How to use the command `tlmgr conf` (with examples)
The tlmgr conf command is used to manage the TeX Live configuration. It allows users to view, modify, and delete configuration options related to texmf, tlmgr, and updmap. This article provides examples of various use cases of the tlmgr conf command and explains each use case in detail.
Use case 1: Show the current TeX Live configuration
Code:
tlmgr conf
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to view the current configuration of TeX Live. It allows you to check the current values of various configuration options.
Explanation: This command without any arguments displays the entire current TeX Live configuration. It shows all the configuration options related to texmf, tlmgr, and updmap.
Example output:
configuration_key1 = value1
configuration_key2 = value2
configuration_key3 = value3
...
Use case 2: Show the current texmf, tlmgr, or updmap configuration
Code:
tlmgr conf texmf|tlmgr|updmap
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to view the configuration specifically related to texmf, tlmgr, or updmap. It allows you to check the current configuration of a specific component.
Explanation: By specifying either texmf, tlmgr, or updmap as the argument, you can view the configuration options related to that specific component.
Example output (if texmf is specified):
texmf_configuration_key1 = value1
texmf_configuration_key2 = value2
texmf_configuration_key3 = value3
...
Use case 3: Show only a specific configuration option
Code:
tlmgr conf texmf|tlmgr|updmap configuration_key
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to view the value of a specific configuration option. It allows you to check the current value of a particular option without being overwhelmed by the full configuration.
Explanation: By providing the configuration key as an argument, you can view the value of only that specific configuration option. The key should be related to either texmf, tlmgr, or updmap depending on which component’s configuration you want to inspect.
Example output:
configuration_key = value
Use case 4: Set a specific configuration option
Code:
tlmgr conf texmf|tlmgr|updmap configuration_key value
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to modify a specific configuration option. It allows you to set a new value for a particular configuration option.
Explanation: By providing the configuration key and its new value as arguments, you can modify a specific configuration option. The key should be related to either texmf, tlmgr, or updmap depending on which component’s configuration you want to modify.
Example output (if the configuration option was modified successfully):
Configuration option 'configuration_key' set to 'value'.
Use case 5: Delete a specific configuration option
Code:
tlmgr conf texmf|tlmgr|updmap --delete configuration_key
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to remove a specific configuration option. It allows you to delete a configuration option that is no longer required.
Explanation: By specifying the --delete flag along with the configuration key, you can delete a specific configuration option. The key should be related to either texmf, tlmgr, or updmap depending on which component’s configuration you want to delete.
Example output (if the configuration option was deleted successfully):
Configuration option 'configuration_key' deleted.
Use case 6: Disable the execution of system calls via \write18
Code:
tlmgr conf texmf shell_escape 0
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to disable the execution of system calls via \write18. It allows you to prevent potentially dangerous commands from being executed.
Explanation: By setting the value of shell_escape to 0, you can disable the execution of system calls via \write18. This provides an extra layer of security by preventing the execution of arbitrary commands.
Example output (if the configuration option was set successfully):
Configuration option 'shell_escape' set to '0'.
Use case 7: Show all additional texmf trees
Code:
tlmgr conf auxtrees show
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to view all additional texmf trees. It allows you to see the paths of the additional texmf trees that are being used.
Explanation: By specifying auxtrees along with the show argument, you can view all the additional texmf trees. These additional trees can contain additional packages, fonts, etc., that are used by TeX Live.
Example output:
Additional 'texmf' trees:
/path/to/tree1
/path/to/tree2
...
Conclusion:
The tlmgr conf command is a versatile tool to manage the TeX Live configuration. It allows users to view, modify, and delete configuration options related to texmf, tlmgr, and updmap. The use cases described in this article provide examples of how to utilize this command to perform various configuration-related tasks.
