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diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/archive-version/faq-getit.tex b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/archive-version/faq-getit.tex new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..f07eef697a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/archive-version/faq-getit.tex @@ -0,0 +1,347 @@ +% $Id: faq-getit.tex,v 1.10 2012/03/31 09:22:17 rf10 Exp rf10 $ + +\section{Acquiring the Software} + +\Question[Q-archives]{Repositories of \TeX{} material} + +To aid the archiving and retrieval of of \TeX{}-related files, a +\acro{TUG} working group developed the Comprehensive \TeX{} Archive +Network (\acro{CTAN}). Each \acro{CTAN} site has identical material, +and maintains authoritative versions of its material. These +collections are extensive; in particular, almost everything mentioned +in this \acro{FAQ} +is archived at the \acro{CTAN} sites (see the lists of software at the +end of each answer). + +There are two main \acro{CTAN} sites (in Germany and the \acro{UK}), +but users should ordinarily collect material via the % ! line break +\href{http://mirror.ctan.org/}{\acro{CTAN} mirror redirector} +(which connects you to a mirror that is in some sense ``near'' to +you). + +To access a particular thing through the \texttt{mirror.ctan.org} +mechanism, simply place the \acro{CTAN} path after the base +\acro{URL}; so +\URL{http://mirror.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/footmisc/} will +connect you to the \Package{footmisc} directory at some \acro{CTAN} +mirror. + +For details of how to find files at \acro{CTAN} sites, see +``\Qref*{finding \AllTeX{} files}{Q-findfiles}''. + +The \TeX{} user who has no access to any sort of +network may buy a copy of the archive as part of the +\Qref*{\texlive{} distribution}{Q-CD}; the disc is, necessarily, out +of date, but it is likely to be better than what (if anything) came +with your operating system. +\LastEdit{2012-12-14} + +\Question[Q-tds-zip]{Ready-built installation files on the archive} + +The \Qref*{\acro{TDS}}{Q-tds} is a simple structure, and almost all +files can be installed simply by putting them in the ``right'' place, +and updating a single index. (Note, this simple idea typically +doesn't work for fonts, unless they're distributed as \MF{} source.) + +The CTAN network is therefore acquiring ``\acro{TDS}-\acro{ZIP}'' files, +which have a built-in directory structure that matches the \acro{TDS}. +These files have to be built, and the \acro{CTAN} team has asked that +package authors supply them (the team will advise, of course, if the +author has trouble). The \acro{CTAN} team hopes that the extra work +involved will contribute to happier lives for package users, which in +turn must surely help keep the TeX community lively and active. + +At the time of writing, there are rather few \extension{tds.zip} +files (by comparison with the huge number of packages that are +available). As packages are updated, the number of files is +steadily increasing, but it will be a long time before the whole set +is covered. + +Use of the files is discussed in % ! line break +``\Qref*{installing using ready-built \acro{ZIP} files}{Q-inst-tds-zip}''. + +\Question[Q-nonfree]{What was the \acro{CTAN} \texttt{nonfree} tree?} + +When \acro{CTAN} was founded, in the 1990s, it was unusual to publish +the terms under which a \TeX{}-related package was distributed (or, at +any rate, to publish those terms formally). + +With the advent of the \TeX{} \emph{distributions}, however, people +started to realise the need for such information, to protect those who +create, distribute or sell the discs that hold the packages, etc. +With the licence information available, the distributors can decide +which packages may be distributed. + +The \acro{CTAN} team decided that it would be useful for users (and +distributors, not to say package authors) to separate packages that +were candidates for distribution, and those that were in some sense +``not free''. Thus was the \texttt{nonfree} tree born. + +From the start, the \texttt{nonfree} tree was controversial: the terms +under which a package would be placed on the tree were hotly +contested, and the \acro{CTAN} team were only able slowly to populate +the tree. It became obvious to the team that the project would never +have been completed. + +The \acro{CTAN} catalogue now records the nature of the licences of a +good proportion of the packages it describes (though there remain +several for which the licence is unknown, which is as good, for the +distributors, as a licence forbidding distribution). Since the +catalogue's coverage of \acro{CTAN} is good (and slowly improving), +the general rule for distributors has become +\begin{quote} +``if the package is listed in the catalogue, check there to see +whether you should distribute; if the package is not listed in the +catalogue, don't think of distributing it''. +\end{quote} +(The catalogue only has a modest % ! line break +\CTANhref{cat-licences}{list of licences}, but it covers the set used +by packages on \acro{CTAN}, with a wild-card ``\texttt{other-free}'' +which covers packages that the \acro{CTAN} administrators believe to +be free even though the authors haven't used a standard licence.) + +There is a corollary to the `general rule': if you notice something +that ought to be in the distributions, for which there is no catalogue +entry, please let the \acro{CTAN} team (\mailto{ctan@dante.de}) know. +It may well be that the package has simply been missed, but some aren't +catalogued