[tex-live] [mf] option `-output-directory' doesn't work

[Vladimir Lomov]

** Werner LEMBERG [2011-01-24 14:48:13 +0100]:

> >> Thanks for testing.  Using absolute paths works on my platform
> >> also.  However, using relative paths like
> >> `--output-directory=../build' doesn't.  In case this is intentional
> >> please improve the help message of mf accordingly.

>> I have done three more tests:
>>  mf --output-directory=../tmp/mftest "\mode:=ljfour; mag:=1; input cmr10"
>> works

> Interesting.  It fails for me, using bash 4.1.9.

>> mf --output-directory=~/tmp/mftest "\mode:=ljfour; mag:=1; input cmr10"
>> This is METAFONT, Version 2.718281 (TeX Live 2010)
>> ! I can't write on file `cmr10.log'.

> This fails for me also.

Here: Archlinux x86_64, with distro TeX Live and TL 2010, bash 4.1.9(2).

Tests with $HOME/tmp/mftest, ../tmp/mftest, /tmp/mftest fail if desired
directory don't exist. After
$ mkdir -p $HOME/tmp/mftest /tmp/mftest
all tests work fine.

P.S. Test with -output-directory=~/tmp/mftest of course fails because
bash don't expand '~' here. Try this
$ mf $(eval --output-directory=~/tmp/mftest) "\mode:=ljfour; mag:=1; input cmr10"
Of course desired directory should exist.

---
WBR, Vladimir Lomov

-- 
Bacon's not the only thing that's cured by hanging from a string.