TikZ externalise: overlaying figures

Question

I’m using MikTex 2.9 x64 and would like to use the LaTeX -> dvips -> ps2pdf way to compile my document. Additionally I’ve a lot of Matlab2tikZ figures and would like to make use of the externalization option of TikZ figures as *.eps files because of using latex.exe instead of pdflatex.exe. It is my first time with "externalize".

I found and tried on this site an example in the thread entitled "Export eps figures from TikZ". The relevant part of the answer there (MiKTeX using LaTeX) is working well and I could transfer this onto my document.

BUT using the given template for my thesis the compilation finishes without any error or related warning. All Figures are correctly placed, scaled and so on. But within the creation of each figure there must be something wrong. The generated and included image consists of “multiple” layers. In the background one can find a combination of the first and third page (Yes, the whole DinA4 page! – second page is blank because of using twoside). And in the upper left corner in the front I can find the TikZ figure as a small drawing, which I'd like to get on its own. The whole “figure” is scaled as I said within the include command. Hope everyone can understand what I mean.

EDIT:

There is the following message all over the page:

[“includegraphics optimized away because it does not contribute to exported PDF] 
ENDEDIT

Taking a look at the exported graphic files I found the combination of figures. So I think the failure occurs during the generation process. But I would have expected any error.

Are there maybe any known issues or compatibility problems with other packages?

Another question would be, whether it is correct that the generated files for the externalization in eps mode are only the following ones: .dpth, .dvi, .log, .nlo, .ps (->so no .eps file?)

Thanks in advance for any help. Please let me know, if you need more information. As far as the template I’m using is limited to students writing a thesis at the institute I have seconds thought to “publish” it. But if it's necessary I think I’ll find an option.

Answer 1

The problem at hand occurred because of using an own package, which redefines the \maketitle command. That’s why the named example is working but within my template not.

Sorry, but I'm not experienced enough to give further details about the concrete problem.