[tex-live] tlmgr cannot install packages

[George N. White III]

On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 12:30 AM, Reinhard Kotucha
<reinhard.kotucha at web.de> wrote:

> Karl Berry writes:
>  >     I installed the minimal edition of TeXLive 2008 from the net in
>  >     Ubuntu 8.10.
>  >
>  > >From what you wrote, it seems you installed it as root.  I suggest
>  > removing the present installation and redoing it, this time running as
>  > yourself (no sudo or root).  Then you can also run tlmgr as yourself.
>
> Spyros,
> alternatively you can simply do:
>
>  1. login as root
>
>  2. run:  chown -R spyros:users /usr/local/texlive
>
> Then you are the owner of the TeX Live tree.  There is no reason to
> install software which you are going to maintain yourself as a
> privileged user.
>
> And please *****NEVER***** set $TEXMFCNF unless you are absolutely
> sure that you understand how this extremely complex system works.
>
> There is absolutely no reason to set $TEXMFCNF.  Setting $TEXMFCNF is
> only good for headaches.  The default settings are fine.  You already
> broke your system though you don't notice it at a first glance.
>
> Please avoid the $TEXMFCNF environment variable.  It's not good for
> anything but headaches.  I pray this for years without much success.
>
> TEXMFCNF is by far the the most dangerous environment variable and I'm
> wondering why it is so popular.  If it is recommended somewhere,
> please let me know.

<http://wiki.contextgarden.net/Debian_installation>

I think the context minimal linux distribution sets TEXMFCNF (maybe to
avoid problems if one has been set by the user).

If you manage to install a dvi viewer on a debian system without
a tex distro, you get en error when texmf.cnf is not found.   Some
viewers may work if the environment setting overrides a compiled
in debian location.

-- 
George N. White III <aa056 at chebucto.ns.ca>
Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia