Re: [gentoo-user] plainTeX instead of LaTeX

pk <peterk2@××××××××.se> [09-06-28 19:37]:
> meino.cramer@×××.de wrote:
>
> > /home/mccramer>virtex texfile.tex
> > This is TeXk, Version 3.1415926 (Web2C 7.5.7)
> >  %&-line parsing enabled.
> >
> > kpathsea: Running mktexfmt plain.fmt
> > I can't find the format file `plain.fmt'!
> >
> >
> > /home/mccramer>locate plainfmt.tex
>
> Go to http://www.tug.org/texinfohtml/web2c.html
> Search for 'plain.fmt'... It seems like this could be solved by making a
> symbolic link from 'tex.fmt' (as suggested elsewhere). Haven't tried
> this myself so no guarantees...
>
> MfG
>
> Peter K

...and dont forget to do a

    ls -R . > ls-R 

in the according root directory, from where are all
*.fmt are installed, otherwise kpathsea will fail to find the file.

But what was the idea behind "tex" to behave like compiling/texing 
for /LaTeX/ instead of plain TeX? This is the first time, when I
have to call virtex to compile/tex for plain tex format...

Even the manpages say:

       This  version of TeX looks at its command line to see what name it
       was called under.  If they exist, then both initex and virtex  are
       symbolic  links  to the tex executable.  When called as initex (or
       when the -ini option is given) it can be used to precompile macros
       into  a  .fmt  file.   When called as virtex it will use the plain
       format.  When called under any other name, TeX will use that  name
       as the name of the format to use.  i
       
       (But:)
       For example, when called as tex the tex format is used, which
       is identical to  the  plain  format.  The commands defined by
       the plain format are documented in The TeX for nroffbook.
       Other formats that  are  often  available  include latex and
       amstex.

So, there seems something non-standard or my installation git rotten
regarding this...

Normally initex is used to create *.fmt files. And virtex (from virgin
tex) is the one which does it works without any tex format -- the
way to write in "TeX assembler" so to say...

Myterious the world we live in, mysterious the way we go...

Slightly confused,
Meino Cramer




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