Re: funny behaviou - texexec & file not in current directory

[Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>]

Hi, 

>It is very clear that you didn't get my point so I try again - this
>time with a slightly changed scenario:
>
>Ok, in the current dir I make a subdir called 'sub'. In 
>both directories I put a copy of a format file - let it be cont-en.efmt.
>In addition my minimal test file (see bootom of e-mail) is still in the
>subdirectory. Then I in the current dir do
>
>   texexec --format=cont-en sub/test.tex     - and get dvi output
>
>Then I go into the sub directory ('sub') and do
>
>   texexec --format=cont-en test.tex         - and get pdf output  (*)
>
>So my question (again) is why this behaviour ? Running texexec on
>the same file with the same format - getting different output...

I see. This is unrelated to format files. The switches and % toplines are
parsed and texexec sets up an option file. This file is created in the
current path. If you look at the log, you will notice that the tuo files
are also read from ./ since thereis where tex runs. The only way this could
work without problems is to cd to the subpath first, since there is not
much control over filenames in tex. Context already tries to limit / direct
the search as good as possible. I have no problems in adding a --path
switch if needed.  Your current case is similar to running a file in the
current path and getting figures from another path: tex stays on the
current path.    

>PS! Do you (or anybody else) mind trying this - just to check whether my 
>    system is wrong or texexec is kind of strange behaving. 

>1) I think texexec at least should search for format files in the current
>dir (which it seems to be doing [good] even though it is not part of
>the default web2c/fmt path that kpsewhich uses) and maybe also
>TEXINPUTS. The reason for this is that a lot of users (on multi-users
>systems) have to make there own formats because their sysadmin has other
>things to do than fix the default settings for teTeX (as an example). OR 
>texexec could accept this

There is a better way out of this: 

TEXMFCNF=C:/LOCAL/CONTEXT/TEXMF/WEB2C
TEXMFMAIN=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF
TEXMFLOCAL=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-LOCAL
VARTEXMF=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-VAR
HOMETEXMF=C:/LOCAL/CONTEXT/TEXMF

So, you sysadm used main and probably local, but you can use home, as well
as set texmfcnf to point to your own cnf file. We use this mechanism here
to run on machines or the server or test machine. Just switching env vars.
You can even set  

TEXFORMATS=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C
MFBASES=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C
MPMEMS=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C
TEXPOOL=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C
MFPOOL=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C
MPPOOL=C:/LOCAL/TEX/TEXMF-MSWIN/WEB2C

And run windows and linux from the same machines / trees. 

Alternatively, you can adapt texexec.ini (see texexex.rme) and tell it
where the fmt path is located. 

Hans

Hans
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                                                  Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
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