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SISSA Computing FAQ: about LATEX
It sometimes happens that you need a new version of some macro package or font; the correct approach is to create a private installation of (La)TeX which includes the new stuff you need.
There are two options: the TeX Live package manager or the manual mode
TeX Live package manager (tlmgr)
texlive module first
Before using tlmgr in user mode, you have to set up the user tree with the init-usertree action:
tlmgr init-usertree
This command creates a directory named texmf in your home directory.
Then, you have to use the install action: it checks if the package and all dependencies are already installed in the system installation. If this is not the case, it installs the package and all dependencies into the user tree (~/texmf).
Example
If you need to install the package memorygraphs, you have to use the command tlmgr –user-mode install memorygraphs
$ tlmgr --user-mode install memorygraphs ... tlmgr: package repository http://ctan.mirror.garr.it/mirrors/CTAN/systems/texlive/tlnet (verified) [1/1, ??:??/??:??] install: memorygraphs [189k] running mktexlsr ... done running mktexlsr. tlmgr: package log updated: /u/j/janedoe/texmf/web2c/tlmgr.log
Manual mode
Create in your home directory a subdirectory named texmf, using the following command:
mkdir ~/texmf
Install your new package (or whatever) in a directory structure like this:
| File extension | Directory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| .sty, .cls or .fd | ~/texmf/tex/latex/<package_name>/ | Style file, Document class file or Font Definition files |
| .mf | ~/texmf/fonts/source/public/<font_name>/ | METAFONT outline |
| .tfm | ~/texmf/fonts/tfm/public/<font_name>/ | TeX Font Metrics for METAFONT and Type 1 fonts |
| .vf | ~/texmf/fonts/vf/public/<font_name>/ | TeX virtual fonts |
| .afm | ~/texmf/fonts/afm/public/<font_name>/ | Adobe Font Metrics for Type 1 fonts |
| .pfb | ~/texmf/fonts/type1/public/<font_name>/ | PostScript Type 1 outline |
| .ttf | ~/texmf/fonts/truetype/public/<font_name>/ | TrueType font |
| .otf | ~/texmf/fonts/opentype/public/<font_name>/ | OpenType font |
| .bst | ~/texmf/bibtex/bst/<package_name>/ | BibTeX style |
where:
- <package_name> refers to the name of macro package you are installing. (p.e. beamer)
- <font_name> refers to the name of font you are installing (p.e gothic)
and generate an index of that tree
mktexlsr ~/texmf
You can use this approach for updates to packages installed in the SISSA workstations, as well as for installing new versions of things.