because there's no documentation and the team just doesn't +understand the package. + +In the light of the above, the \texttt{nonfree} tree is being +dismantled, and its contents moved (or moved \emph{back}) to the main +\acro{CTAN} tree. So the answer to the question is, now, ``the +nonfree tree was a part of \acro{CTAN}, whose contents are now in +the main tree''. + +\Question[Q-uploads]{Contributing a file to the archives} + +You have something to submit to the archive~--- good news! + +Before we even start, here's a check-list of things to sort out: +\begin{enumerate} +\item Licence: in the spirit of \TeX{}, we hope for free software; in + the spirit of today's lawyer-enthralled society, \acro{CTAN} + provides a % ! line break + \href{http://mirror.ctan.org/help/Catalogue/licenses.html}{list of ``standard'' licence statements}. + Make sure that there's a formal statement of the licence of your + package, somewhere in the files you upload; beyond the \acro{CTAN} + installation, your package is a candidate for inclusion in \AllTeX{} + distributions~\dots{} and thereafter, also in operating system + distributions~\dots{} and the people who bundle all these things up + need a clear statement of your intent. +\item Documentation: it's good for users to be able to browse + documentation before downloading a package. You need at least a + plain text \File{README} file (exactly that name, upper case and no + \extension{txt} extension); in addition a + \acro{PDF} file of the package documentation, prepared for screen + reading, is highly desirable. +\item Name: endless confusion is caused by name clashes. If your + package has the same name as one already on \acro{CTAN}, or if your + package installation generates files of the same name as something + in a ``normal'' distribution, the \acro{CTAN} team will delay + installation while they check that you're doing the right thing: + they may nag you to change the name, or to negotiate a take-over + with the author of the original package. % beware line break + \Qref*{Browse the archive}{Q-findfiles} to ensure uniqueness. + + The name you choose should also (as far as possible) be somewhat + descriptive of what your submission actually \emph{does}; while + ``descriptiveness'' is to some extent in the eye of the beholder, + it's clear that names such as \File{mypackage} or \File{jiffy} + aren't suitable. +\end{enumerate} +You upload via the +\begin{flatversion} + CTAN upload redirector: \URL{http://www.ctan.org/upload} +\end{flatversion} +\begin{hyperversion} + \href{http://www.ctan.org/upload}{CTAN upload redirector} +\end{hyperversion} +(the archive's main page has a link). The upload page shows what it +needs to know, and allows you to enter the information. The mechanism +can only accept one file per upload: if you had intended to upload +lots of files, you need to bundle them into an `archive' file of some +sort; acceptable formats are \extension{zip} and \extension{tar.gz} +(most uploads are packed in \extension{zip} format). Once you have +completed your upload, the redirector assigns it to a member of the +team for processing. + +If you can't use this method, or if you find something confusing, ask +advice of the +\begin{flatversion} + \acro{CTAN} management team (\mailto{ctan@dante.de}). +\end{flatversion} +\begin{hyperversion} + \href{mailto:ctan@dante.de}{\acro{CTAN} management team} +\end{hyperversion} + +If your package is large, or regularly updated, it may be appropriate +to `mirror' your contribution direct into \acro{CTAN}. +Mirroring is only practical using \texttt{ftp} or \texttt{rsync}, so +this facility is limited to packages offered by a server that uses one +of those protocols. +\begin{ctanrefs} +\item[README.uploads]\CTANref{CTAN-uploads} +\end{ctanrefs} +\LastEdit{2013-01-31} + +\Question[Q-findfiles]{Finding \AllTeX{} files} + +Modern \TeX{} distributions contain a huge array of various sorts of +files, but sooner or later most people need to find something that's +not in their present system (if nothing else, because they've heard +that something has been updated). + +But how to find the files? + +Modern distributions (\texlive{} and \miktex{}, at least) provide the +means to update your system ``over the net''. This is the minimum +effort route to getting a new file: `simply' find which of the +distributions `packages' holds the file in question, and ask the +distribution to update it. The mechanisms are different (the two +distributions exhibit the signs of evolutionary divergence in their +different niches), but neither is difficult~--- see % ! line break +``\Qref*{using \miktex{} for installing}{Q-inst-miktex*}'' and % ! line break +``\Qref*{using \texlive{} for installing}{Q-inst-texlive}''. + +There are packages, though, that aren't in the distribution you use +(or for which the distribution hasn't yet been updated to offer the +version you need). + +Some sources, such as these \acro{FAQ} answers, provide links to +files: so if you've learnt about a package here, you should be able to +retrieve it without too much fuss. + +Otherwise, the \acro{CTAN} sites provide searching facilities, via the +web: at Dante with \URL{http://dante.ctan.org/search.html}, at +Cambridge with \URL{http://www.tex.ac.uk/search.html}. + +Two search mechanisms are offered: the simpler search, locating files +by name, simply scans a list of files (\File{FILES.byname}~--- see +below) and returns a list of matches, arranged neatly as a series of +links to directories and to individual files. + +The more sophisticated search looks at the contents of each catalogue +entry, and returns a list of catalogue entries that mention the +keywords you ask for. + +An alternative way to scan the catalogue is to use the catalogue's +% ! line break +\href{http://mirrors.ctan.org/help/Catalogue/bytopic.html}{``by topic'' index}; +this lists a series of topics, and \AllTeX{} projects that are worth +considering if you're working on matters related to the topic. + +In fact, \ProgName{Google}, and other search engines, can be useful +tools. Enter your search keywords, and you may pick up a package that +the author hasn't bothered to submit to \acro{CTAN}. If you're using +\ProgName{Google}, you can restrict your search to \acro{CTAN} by +entering +\begin{quote} + \texttt{site:ctan.org tex-archive \meta{search term(s)}} +\end{quote} +in \ProgName{Google}'s ``search box''. You can also enforce the +restriction using \ProgName{Google}'s ``advanced search'' mechanism; +other search engines (presumably) have similar facilities. + +Many people avoid the need to go over the network at all, for their +searches, by downloading the file list that the archives' web +file searches use. This file, \File{FILES.byname}, +presents a unified listing of the archive (omitting directory names and +cross-links). Its companion \File{FILES.last07days} is also useful, to +keep an eye on the changes on the archive. Since these files are +updated only once a day, a nightly automatic download (perhaps using +\ProgName{rsync}) makes good sense. +\begin{ctanrefs} +\item[FILES.byname]\CTANref{f-byname} +\item[FILES.last07days]\CTANref{f-last7} +\end{ctanrefs} + +\Question[Q-findfont]{Finding new fonts} + +Nowadays, new fonts are seldom developed by industrious people using +\mf{}, but if such do appear, they will nowadays be distributed in +the same way as any other part of \alltex{} collections. (An +historical review of Metafont fonts available is held on \acro{CTAN} +as ``\mf{} font list''.) Nowadays, most new fonts that appear are +only available in some scalable outline form, and a large proportion +is distributed under commercial terms. + +Such fonts often make their way to the free distributions (at least +\texlive{} and \miktex{}) if their licensing is such that the +distributions can accept them. Commercial fonts do not get to +distributions, though support for some of them is held by \acro{CTAN}. + +Arranging for a new font to be usable by \alltex{} is very different, +depending on which type of font it is, and which \tex{}-alike engine +you are using; roughly speaking: +\begin{itemize} +\item MetaFont fonts will work without much fuss (provided their + sources are in the correct place in the installation's tree); + \tex{}-with-\ProgName{dvips}, and \pdftex{} are ``happy'' with them. +\item Adobe Type 1 fonts can be made to work, after \extension{tfm} + and (usually) \extension{vf} files have been created from their + metric (\extension{afm}) files. +\item TrueType fonts can be made to work with \pdftex{}, using the + techniques discussed in ANSWER TO BE WRITTEN +\item TrueType and OpenType fonts are the usual sort used by \xetex{} + and \luatex{}; they ``just work'' with those engines. +\end{itemize} + +The answer ``\Qref*{choice of scalable fonts}{Q-psfchoice}'' discusses +fonts that are configured for general (both textual and mathematical) +use with \AllTeX{}. The list of such fonts is sufficiently short that +they \emph{can} all be discussed in one answer. +\begin{ctanrefs} +\item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\MF{} font list]\CTANref{mf-list} +\end{ctanrefs} +\LastEdit{2012-03-27} + +\Question[Q-CD]{The \TeX{} collection} + +If you don't have access to the Internet, there are obvious +attractions to \TeX{} collections on a disc. Even those with net +access will find large quantities of \TeX{}-related files to hand a +great convenience. + +The \TeX{} collection provides this, together with +ready-to-run \TeX{} systems for various architectures. The collection +is distributed on \acro{DVD}, and contains: +\begin{itemize} +\item The \texlive{} distribution, including the programs themselves + compiled for a variety of architectures; \texlive{} may be + run from the \acro{DVD} or installed on hard disc. +\item Mac\TeX{}: an easy to install \TeX{} system for MacOS/X, based + on \texlive{}; this distribution includes a native Mac installer, + % ! line break + \href{http://www.uoregon.edu/~koch/texshop/}{the \TeX{}Shop front-end} + and other Mac-specific tools; +\item Pro\TeX{}t: an easy to install \TeX{} system for Windows, based + on \miktex{}, based on an `active' document that guides + installation; and +\item A snapshot of \acro{CTAN}. +\end{itemize} +A fair number of national \TeX{} User Groups, as well as \acro{TUG}, +distribute copies to their members at no extra charge. Some user +groups are also able to sell additional copies: +contact your local user group or \Qref*{\acro{TUG}}{Q-TUG*}. + +You may also download disc images from \acro{CTAN}; the installation +disc, Pro\TeX{}t and Mac\TeX{} are all separately available. Beware: +they are all pretty large downloads. \texlive{}, once installed, may +be updated online. + +More details of the collection are available from +\begin{hyperversion} + \href{http://www.tug.org/texcollection/}{its own web page} + on the \acro{TUG} site. +\end{hyperversion} +\begin{flatversion} + its own web page on the + \acro{TUG} site \URL{http://www.tug.org/texcollection/} +\end{flatversion} +\begin{ctanrefs} +\item[Mac\TeX{}]\CTANref{mactex} +\item[Pro\TeX{}t]\CTANref{protext} +\item[\texlive{} install image]\CTANref{texlive} +\end{ctanrefs} + |