[OS X TeX] Error: I can't write on file '(name)'

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 26.03.2007 um 18:51 schrieb Alain Schremmer:

> I do not really understand the responses terminal gave me but I  
> assume that it found "openout_any = p" so what I need to do is to  
> replace it by "openout_any = r". So, what I should do is
>
>> 	sudo echo "openout_any = r" > /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf
>
> with only one angle?

DON'T DO THIS!

Using only one angle would overwrite the whole file with only one  
single statement.

Since you have the paranoid statement in /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/ 
texmf.cnf you can do this on the command line: change on the fly the  
paranoid line, save this new content in a new file, and if this all  
succeeds substitute the old paranoid file with the new mildly  
restricted contents. That texmf.cnf file is owned by root makes it  
necessary to "abuse" sudo:

	sudo cat /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf | sed -e "s/ 
openout_any = p/openout_any = r/" > texmf.cnf-new && sudo mv  
texmf.cnf-new /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf

So sudo only requests once the password, when it's not yet needed for  
the cat command, but later, when asking for the password might cause  
problems, it's already and still authorised to finish the job of  
moving the new file to the old place.



Now, with grep you've found that the paranoid openout statement is on  
line #388, you can invoke pico à la:

	sudo pico +388 /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf

and you are on the right line. ^E to warp to the line's end. ^O or F3  
saves the edited file contents.

This all does not change the inverse character of the file's view  
inside pico, maybe this does, at least it makes in my Terminal appear  
black text on white background, what I call not inverse (because it  
looks the same as on a sheet of paper: black types on white paper):

	sudo env TERM=vt100 pico +388 /usr/local/gwTeX/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf


To search for something in the file: F6 (the function key) or ^W  
(ctrl and w at once, i.e. "Where is").

^R reads in another file. This is useless since pico has already  
opened the proper file.

--
Greetings

   Pete


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