[OS X TeX] changing texlive distribution on a per file basis

[Herbert Schulz]

> On May 13, 2021, at 6:13 PM, Nestor Aguilera <nestoreaguilera at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Herb,
> 
>> On 13 May 2021, at 19:31, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> On May 13, 2021, at 4:48 PM, Nestor Aguilera <nestoreaguilera at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> I have some older files that need to be typeset with older distributions, and it is cumbersome to go back and forth changing it via the Tex Live Utility.
>>> 
>>> Is there a way to typeset with a specific distribution (I understand that even pdflatex changes with the distributions), ideally using via a "magic" comment at the beginning of the file?
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> 
>>> Nestor
>> 
>> 
>> Howdy,
>> 
>> Not directly. But it is possible to create shell scripts to do it easily and then simple AppleScript Macros that can be installed in TeXShop. I'm terrible at AppleScript so it might take a while. 
>> 
>> I wonder what packages you are using that need to be updated? Sounds like they were using internal commands in LaTeX that weren't really meant for external package use.
> 
> The error with the 2021 distribution written in the log file is:
> 
>   ./coleccion.tex:21: pdfTeX error (font expansion): auto expansion is only possi
>   ble with scalable fonts.
>   <argument> ...shipout:D \box_use:N \l_shipout_box 
> 
> This doesn't occur with the 2019 or the 2020 distributions.
> 
> I tried to update the 2021 distribution via TeX Live Utility hoping this would be corrected, but it ends in error. I reinstalled MacTex-2021 several times and always got the error. I finally gave up: my current 2021 distribution is the one in the original pkg.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Nestor

Howdy,

Hmmm... that sounds like a microtype error. What font are you using? 

Have you tried a different repository for tlmgr/TeX live Utility? There have certainly been updates to the latex3 stuff since the original distribution came out.

If you give me a minimal file that displays the problem when typeset I'll try it on a fully updated TeX Live 2021 distribution.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
herbs at wideopenwest.com