[OS X TeX] a question concerning the file system

[Gerben Wierda]

On 22 Dec 2005, at 22:23, Maarten Sneep wrote:

> On 22 Dec 2005, at 22:01, Peter Dyballa wrote:
>
>>
>> Am 22.12.2005 um 21:50 schrieb Friedrich Vosberg:
>>
>>> Is there some reason to install these additional packages *not*  
>>> into ./usr/local/tetex/share/texmf/.. and delete the installation  
>>> of these packages in the home directories of the users?
>>>
>>
>> Yes, there is a big one: they will get deleted!
>
> Not so fast. /Library/teTeX is actually a link to /usr/local/tetex,  
> so as long as you use texmf.local in either location, you'll be  
> fine... texmf.local is meant for your own packages. This location  
> should be left untouched by the i-Installer during upgrades.

There are i-Packages that write in texmf.local, e.g. the ConTeXt  
updater writes there (and removes there on uninstall). The TeX i- 
Package itself installs stuff in texmf.tetex and texmf.gwtex. Also,  
the configure phase of the TeX i-Package writes in texmf.local. So it  
is not completely untouched, but if you add stuff yourself and you do  
not add it in a location used bys ome other part of TeX (e.g. not in  
texmf.local/tex/context but in texmf.local/tex/ 
whateveryourchosenname) you are quite safe because e.g. a ConTeXt  
updater uninstall or install will only touch the context  
subdirectories in texmf.local.

G
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