Building format files
A format file contains a pre-compiled set of macros which TEX can load in
very quickly.
To build a format file you need to run INITEX (in the TEX menu).
You may need to rebuild all format files if you edit a configuration file and
change certain TEX parameters to suit your typesetting needs or your
Mac's memory capacity. Building a format file is quite easy;
here are the steps used to create Plain.fmt
:
- Run INITEX, wait for the ``
**
'' prompt, type ``Plain\dump
''
and hit the Return key.
INITEX will begin reading plain.tex
from the Plain
sub-folder
in TeX-inputs.
- You'll eventually get a standard dialog box allowing you to save the format
information in the file and folder of your choice.
The default file shown will be
Plain.fmt
.
The best location for format files is the TeX-formats folder.
- Note that Plain.log is created in the current folder.
It's not needed, so delete it.
The steps needed to create LaTeX.fmt
are very similar:
- Run INITEX, wait for the ``
**
'' prompt, type ``LaTeX.ltx
''
and hit Return (you don't need to add \dump
).
INITEX will read latex.ltx
from the LaTeX
sub-folder
in TeX-inputs.
- The dialog box will show
LaTeX.fmt
, so just save this
file in the TeX-formats folder.
- Delete LaTeX.log if you want to.
If you decide to rename one of the existing formats,
or add a completely new format,
then remember to update your configuration file(s).
Subsections