One solution to "Corrupted NFSS table" problem

[Don Robinson]

I was tempted to use the subject line "How I spent part of my
summer vacation," but decided on above subject line. As mentioned
in my first email (subject: Too many TT fonts) I was attempting to fix
some problems with the computer used by personnel in our Faculty
Resources Center (FRC).  After fixing the Corrupt NFSS table
problem I discovered the font problem that spawned the email.

Christina suggested that I provide a summary of the steps I
followed to fix the corrupt NFSS problem based on her somewhat
lengthy but thorough email of 2/28/2004 9:14pm.  I freely copied
parts of this email that incorporated other emails and began each
copied line with a >.  I also took the liberty to identify my comments
in bold.  The major steps used included information from Christina's
bug-fix.txt and suggestions from Jochen Autschbach and Ethem Alpaydin.

One limitation of my summary is that our super-tech guy (the one
with administrative privileges) performed the installation.  All I
did was to perform a few tweaks after the fact.  Another
limitation is that I performed all of the 'fixes' before testing.

>===========   bug-fixes.txt
>
>==== installation bugs with 2.2.8
>
>         Bugs in current Y&YTeX install CD (CT experiences):
>         =================================
>
>1. During the final installation segment (to add additional
>packages
>   from CTAN), an error message box pops up, complaining that the
>   boites package cannot be found. This is because the package no
>   longer exists on CTAN but the installation script for writing
>   Y&YTeX CDs hasn't been updated and thus still wants to copy the
>   file off the CD. A benign message -- just hit <return> and
>   installation will finish.

Our super-tech guy did not mention having this problem, so I don't
know if it still exists.

>
>
>2. DVIWindo's TeX menu is missing a `LaTeX' entry. To remedy, two
>   edits (using an ASCII editor) must be made to the dviwindo.ini
>   file, which resides in either c:\winnt or in c:\windows -- make
>   sure to have your machine set up to display all (hidden) files and
>   their extensions in order to locate the file.
>
>   a. In the [Environment] section, add the following line:
>
>      LATEX=c:\yandy\texinput;c:\yandy\tex\latex\\;c:\yandy\tex\base\\
>
>      This is usually just above the BIBINPUT lines. This sets the
>      path for LaTeX to find all its input files.
>
>   b. In the [Applications] section, add the following line:
>
>      LaTeX|F8=C:\YANDY\YANDYTEX\TEX.BAT +latex @.tex
>            ^^
>      This adds an entry in the TeX menu that you can pull down to
>      process a LaTeX file. Make sure there is no duplication of
>      F-key assignments ;-)
>

The first time I looked at the FRC computer, the 'LaTeX' entry was
missing, so I edited the dviwindo.ini file.  Later super-tech guy
uninstalled Y & Y TeX and reinstalled it because the original
installation was several months ago and he did not remember
whether the fonts (Lucida) were loaded first (you all probably
know how busy super-tech guys get resurrecting computers).

With the new installation 'LaTeX' was listed in the TeX menu
probably(?) because the dviwindo.ini file was not deleted after
the unistallation.

>
>   c. If you want to also have access to old LaTeX 2.09, then add
>      these two lines, to the two respective sections of the .ini
>      file:
>
>       i.
LPLAIN=c:\yandy\texinput;c:\yandy\tex\base\\;c:\yandy\tex\latex209\\
>      ii. LaTeX 2.09|F7=C:\YANDY\YANDYTEX\TEX.BAT +lplain @.tex
>                     ^^
>

I skipped this.

>
>3. There are multiple locations for two different versions of the
>   docstrip files:
>
>   a. Docstrip.dtx    ..\tex\latex\base             8/7/00
>   b. Docstrip.ins    ..\tex\latex\base             8/30/00
>   c. docstrip.dtx    ..\tex\latex\unpacked         8/7/00
>   d. docstrip.ins    ..\tex\latex\unpacked         8/30/00
>   e. docstrip.tex    ..\tex\latex\unpacked         9/5/00
>   f. docstrip.tex    ..\texinput                   1/8/98
>   g. docstrip.tex    ..\yandytex\tex\texinput      1/8/98
>
>   Delete all 1998 versions before processing any .ins files that
>   require the docstrip package.

