[OS X TeX] Installing MacTeX 2010 without Admin Access

[Herbert Schulz]

On Oct 25, 2010, at 10:10 PM, Jeremy Conlin wrote:

> On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 5:27 PM, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Howdy,
>> 
>> MacTeX will only install in /usr/local/ so it requires admin access. However, it is possible to install TeX Live directly on the Mac and then you have a choice places to install it. You will have to understand the UNIX underpinnings of OS X to get things working.
> 
> 
> I can get along well enough on the command line.  I didn't know there
> was a command line option to install.  I guess it shouldn't surprise
> me since TeX Live installs on many different systems.  Does TeX Live
> Utility work when TeX Live isn't installed in /usr/local?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeremy

Howdy,

I believe that you would have to use tlmgr directly. Also, most front ends (e.g., TeXShop and TeXworks) assume that there is a symbolic link, /usr/texbin/, that will indirectly take you to the TeX binaries so you would have to change their preferences if you use them. May be some opther things that would have to be done manually that the MacTeX installer does for you.

Oh, yes, you'd want to install Ghostscript and at least the convert program from ImageMagick. Those are often used for graphics inclusion.

This is not something I've ever done although there are others on the list that have installed TeX Live directly and can give you pointers.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)