Greetings Rod,

On 11-12-01, Rod Pinna wrote:
> 
> Mr Masters,
> 
> I currently use LyX on a debian potato system, without too many problems.
> Have you installed all the debian tetex packages? This includes
> tetex-extra, and tetex-nonfree, as well as tetex-base. If that doesn't
> help, telling people which packages are coming up as missing might give us
> a clue.
> 
> Kindest regards,
> Rod
> 
... snip of original email ...

Thank you for responding. I'm beginning to feel somewhat like a blind person
describing 'magenta' to another blind person.

To summarize by difficulties and steps taken so far:

1. Attempting to change from ~defaults~ for font or line spacing after
opening a new document, I am returned with errors for missing 'helvet.sty'
and 'setspace.sty' files (respectively). I have also read (several times for
comprehension) the User's Manual.

2. On the "suggestion" of another poster, I checked my default-potato-debian
install of Latex/teTeX and decided to install the "latest" version. I did so
through ftp from the Canadian ctan mirror site. The install went well, the
~full~ teTeX--including all fonts, goodies, and extras--is installed. To
enable version comparison, I installed this new teTeX in a different
directory; imagine my surprise to discover that ~I had always had the most
current version~ (now I have two).

The relevent versions of Latex and Lyx are:

Latex/teTeX: Web2c 7.3.1 - 3.14159 - Kpathea ver 3.3.1 (1999)
Lyx: 1.14fix3 (07 Apr 2000)

After a 1 1/2 hour ftp install (the site ran on a 56K modem *grrr*, although
I have DSL), I still have the same problem.

I suspect that the "options" of font and line spacing (in addition to many
as yet undiscovered ones) are UNSET in the default configuration! Although
entries exist for helvetica, uptopia, etc. and one-half and double spacing,
the nackend command for those options reference '.sty' files that are not in
my (or your) installation.

If this is the case, ~why~ is that not documented in the User Manual. It
shouldn't be an "Advanced Usage" problem. It's standard practice to desire
control over these variables ~without~ having to learn Latex (see previous
post about quote).

In any case, have ~you~ managed to play with these options and set them so
that when you want something other than default, you get it? If so, I'd
appreciate some pointers.

I have mixed feelings about seeing that I am ~not~ the only poster to be
concerned about this. Rodney K. has just posted a similar enqriry about the
helvetica font.

Sorry about the long post. I chose Lyx for document processing, because I
have just started a new business with the express purpose of Document
Processing. When my customers want helvetica, or different line spacing, I
hope to be able to get it to them without having to resort to one of the
many word processors of ~lesser~ ability out there.

Many thanks,
C. Masters

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