[tex-live] Re: Help wanted

[Sebastian Rahtz]

Mel Nathanson writes:
 > Here is the situation:  Quick Install loads some files into the directory 
 > c:\local\tex.  I guess that Tex Live is a DOS program
 > (where is this written?),

DOS? not sure what you mean. "tex.exe" is a program compiled to run on
your Intel chip under Microsoft's operating system, like everything
else.

 >  but at the DOS prompt, if I give the command latex x, where x is a
 > latex file, I get the response "bad command or file name."
 > Somewhere I saw the suggestion that I need to add something to the
 > path, and
yes, or give the explicit path to the program
 
 > I vaguely recall, from medieval times, that there is a path
 > statement in the file autoexec.bat, which, according to Windows
 > Explorer, is somewhere in C:\windows\command, though I can't file
 > it.  If I could find it, however, I need to know how to modify the
 > path.

I fear I cannot advise you on this, as I do not use Windows myself. I
strongly advise you to consult your local computer support to find out
how to add things to the PATH. The install should have done it for
you, of course!

 > All this, I assume, is trivial to anyone who knows anything about hacking 
 > about with computers, but, like most mathematicians, I don't.

What is special about mathematicians? In my experience they are
generally rather *more* knowledgeable about computers than, say,
hairdressers.. :-}


 > Help, please.

I can't, I am afraid. You need someone who understands your operating
system (did you say which of Microsoft's horrors it is? I don't
recall), and by far the best way to proceed is with local help. It
sounds like I am passing the buck, I know; but the main job of the TeX
Live CD was to get a very complete TeX system delivered to you, in an
internally consistent form, rather than to teach you how to use it.

My colleagues on the TeX Live list, or in the TUG office, 
may feel to disagree with me about any of the above.....

Sebastian Rahtz