[OS X TeX] Where does TeX look for files?

[Herbert Schulz]

On Apr 18, 2010, at 7:40 PM, Alain Schremmer wrote:

> 
> On Apr 18, 2010, at 6:07 PM, André Bellaïche wrote:
> 
>> Is there a similar way to instruct TeX to look for sty files, font files, etc. in a specified directory, not by changing the paths in some Unix way, but by means of a macro from inside the tex file you are typesetting?
> 
> Here is a way to keep your sty files *together* with the tex file you are typesetting
> 
> 1) Get the SymbolicLinker.plugin
> 2) Place it in Library > Contextual Menu Items
> 3) Place "MyStyFile.sty" wherever you want, e.g. along with the tex file you are typesetting but not necessarily so.
> 4) Make a symbolic link by right clicking MyStyFile.sty and selecting "Make Symbolic Link" at the bottom of the Contextual Menu
> 5) Move the symbolic link in ~ / Library / texmf / tex / latex  with your other sty files
> 6) Remove the text " symlink" after "sty"
> 7) Place "\usepackage{MyStyFile}" in the preamble of the tex file you are typesetting
> 
> That's it.
> 
> In fact, if you have several sty files in the same place---I do because that's where I keep the preambles for various the parts of  the magnum opus---you can put them all in a folder and just symlink the folder instead of all the individual sty files.
> 
> Regards
> --schremmer

Howdy,

Just for my information... why not just put the sty files in the texmf tree rather than scatter them around who knows where?

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)