(web2c.info)Initial TeX

Formats

tex invocation

TeX

4.2 Initial TeX
===============

The "initial" form of TeX is invoked by `tex -ini'.  It does lengthy
initializations avoided by the "virgin" (`vir') form, so as to be
capable of dumping `.fmt' files (Note: Memory dumps).  For a detailed
comparison of virgin and initial forms, Note: Initial and virgin.  In
past releases, a separate program `initex' was installed to invoke the
initial form, but this is no longer the case.

  For a list of options and other information, Note: tex invocation.

  Unlike Metafont and MetaPost, many format files are commonly used with
TeX.  The standard one implementing the features described in the
`TeXbook' is `plain.fmt', also known as `tex.fmt' (again, Note: Memory
dumps).  It is created by default during installation, but you can
also do so by hand if necessary (e.g., if an update to `plain.tex' is
issued):
     tex -ini '\input plain \dump'
  (The quotes prevent interpretation of the backslashes from the shell.)
Then install the resulting `plain.fmt' in `$(fmtdir)'
(`/usr/local/share/texmf/web2c' by default), and link `tex.fmt' to it.

  The necessary invocation for generating a format file differs for each
format, so instructions that come with the format should explain.  The
top-level `web2c' Makefile has targets for making most common formats:
plain latex amstex texinfo eplain.  Note: Formats, for more details
on TeX formats.

Dirfile and infopages generated Sat Dec 3 02:07:54 2005