Here I found only docstrip.tex in the ..\texinput folder.  Rather
than delete it, I just renamed it (OLD_docstrip.tex).

>
>
>4. The /graphics subfolder is incomplete. Locate:
>
>      d:\CTAN\LaTeX\required\graphics
>
>   and copy graphics.ins into
>
>       c:\yandy\tex\latex\required\graphics
>
>   Now process this file (`latex graphics.ins') watch it generate all
>   the necessary files for graphics-related work.
>

I followed these steps and some later suggested by Jochen
Autschbach (see below)

>
>5. In the same \graphics folder, again using an ASCII editor,
>create
>   two config. files:
>
>   a. graphics.cfg
>   b. color.cfg
>
>   The contents of both should be the following single line:
>
>      \ExecuteOptions{dvipsone}

I did this too.

>
>   As mentioned, these two files should be installed in
>
>      c:\yandy\tex\latex\required\graphics
>
>
>6. There are some left-over files from the BibTeX upgrade:
>
>   a. bibtex.exe (172kb) is duplicated in c:\yandy\utils -- delete,
>      once you've confirmed that it is also in the proper location of
>      c:\yandy\bibtex

The version in c:\yandy\utils was renamed.

>
>   b. if you need Acm.bst, you'll find it in texinput\bstinput; for
>      ease of use, please move to bibtex\bst. The \bibtex\bstinput and
>      bibtex\bibinput contents are otherwise identical to the old
>      folders which may still be present in c:\yandy\texinput.
>

I think Acm.bst was already in bibtex\bst, so I just renamed the
version in the other folders.

>=====   end of bug reports/fixes
>
>
>==== Jochen's message about the other missing stuff: several folders are
>unpopulated once installation is finished. You have to fetch the .dtx and
.ins
>files from the CD, put them into their right spots under c:\yandy and then
>process the .ins files, in order to generate the necessary files.
>
>
>
>Jochen Autschbach writes:
>>
>>
>> Hi there
>>
>> I found a number of other problems with the WinXP installation.
>> Basically, none of the packages in /yandy/tex/latex/required were
>> installed except for "Tools". Therefore, the times package could not
>> be found, among others. I had to manually copy the respective
>> directories "babel", graphics", "psnfss", "cyrillic", and "amslatex",
>> from the CD and run latex on the *.ins files.
>

These additions took a little time because there were several
*.ini files in the "babel" folder.  Folders were created under
/yandy/tex/latex/required and the entire contents of equivalent
folders on the CD were copied.  In the "babel" folder I had to
LaTeX only babel.ini.  LaTeX was run on all the *.ini files in
the other folders as well.  (I'm not sure if the FRC personnel
will need the stuff in the "Cyrillic" or "amslatex" folder,
but I did those *.ini files as well.)

Finally from Ethem Alpaydin there is a suggestion.

>1. I created a new directory lucidabr under yandy\tex\latex
>
>2. I copied all the files from cdrom:\lucidabr\psnfss to this new
>directory
>
>3. LaTex'd lucidabr.yy in this new directory and now it works.
>
>-Ethem

After this step a test resulted in the "Corrupt NFSS table" message
disappearing.  All I can say here is "Yeah, Baby!"

There still remain some problems with fonts that need to be
resolved, but at least the NFSS table situation is eliminated.
Hopefully, super-tech guy will let us acquire ATM Deluxe so that
we can activate and deactivate fonts to get rid of the "Too many
TT fonts" error.

I hope this summary helps others who encounter the "Corrupt NFSS
Table" error.


Don R. Robinson
Professor of Quantitative Methods and University Statistical Fellow
Illinois State University
Normal, IL