Re: texfont and type-tmf.dat

[Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>]

At 00:05 07/08/2003 +0200, Gerben Wierda wrote:

>Yes, this could be. If texexec or any ConTeXt tool does not use texmf.cnf 
>values but has hardcoded ideas about where to find stuff (texmf), then the 
>rearranging of the texmf directories could have an influence. Hans can 
>probably say if this is possibly the case. After all, the rearranging had 
>no ill effects whatsoever on TeX or LaTeX, because where files are is 
>governed by texmf.cnf and that was adapted as well to reflect the changed 
>situation. If there is hardcoded stuff in texexec that is playing a role 
>(I am guessing here), making it dynamic by calls to kpsewhich is a good 
>solution.
>
>For the rest, the content of texmf.tetex is created by Thomas Esser, not 
>me. And there you will find not a complete set of URW but an Adobe set and 
>thatis what the discussion is also about. hans is right in stating that.

context can happily work in the texmf tree and does depemnd on its own 
trees; with regards to texfont:

- it will install in either texmf-fonts or texmf-local, depending on what 
is present; the reason for having texmf-fonts is that we need a place for 
commercial fonts (and texmf-local is for my updates, local stuff etc)

- texfonts uses prefixed names (texnansi-* and alike) for several reasons: 
(1) when i buy a font, i wan tto copy the fonts to some temp path, call 
texfont, and have the job done; i don't want to mess around with 8 char 
names that may conflict is i do something wrong;

- another reason for texfonts naming sheme of 'third party fonts' is that 
when one starts slanting fonts (and alike) the kb naming sheme does not 
keep track of what slant is used, which in principle will lead to conflicts 
if one has multiple instances (wherever they may come from)

- for the same reason i keep separate map files for those third part 
collections

- with regards to the fonts on tex live the confusion comes from the mix of 
adobe names and urw type ones. So far whatever i made default, failed on 
someones system, which is why we have now type-akb for the mixed users

- also: context font mechanism is set up in a way that makes it possible to 
combine fonts with minimal calls (once understood -), supporting relative 
scaling and alike; i don't want user sto be dependent on one (few) persons 
to define / install / use fonts.

>If that is the case, texfont is a problem because it hard codes locations 
>where texmf.cnf is the source for locations and kpsewhich is the way to 
>find out about them.

afaik it uses kpsewhich an-r env vars and one can set things on the command 
line as well; there is not so much hard coded in there -)

Hans
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