[XeTeX] Re: "I can't find the format file `xetex.fmt'!"

[Jonathan Kew]

On 9 Oct 2005, at 11:34 am, Simon Spiegel wrote:

> Ok, I really tried to follow this discussion but I don't get it...
>
> I see the same problems described by others: After various TeX and  
> XeTeX installations, I can't compile xelatex documents anymore.  
> TeXShop gives me:
>
> fmtutil: format directory `/Users/simi/Library/texmf/web2c' is not  
> writable.
> I can't find the format file `xelatex.fmt'!

This suggests that you have a root-owned texmf in your personal  
Library folder, as a result of trying to use an older XeTeX package  
with new TL2005 configuration of gwTeX.

If you don't really have personal stuff in ~/Library/texmf that you  
want to keep, then delete the entire folder (I expect you'll need to  
give a password to do so).


>
> I tried some of the Terminal voodoo described on the list.
>
> Doing to following didn't work:
>
>
>
>
>> Having updated.
>>
>>     sudo fmtutil-sys --cnffile
>> /usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/web2c/fmtutil.cnf --byfmt xetex
>>     sudo fmtutil-sys --cnffile
>>
>>
>
> This just gives me: fmtutil: format `xetex' not available.

I don't think you should need the --cnffile /usr/local/...etc...  
argument; fmtutil-sys should normally be working with the  
configuration file found under teTeX/share/texmf.local/.

I'd suggest:
     sudo fmtutil-sys --enablefmt xetex
     sudo fmtutil-sys --byfmt xetex
and see if that builds it properly. Likewise for xelatex.

If that isn't adequate, try reinstalling xetex from the latest  
package *after* having removed the ~/Library/texmf residue from the  
older installer, which I think can confuse it.

I'll try to make the xetex installation scripts more robust, as we're  
starting to get a better understanding of the kinds of issues that  
come up.

JK