.log'. If you continue now, I'll try to typeset the picture.

main folder
    main.tex (main tex file)
    references.bib
    build (folder)
        epstopdf (folder)
        tikz_figures (folder
        *.aux, *.log, *.pdf, *.toc, (output files)
    chapters (folder)
        *.tex (tex files)
    figures (folder)
        non_tikz (folder)
            *.png, *.jpg, (all non tikz figures)
        tikz (folder)
            blocks (folder containing figures for tikz figures)
            *.tex (multiple standalone tex files)
            *.tikz (multiple tikz files editable with ktiz)
            tikz_definitions.tex (one tikz definition file)

usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{arrows}

pgfdeclarelayer{background}
pgfdeclarelayer{foreground}
pgfsetlayers{background,main,foreground}

definecolor{oneColor}{RGB}{47,128,0}
definecolor{secondColor}{RGB}{242,30,0}
definecolor{thirdColor}{RGB}{106,178,248}

tikzstyle{line} = [dash pattern=on 15pt off 25pt]

%% define reusable figure
newcommand{reusablefigure}[4]{
    % a figure
    begin{pgfonlayer}{foreground}
    node[anchor=center, rotate=#4, opacity=0.6, inner sep=0]
        (#1) at (#2,#3) {includegraphics[scale=0.8]{blocks/a_figure.pdf}};
    end{pgfonlayer}

    % white background rectangle
    begin{pgfonlayer}{main}
    begin{scope}[shift=(#1.center), rotate=#4]
        fill [white, rounded corners=10pt] (-1.35,-0.53) rectangle (1.35,0.53);
    end{scope}
    end{pgfonlayer}

    % coordinate frame
    begin{pgfonlayer}{foreground}
    begin{scope}[shift=(#1.center), rotate=#4]
        draw [<->, thick, color=#1Color]
            (-0.8,1.1) node [left] (y) {$y_{#1}$} --
            (-0.8,0) --
            (2,0) node [below right] (x) {$x_{#1}$};
    end{scope}
    end{pgfonlayer}
}

%% define another reusable figure
newcommand{anotherfigure}[2]{
    begin{pgfonlayer}{foreground}
        draw [fill=red] (#1,#2) circle (0.07cm);
    end{pgfonlayer}
}

begin{tikzpicture}[
    scale=0.8,
    axis/.style={very thick, ->, >=stealth'},
]

    % draw lines
    draw[line, ultra thick] (0.2textwidth, 4) -- (0.95textwidth, 4);
    draw[line, ultra thick] (0.2textwidth, 2) -- (0.95textwidth, 2);

    % a figure
    reusablefigure{name1}{0}{0}{45}

    % the same figure
    reusablefigure{name2}{10}{3}{0}


    % measurements
    anotherfigure{1}{1}
    anotherfigure{2}{2}
    anotherfigure{4}{3}

end{tikzpicture}

documentclass{standalone}

input{tikz_definitions}

begin{document}
input{overview.tikz}
end{document}