[tex-live] TEXINPUTS, pdfTeX and texmf.cnf

[Gerben Wierda]

Recently, pdfTeX has started relying on TEXINPUTS to find pdftex.cfg. 
Given that pdfTeX not works unless pdftex.cfg is found, and given that 
the default TEXINPUTS is

TEXINPUTS =                     .;$TEXMF/tex/{generic,}//

it has become necessary to create a TEXINPUTS.pdffoo for every 
pdf-version of a format. Currently, for instance, there is no 
TEXINPUTS.pdfamstex in texmf.cnf. As a result, fmtutil --byfmt 
pdfamstex fails.

In other words, just adding a format to fmtutil.cnf is not enough 
anymore for pdftex (it is for tex), for pdftex-formats you also need to 
edit texmf.cnf and create a TEXINPUTS for that format.

Personally, I think this is not a good situation. There are two ways I 
can see a fix:

1. Change the catch-all TEXINPUTS into

TEXINPUTS =                     .;$TEXMF/{tex,pdftex}/{generic,}//

Given that for non-pdf formats like tex, latex, etc special TEXINPUTS 
versions exist in texmf.cnf and given that pdfTeX has become an equal 
citizen of sorts, that would be defendable I guess. From "not find 
pdftex.cfg unless there is a specific TEXINPUTS variable" for pdftex 
stuff we go to "search the pdftex hierarchy also unless expicitely 
turned off" for tex-based stuff

2. Restore the 'known' position for someting crucial as pdftex.cfg is. 
maybe even: put it in the web2c subdirectory together with stuff like 
texmf.cnf and friends.

G
--
"To be or not to be, that is the question" -- Parmenides