[OS X TeX] Where Should 'Package' Files be Stored?

[Doug McKenna]

Berend Hasselman wrote -

>Why not use kpsewhich?
>
>[.../~]: kpsewhich amssymb.sty
>/usr/local/texlive/2011/texmf-dist/tex/latex/amsfonts/amssymb.sty

Is there a way to determine all the places that TeX (or kpsewhich) looks 
for a file match _before_ if finds the file it's been asked to find.

And does a file's suffix affect the seqeuence of directories/folders 
TeX/kpsewhich examines?


Doug McKenna