[OS X TeX] Re: [XeTeX] Re: "I can't find the format file `xetex.fmt'!"

[Gerben Wierda]

On 9 Oct 2005, at 17:04, Herbert Schulz wrote:

> Howdy,
>
> After installing the latest TeX i-package update I noticed that  
> early in the configuration stage (Expert, system-wide) fmtutil.cnf  
> is copied to ~/Library/texmf/web2c (as root/staff)! I don't know  
> why this is done; I'd imagine it would get copied to .../ 
> texmf.local/web2c/.

Yes it should. But what happens is that if there already *is* a  
fmtutil.cnf in ~/Library it is found first by kpsewhich (which has no  
kpsewhich-sys variant) and used. Even when configuring system wide. I  
had to apply yet another patch to fix this and it is available in the  
*EXPERIMENTAL* i-Directory (and soon elsewhere when I have tested).

Thomas Esser has introduced fmtutil/fmtutil-sys etc with teTeX 3. I  
have started to support that (imo design-wise problematic) setup now  
that is has gone into TL2005 and supportingit has been probably the  
worst decision I have made in a long time. But the cat is out of the  
bag.

> Then the XeTeX i-package makes the proper changes to the  
> fmtutil.cnf in .../texmf.local/web2c/

Finding the right fmtutil.cnf to patch is not that simple. In any  
case, configuring system-wide and selecting Remove when asked what to  
do with individual user settings is currently the best choice. If my  
patch works (patching the environment before running kpsewhich to  
find fmtutil.cnf) the configure phase is safe again.

But the whole thing remains a disaster area. Stay away from per-user  
configuration and if you choose System-wide make sure you choose  
Remove to remove old remnants of per-user configs.

G
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