[OS X TeX] editing texmf.cnf

[Margarida Mello]

Hi all.

I'm trying to typeset a metapost figure containing latex labels.  
Compilation is not successful, and the message

! Unable to make mpx file.

is printed to the log file. Searching the web I found the following  
diagnosis and suggested solution in http://www.ntg.nl/pipermail/ntg-context/2007/024487.html 
:

"it turned out that the problem was
format-related: latex.fmt had been written by pdfetex, but makempx was
calling tex instead of pdfetex. The solution was to add the line:

TEX=pdfetex

to texmf.cnf"

This seems to be my case, since the mpxerr.log specifies

"This is pdfTeXk, Version 3.1415926-1.40.9 (Web2C 7.5.7) (format=etex  
2009.7.25)"

I've located several texmf.cnf files in my system, but the one in  
web2c states that it should not be modified, instead one should

"% add your custom settings to /some/path/to/texlive/2008/texmf.cnf"

Alas, the system does not allow me to edit this file. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Margarida
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