How to use the command 'tlmgr option' (with examples)
The ’tlmgr option’ command is the TeX Live settings manager, which allows you to view and modify various settings in TeX Live. This command is especially useful for customizing your TeX Live installation according to your needs. The examples below demonstrate how to use the ’tlmgr option’ command for different use cases.
Use case 1: List all TeX Live settings
Code:
tlmgr option showall
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to have an overview of all the available TeX Live settings. This information can be useful for troubleshooting or finding specific settings.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command itself.
- ‘showall’ is an option used to request a complete list of all the TeX Live settings.
Example output:
compiler | pdftex
default_paper | letter
option_docfiles | 1
...
Use case 2: List all currently set TeX Live settings
Code:
tlmgr option show
Motivation: When you want to check the current configuration of your TeX Live installation, this use case will display all the settings that are currently in effect.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command to manage TeX Live settings.
- ‘show’ is the option that requests a listing of all the currently set TeX Live settings.
Example output:
classicheaders
compile pdflatex
default_paper letter
...
Use case 3: Print all TeX Live settings in JSON format
Code:
tlmgr option showall --json
Motivation: Using JSON format allows you to easily parse the TeX Live settings data with other tools or programming languages that support JSON.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command to manage TeX Live settings.
- ‘showall’ is the option that provides a complete list of all the TeX Live settings.
- ‘–json’ is an option used to specify the format of the output as JSON.
Example output:
{
"compiler" : "pdftex",
"default_paper" : "letter",
"option_docfiles" : "1",
...
}
Use case 4: Show the value of a specific TeX Live setting
Code:
tlmgr option setting
Motivation: When you want to find out the current value of a specific TeX Live setting, this use case will display the value for you.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command to manage TeX Live settings.
- ‘setting’ is the parameter that specifies the name of the setting you want to know the value of.
Example output:
pdftex
Use case 5: Modify the value of a specific TeX Live setting
Code:
tlmgr option setting value
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to customize a specific setting to suit your needs by changing its value.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command to manage TeX Live settings.
- ‘setting’ is the parameter that specifies the name of the setting you want to modify.
- ‘value’ is the parameter that specifies the new value for the setting.
Example output:
Value of 'compiler' changed from 'pdftex' to 'xetex'
Use case 6: Set TeX Live to get future updates from the internet after installing from DVD
Code:
tlmgr option repository https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet
Motivation: After initially installing TeX Live from a DVD, you can use this use case to configure TeX Live to retrieve future updates from the internet instead of the DVD.
Explanation:
- ’tlmgr option’ is the command to manage TeX Live settings.
- ‘repository’ is the name of the setting you want to modify.
- ‘https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet' is the new value for the ‘repository’ setting, which specifies the internet repository to get future updates from.
Example output:
Value of 'repository' changed from '<DVD_DIRECTORY>' to 'https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet'
Conclusion:
The ’tlmgr option’ command provides a convenient way to view and modify various TeX Live settings. Whether you need to check the current settings, customize specific options, or change the way TeX Live retrieves updates, this command offers the necessary functionality to manage your TeX Live installation efficiently.
