[XeTeX] XeTeX infinite loop [][][][][][] bug - possible fix

[Adam Lindsay]

[CC'd to ConTeXt list.]

Jonathan Kew said this at Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:30:25 +0000:

>I think I may have a temporary fix for the [][][][][][] problem, until 
>such time as I correct the real bug in XeTeX and release a new version. 
>I've been able to reproduce the problem here, and identified a 
>texmf.cnf setting that appears to trigger it (and which was changed in 
>a recent i-Package update).
>
>Edit the file:
>
>	/usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf
>
>(you may need to "sudo pico ..." or whatever your favorite editor is), 
>look for the "Memory" section, and add the lines:
>
>	extra_mem_bot.xetex = 0
>	extra_mem_bot.xelatex = 0
>
>It is not necessary to regenerate the format files after adding these 
>entries.
>
>(ConTeXt users may need an additional setting; I'm not sure what format 
>name they're using.)

Well, at the moment, it's "context":
 extra_mem_bot.context = 0

(That's a pretty harsh workaround, considering "extra_mem_bot.context =
4000000" is the default in gwTeX. ConTeXters may prefer the \hfuzz
suggestion from the XeTeX list. In any case, it explains why I was seeing
the infinite loop so early!)

>Please let me know, those who've run into the problem, whether this 
>does solve it for you. Meanwhile, I will of course aim to fix the bug 
>in XeTeX that makes non-zero "extra_mem_bot" settings fail in this way.

A quick test on a file that normally sends XeTeX spinning away was fine
after zeroing extra_mem_bot. Thanks!

adam
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 Adam T. Lindsay, Computing Dept.     atl at comp.lancs.ac.uk
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