[XeTeX] How to manually create the xelatex.fmt?

Chris Travers chris.travers at gmail.com
Thu Oct 20 12:53:48 CEST 2011


2011/10/20 Zdenek Wagner <zdenek.wagner at gmail.com>:
> 2011/10/20 Petr Tomasek <tomasek at etf.cuni.cz>:
>> On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 03:14:56PM +0200, Ulrike Fischer wrote:
>>> Am Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:43:57 -0700 schrieb Chris Travers:
>>>
>>> > This has all been very helpful.  At least I have things narrowed down
>>> > a bit here:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > # fmtutil-sys --byfmt xelatex
>>> >
>>>
>>> > ! LaTeX source files more than 5 years old!.
>>> > l.545 ...aTeX source files more than 5 years old!}
>>>
>>> >
>>> > Any idea of what I do about this?
>>>
>>> The best is to get and install a new TeXLive 2011 with newer latex
>>> sources. You can also try to fool latex by changing your pc date.
>>
>> No, it is actually the worst thing to do. Most Linux distributions have their
>> own packaging system and using alien blob (like the TeXLive) has all
>> the disadvantages it can: possbily breaking compatibility if some system
>> library is updated, not upgrading this blob using system tools if
>> securty vulnerabilities are found can lead to serious security problems, etc...
>>
> That's why TL is linked statically with the exception of tools
> dependent on fontconfig (xetex, luatex, xdvipdfmx).

I think Petr overstates the case a bit.  I can think of plenty of
disadvantages that using a blob doesn't have.  But it has enough that
for software that needs to be stable, it's worth avoiding.

However, statically linking things strikes me as even worse from a
stability/security perspective (which is what is critical with server
software).  It means that if there is a bug in any of the libraries
you have possibly linked to, you have to upgrade everything.   I am
remembering a certain double free bug in zlib a number of years ago
that resulted in security advisories and patches for a huge swath of
software because everything had statically linked to zlib and
derivatives.   Certainly something like isn't a reason to update
everything in CTAN......


Best Wishes,
Chris Travers



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