[XeTeX] I can't find the format file `xelatex.fmt'!

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 09.08.2007 um 06:06 schrieb Mike Maxwell:

> At any rate, the command
>     fmtutil --enablefmt xelatex
> gives the output
>     fmtutil: initial config file is `/usr/share/texmf/web2c/ 
> fmtutil.cnf'
>     fmtutil: configuration file unchanged.
> and still no xelatex.fmt file.

That's correct: the enablefmt option would just uncomment a line in  
fmtutil.cnf which describes how the XeLaTeX format file would be  
made. And since the XeLaTeX format was already enabled the  
configuration file was not changed.

>
> What am I doing wrong?  Is there another way to create this elusive
> xelatex/xelatex.fmt file?

You need to invoke fmtutil with an option that makes it create the  
format file. A simple

	fmtutil --help

would reveal the options available. A

	fmtutil --missing

would suffice to generate the missing FMT files. *For you, i.e. your  
personal setup.*


One thing needs to be taken into account: it's the difference between  
a personal and a system wide installation. When using ``fmtutil´´ you  
create only personal files, while ``fmtutil-sys´´ serves the system.  
Your system's TeX installation is set up with such -sys utilities, so  
in case of a system update this will have up-to-date FMT and other  
files and programmes while you will still have some old "software"  
that might not work with these new files and programmes. A

	fmtutil --refresh

would adapt you personal FMT files to the new programmes and files.


So check exactly what you have in your ~/.texlive2007/texmf-var tree  
and whether you want to continue using this *unsupported* personal  
stuff instead of the system's supported stuff. The personal utilities  
you've already found become system utilities by

	sudo -H <utility>-sys

--
Greetings

   Pete

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a night, but set a man on  
fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.