Re: texexec command line switches missing in ruby version

[Sanjoy Mahajan <sanjoy@mrao.cam.ac.uk>]

> > $ cat /home/sanjoy/bin/texmfstart
> > #!/bin/bash
> > ruby `kpsewhich --format=texmfscripts texmfstart.rb` "$@"
> > 
> > $ cat /home/sanjoy/bin/texexec
> > #!/bin/sh
> > texmfstart texexec.rb "$@"
> > 
> 
> Thanks, I'm using them too, but I remember there was some confusion
> about "$@" versus $@ in this command.

"$@" is correct.  $@ passes on arguments one word at a time whereas
"$@" will wrap each argument in quotes.  I know that's a cloudy
explanation, so here's an example of the difference.  If you have a
filename with spaces (gah!) like "abc def.tex", then

  texexec "abc def.tex"

will execute (with "$@")

  texmfstart texexec.rb "abc def.tex"  # good

whereas using $@ it would execute

  texmfstart texexec.rb abc def.tex   # not good!

-Sanjoy

`Never underestimate the evil of which men of power are capable.'
         --Bertrand Russell, _War Crimes in Vietnam_, chapter 1.