[OS X TeX] Error: I can't write on file '(name)'

[Herbert Schulz]

On Mar 9, 2012, at 5:45 PM, Alain Schremmer wrote:

> 
> On Mar 9, 2012, at 5:34 PM, Herbert Schulz wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Mar 9, 2012, at 4:17 PM, Alain Schremmer wrote:
>> 
>>> ...
>>> So, my question, my gripe, is why, out of the box and without warning, does openout in "/usr/local/texlive/2010/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf" have to be "paranoid" rather than merely "restricted"? In other words, why "disallow going to parent directories ..."?
>>> ...
>> 
>> Howdy,
>> 
>> Because that's the way TeX Live ships
> 
> Fair enough. So, let me rephrase my question:
> 
> Why does TeXLive ship, out of the box and without warning, a version where openout in "/usr/local/texlive/2010/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf" have to be "paranoid" rather than merely "restricted"? In other words, why "disallow going to parent directories ..."?
> 

Howdy,

There are many systems where there is a high need for security. Even many Macs are in situations where security is needed. So TeX Live is set, out of the box, to allow for that.

>> and MacTeX supplies a default TeX Live with the only changes being where the personal tree and personal texlive tree are placed in ~/Library.
> 
> Are you saying that I should move the modified "texmf.cnf" to a place that TeX can find but that TeXLive is not going to overwrite next time I upgrade?
> 
> Regards
> --schremmer

Howdy,

The problem is that when you update the texmf.cnf files in the distribution could change under you. I'm not sure, but you MAY be able to put a texmf.cnf file which contains only that one change in  /usr/local/texlive/texmf-local/web2c and make sure you run

sudo mktexlsr

so that TeX ``knows'' it's there. Can't guarantee that works though.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)