[XeTeX] Installing XeTeX on Kubuntu Edgy with texlive packages

[R (Chandra) Chandrasekhar]

Jonathan Kew wrote:

> Another workaround, without changing your default shell, would be to  
> change the first line of the offending script to
> 
> #!/bin/bash

I have done this.  Moreover, following some other advice on this list, I did the 
following:

1. Created the file /etc/texmf/fmt.d/50xetex.cnf
with the lines:
----------
# XeTeX-based formats using etex, eplain, and latex macros
xetex        xetex   -               -etex xetex.ini
xeplain      xetex   language.dat    -etex xeplain.ini
xelatex      xetex   language.dat    -etex xelatex.ini
----------

2. I then ran

sudo update-fmtutil

3. When I then ran

sudo dpkg -i xetex_0.995-1_i386.deb

it fails with an error message about the Hungarian hyphenation file as has 
already been documented.

4. So, next, I commented out this line:

hungarian huhyphn.tex

in the file

/etc/texmf/language.d/10texlive-lang-hungarian.cnf

and ran

sudo update-language

5. When I then ran

sudo dpkg -i xetex_0.995-1_i386.deb

it fails, but this time on a Greek hyphenation file so:

---------------
Greek hyphenation patterns for Ibycus 4)
! Illegal parameter number in definition of \bbl at line.
<to be read again>
                    h
l.357   \repeat

?
! Emergency stop.
<to be read again>
                    h
l.357   \repeat

No pages of output.
Transcript written on xelatex.log.
Error: `xetex -ini  -jobname=xelatex -progname=xelatex -etex xelatex.ini' failed

###############################################################################
fmtutil: Error! Not all formats have been built successfully.
Visit the log files in directory
   /var/lib/texmf/web2c
for details.
###############################################################################

This is a summary of all `failed' messages and warnings:
`xetex -ini  -jobname=xelatex -progname=xelatex -etex xelatex.ini' failed
---------------

6. Also running

sudo fmtutil-sys --all

gives

----------------
###############################################################################
fmtutil: Error! Not all formats have been built successfully.
Visit the log files in directory
   /var/lib/texmf/web2c
for details.
###############################################################################

This is a summary of all `failed' messages and warnings:
`pdfetex -ini  -jobname=mllatex -progname=mllatex -translate-file=cp227.tcx 
-mltex mllatex.ini' failed
`pdfetex -ini  -jobname=eplain -progname=eplain -translate-file=cp227.tcx 
*eplain.ini' failed
`pdfetex -ini  -jobname=latex -progname=latex -translate-file=cp227.tcx 
*latex.ini' possibly failed.
`pdfetex -ini  -jobname=pdflatex -progname=pdflatex -translate-file=cp227.tcx 
*pdflatex.ini' possibly failed.
`xetex -ini  -jobname=xelatex -progname=xelatex -etex xelatex.ini' failed
----------------

7. If I restore the Hungarian hyphenation file and then

sudo update-language; sudo fmtutils-sys --all

I get the reduced error message:
----------------
###############################################################################
fmtutil: Error! Not all formats have been built successfully.
Visit the log files in directory
   /var/lib/texmf/web2c
for details.
###############################################################################

This is a summary of all `failed' messages and warnings:
`xetex -ini  -jobname=xelatex -progname=xelatex -etex xelatex.ini' failed
----------------

8. I have concluded that, being neither a TeX expert nor a Debian packager, I 
must await the release of an Ubuntu Edgy XeTeX package that is compatible with 
TeX Live so that simple de-activation of hyphenation patterns, in the process of 
getting xelatex to work, does not undermine the overall installation.

If, however, there is any simple workaround for this, I will appreciate knowing 
about it.

Thanks to all who helped.

Chandra
23 Dec 06