[OS X TeX] convert .dvi to .pdf

[Herbert Schulz]

> On Nov 19, 2015, at 2:01 PM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> echo $PATH
> /Applications/ConTeXt/tex/texmf-osx-64/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/opt/X11/bin:/Library/TeX/texbin
> 
> which dvips
> /Applications/ConTeXt/tex/texmf-osx-64/bin/dvips
> 
> ​which ps2pdf
> /usr/local/bin/ps2pdf
> 
> 
> A.​
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, Nov 19, 2015 at 2:14 PM, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
> > On Nov 19, 2015, at 12:57 PM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, Herb—
> >
> > Some oddities
> >
> > 1. if I have /Library/TeX/texbin for (pdf)TeX, I cannot run ConTeXt
> > error: mtxrun          | unknown script 'context.lua' or 'mtx-context.lua'
> >
> > There is no problem, however, if I have either
> > Library/TeX/texbin ​or ./usr/texbin​.
> > Both lead to flavors of pdftex
> >
> > 2. /usr/local/bin does not lead to any file that suggests Distiller (which I actually have as part of Acrobat XI Pro).It does lead to numerous Ghostscript files, however.
> >
> > Alan
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Nov 19, 2015 at 12:14 PM, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
> > > On Nov 19, 2015, at 9:59 AM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi, Herb—
> > >
> > > The files are in /Library/TeX.
> > > I am running El Capitan and TeXShop 3.58.
> > >
> > > Alan
> > >
> > > On Thu, Nov 19, 2015 at 10:52 AM, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
> > > > On Nov 19, 2015, at 8:46 AM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Whoops! I found the files in the ./Library/TeX. Sorry for the noise.
> > > >
> > > > Alan
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 10:46 PM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi, Herb—
> > > >
> > > > I have downloaded the Basic TeX package and installed it along with Ghostscript.
> > > >
> > > > When I run
> > > > (a) dvipdf SciPhil_Ch_01-02.dvi
> > > > I get
> > > > dvips: warning: no config file for `pdf'
> > > > dvips: ! Couldn't find header file: tex.pro
> > > > (There is a SciPhil_Ch_01-02.pdf but it is a blank page)
> > > >
> > > > (b) dvipdfm SciPhil_Ch_01-02.dvi
> > > > I get
> > > > SciPhil_Ch_01-02.dvi -> SciPhil_Ch_01-02.pdf
> > > > [1
> > > > dvipdfmx:fatal: Unable to find TFM file "Times-Roman".
> > > > Output file removed.
> > > >
> > > > (c) opening the .dvi file with TeXShop does not produce a .pdf file.
> > > >
> > > > I notice that there was no installation of a \TeX Distribution" data structure
> > > > in /Library/TeX, or a new \TeX Distribution Control Panel" in /Library/
> > > > PreferencePanes.
> > > >
> > > > Alan
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 4:21 PM, Herbert Schulz <herbs at wideopenwest.com> wrote:
> > > > > On Nov 18, 2015, at 3:06 PM, Alan Bowen <bowenalan03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi, Luis—
> > > > >
> > > > > I do not have that many .dvi files. So what you suggest is very attractive. But, when I try opening one in TeXShop, though it does seem to open (and registers the .dvi file in the list of files opened recently), I do not see a .pdf file anywhere. Where does it put them? Or has TeXShop failed to produce a .pdf for some reason?
> > > > >
> > > > > Alan
> > > > >
> > > > > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 12:52 PM, Luis Sequeira <lfsequeira at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > I have a number of .dvi files created some 25 years ago using Plain TeX and
> > > > > > Computer Modern which I want to convert to .pdf files. Any suggestions
> > > > > > about what I need and how to do this will be greatly appreciated.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So far as TeX goes, I have the ConTeXt standalone (aka the ConTeXt
> > > > > > minimals).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I am currently running Mac OSX 10.11.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Alan
> > > > >
> > > > > The answer depends somewhat on how many files there are, and on whether you are a command line or a GUI guy.
> > > > > If you install mactex, as was already discussed, you can convert a dvi file to pdf simply by double-clicking. TeXShop automatically opens and converts a dvi to pdf.
> > > > > Of course, that may not be the most practical if you have hundreds of them.
> > > > >
> > > > > Luis Sequeira
> > > >
> > > > Howdy,
> > > >
> > > > Did you install MacTeX or BasicTeX? If you installed MacTeX it should work out of the box. If you installed BasicTeX you'll need to also install Ghostscript which is available on the same page as BasicTeX, <http://www.tug.org/mactex/morepackages.html>.
> > > >
> > > > Good Luck,
> > > >
> > > > Herb Schulz
> > > > (herbs at wideopenwest dot com)
> > >
> > > Howdy,
> > >
> > > What is ./Library? Do you mean /Library or ~/Library (the Library folder at the root of your HD and the Library folder in your HOME folder respectively)? It should be /Library/TeX.
> > >
> > > What version of TeXshop are you using? The latest version is 3.58. That will auto-configure for El Capitan.
> > >
> > > Good Luck,
> > >
> > > Herb Schulz
> > > (herbs at wideopenwest dot com)
> >
> > Howdy,
> >
> > What are the path settings shown in the Engine tab of TeXShop->Preferences? The one for (pdf)TeX should be /Library/TeX/texbin and the one for Distiller should be /usr/local/bin.
> >
> > Good Luck,
> >
> > Herb Schulz
> > (herbs at wideopenwest dot com)
> 
> Howdy,
> 
> A Distiller is any program that is used to convert ps to pdf. Ghostscript is one such an animal.
> 
> Sigh... please let me know what
> 
> echo $PATH
> 
> gives when run in Terminal. Since you have a standalone Context there may be some interference problems.
> 
> I'd also like to know what
> 
> which dvips
> 
> which ps2pdf
> 
> give when run in Terminal.
> 
> Good Luck,
> 
> Herb Schulz
> (herbs at wideopenwest dot com)

Howdy,

Hmmm... it is using a dvips from your ConTeXt distribution. Try this... in Terminal type

/Library/TeX/texbin/dvips

with a space afterwards. Then drag and drop the .dvi file you want to use into the Terminal window (the full path to the file will be inserted after that space. Finally hit return to execute the command.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)