How to Manage Paper Size Options with the 'tlmgr paper' Command (with examples)

The tlmgr paper command is part of the TeX Live Manager suite of tools, designed to manage the paper size configurations for TeX Live installations. This is especially useful in environments where TeX Live is used extensively for typesetting documents in LaTeX or other TeX formats. The command provides powerful options to view and set default paper sizes both globally and for specific TeX programs, ensuring that documents are rendered consistently according to user needs.

Use case 1: Show the default paper size used by all TeX Live programs

Code:

tlmgr paper

Motivation:
Understanding the default paper size set for TeX Live programs is crucial for ensuring that your documents are formatted correctly out of the box. If you often collaborate with international teams, knowing and setting the default paper size that aligns with the majority of your team can prevent unwanted issues like text cutting off due to formatting mismatches.

Explanation:

• tlmgr: The base command for managing TeX Live installations.
• paper: The sub-command specifically concerned with paper size settings.

Example Output:

Current paper size (all): letter

Use case 2: Set the default paper size for all TeX Live programs to A4

Code:

sudo tlmgr paper a4

Motivation:
In many regions, A4 is a standard paper size for both professional and personal documents. Setting A4 as the default ensures that your printed materials conform to local standards, minimizing issues when documents are shared or printed.

Explanation:

• sudo: Elevated permissions are required because you are modifying system-wide settings.
• tlmgr: The primary command for TeX Live management.
• paper: Specifies that you are changing paper-related settings.
• a4: The new default paper size.

Example Output:

Default paper size for all TeX Live programs changed to: a4

Use case 3: Show the default paper size used by a specific TeX Live program

Code:

tlmgr pdftex paper

Motivation:
When working with different TeX programs, especially in a specialized workflow, each program can have its own default paper size. Knowing the specific configuration allows for better troubleshooting and document preparation.

Explanation:

• tlmgr: The command to manage TeX Live installations.
• pdftex: Specifies the program you are querying.
• paper: Indicates you want to know about the paper size settings.

Example Output:

Current paper size (pdftex): letter

Use case 4: Set the default paper size for a specific TeX Live program to A4

Code:

sudo tlmgr pdftex paper a4

Motivation:
There can be instances where specific projects require one TeX program to use a different paper size than others. This command allows for customization at the program level while maintaining different defaults elsewhere in your TeX Live installation.

Explanation:

• sudo: Required to change settings that affect system-wide configurations.
• tlmgr: The management command for TeX Live.
• pdftex: Specifies the program.
• paper: Indicates paper settings.
• a4: The desired paper size.

Example Output:

Default paper size for pdftex changed to: a4

Use case 5: List all available paper sizes for a specific TeX Live program

Code:

tlmgr pdftex paper --list

Motivation:
Before changing the default paper size, you might want to know which sizes are available. This is especially important when dealing with international clients or printers that require specific formats for submission.

Explanation:

• tlmgr: TeX Live Manager command.
• pdftex: The concerned TeX program.
• paper: Focus on paper settings.
• --list: The argument that asks the command to display all options related to paper sizes.

Example Output:

Available paper sizes for pdftex: 
- a4
- letter
- legal
- executive

Use case 6: Dump the default paper size used by all TeX Live programs in JSON format

Code:

tlmgr paper --json

Motivation:
Outputting data in JSON format is particularly useful for automation and integration into scripts or applications that process TeX Live configurations. It allows for structured data parsing, making it easier to integrate with other systems.

Explanation:

• tlmgr: The main management command.
• paper: Specifies the focus on paper configurations.
• --json: Directs the output to be formatted in JSON, a widely-used data-interchange format.

Example Output:

{
  "global_default": "a4",
  "program_defaults": {
    "pdftex": "letter",
    ...
  }
}

Conclusion:

The tlmgr paper command provides a versatile set of tools for managing and querying the paper size configurations of your TeX Live installation. Whether you need to set or view defaults for all programs, customize settings for specific ones, or just want to see the available options, this command helps streamline your TeX document management practices.