Re: rationale of texmf-dist

[Thomas Esser]

> > Please, keep things separate, I think this is a win for everybody. I
> > suggest the following scheme:
> >   TEXMFMAIN=/var/lib/texmf
> >   VARTEXMF=/var/lib/texmf
> >   TEXMFDIST=/usr/share/texmf
> > and /etc/texmf with config files (with symlinks in /var/lib/texmf).
> >
> > By setting VARTEXMF, you make sure that no generated files end up in
> > $TEXMFDIST (e.g. fonts).
> 
> I don't understand - in this setup, texmf-dist is not used, and

The content of the texmf tarball should be extracted to $TEXMFDIST.
By setting $TEXMFMAIN to something different, all generated files during
build etc. end up somewhere else. That's what I mean with "keep things
separate".

In the default directory layout, I don't use different locations for
storing the texmf trees (for you: /var/lib and /usr/share; for me:
everyting in $prefix/share). That's why I use the names texmf and
texmf-dist. You don't need to follow the names. It is important, however,
to follow the scheme: keeping generated files ($TEXMFMAIN + $VARTEXMF)
separate from the distributed files ($TEXMFDIST).

> TEXMFMAIN is the same as VARTEXMF?

TEXMFMAIN and VARTEXMF have a special meaning to texconfig and the
installation procedure. That's why it is important to set both names.

> Currently, i.e. together with tetex-2.0.2, they put them under
> TEXMFMAIN=/usr/share/texmf where also tetex resides, since LOCALTEXMF is
> for the local admin, not for files coming with the (Debian)
> distribution. If tetex moves (mainly) to TEXMFDIST=

In fact, all names besides TEXMFMAIN and VARTEXMF have no special meaning
to anything. You could have any number of additional names and put the
trees whereever you want, e.g.
   TEXMFTETEX=/usr/share/texmf-tetex
   TEXMFDEBIAN=/usr/share/texmf-debian

Just make sure that you have the right setting in the texmf.cnf file
that you distribute.

My point is: the name "tetex-dist" is completely irrelevant. But, I'd be
very happy if you could arrange a setup where the unpacked texmf tree of
teTeX is kept unaltered and without additional files (e.g. generated by
"make install").

Thomas