[tex-k] format building question

[Hartmut Henkel]

Hi,

just trying to update the "creating formats" section of the pdftex
manual. Please elucidate me: What is this asterisk about? When typing

pdfetex -ini -efmt=pdfetex pdfetex.ini

there comes

! e-TeX  fatal error: this file can be processed only in extended mode;
  did you perhaps forget the asterisk?

Forget where? (*pdfetex.ini) Isn't pdfetex already "extended" per se?
And why such a special asterisk at all? And the manual now needs the
distinction between -fmt and -efmt (where -efmt must be used even when
building a format with pdftex, as it's a link). Can't one just name the
option "-fmt" also in pdfetex, after Olaf has done his patch?

Regards, Hartmut