Bug#263296: tetex-bin 2.0.2-17 broke "tex --parse-first-line"
On 04.08.04 Benjamin BAYART (bayartb@sitadelle.com) wrote:
> Le Tue, Aug 03, 2004 at 10:56:38PM +0200, Hilmar Preusse:
Hi,
> > Did you note, that we have changed the default latex compiler between
> > -16 and -17. In -16 the traditional Knuth compiler was used, in -17
> > we use e-TeX. I don't know what you do here. Do you use hown
> > grown formats to process your files or do you use normal LaTeX
> > formats? In the latter case I'd just ask: What don't you call
> > latex if you want to process LaTeX files, but I guess this is not
> > what you want.
>
> That is of concern if I use latex as a command. I guess it is not
> if I use tex... The points is that this special use of tex (as
> stated by the upstream maintainer) is in a script (makempx) that is
> called from within mpost. makempx can be used on plain-TeX or on
> LaTeX documents. To ease the use of the script, they do choose the
> real format with the first line of the document which is supposed
> to contain the special comment giving the name of the format.
>
OK, thanks for the explanation.
> > > - re-installing the homebuilt 2.0.2-17 via dpkg -i. The bug does
> > > not come back.
> > > - re-installing the official 2.0.2-17 via apt-get install --reinstall.
> > > The bug does not come back.
> > >
> > After all that operations: /usr/bin/latex is a soft link and points
> > to where: /usr/bin/tex or /usr/bin/etex?
> > What does "ls -l /var/lib/texmf/web2c/*latex*" say (assuming you want
> > to use latex formats).
>
> latex is indeed a soft link on etex now (I don't know how it was
> while the bug was present), but the problem is with tex, not with
> latex. And the formats seems to be ok:
>
[correct -17 installation]
>
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1648681 Aug 3 19:40 /var/lib/texmf/web2c/latex.efmt
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1645359 Aug 3 19:18 /var/lib/texmf/web2c/latex.fmt
>
The different between installing -17 and installing -16 and then
upgrading to -17 are these two files. The latter was generated during
install of -16 but not removed during upgrade. It does not exist on a
pure -17 installation.
What happens now: you call TeX and tell it to load the format for
LaTeX. As this is Knuth TeX it looks for latex.fmt and fails.
Unfortunately the error message seems to be confusing to me.
As the first work around you could replace in /usr/bin/makempx at
line 18 that call to tex by a call to etex. I'm afraid there are many
other scripts around using that mechanism.
Olaf, I'll read your hints more in details tomorrow.
Thanks to all,
H.
--
sigmentation fault
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