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I know everybody like Mactex (I like it too).

I'm looking for a distribution that sets up a a simpler tex tree. Since Maxtex is designed to be able to have multiple distributions on one computer, tex is installed in an odd way..

Since I'm not an expert in tex the Mactex tree confuses me.

I know the question is quite vague, but stick with me here:

A distribution that instals (pdfla)tex, has a package manager (can update and install new packages from Ctan), but integrates in the /usr/... structure I have set up with homebrew.

Mactex creates new directories with their own /usr/ structure within, which I don't like. I'd like to be able to read a tutorial of how to to this-and-that (written for linux), and not have to wade through texmf/usr/share/bin/share/texmf/... (figurativly speaking) to do the same on my mac.

I'm willing to give up the multiple distributions on one computer advantage for this.

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  • also not, I'm using vim so I won't be needing an extra editor.
    – romeovs
    May 1, 2011 at 13:11
  • Then you might be interested in the MacTeX-basic distribution which does not include any GUI tools or packages beyond the core set. It weighs in at 92 MB and you can use tlmgr to fill in missing tools and packages.
    – Sharpie
    May 1, 2011 at 17:32

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Mactex creates new directories with their own /usr/ structure within, which I don't like. I'd like to be able to read a tutorial of how to to this-and-that (written for linux), and not have to wade through texmf/usr/share/bin/share/texmf/... (figurativly speaking) to do the same on my mac.

This is not true; MacTeX puts everything under /usr/local/texlive/ and in a "year" subdirectory thereof. It also creates a symbolic link /usr/texbin pointing to /usr/local/texlive/<year>/bin/<arch>, where <year> is 2010 (for now) and <arch> can be universal-darwin or x86_64-darwin.

Additional packages can be put in /usr/local/texlive/texmf-local/ which MacTeX never touches (apart from creating it if non existent). This "local" tree integrates perfectly with the MacTeX environment.

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  • hmm. perhaps you're right. I reinstalled my computer, so all I've written above is purely based on my recollections (which I've probably exaggerated in my memory.) I'll delete the question, since it doesn't make sense
    – romeovs
    May 1, 2011 at 13:33
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    Judging from this comment, I guess one issue is where you are installing stuff by hand? With mactex, you probably actually want to be doing this in "~/Library/texmf". This directory is independent of the version, can be easily backed up with your user directory, and doesn't require running texhash when you install new stuff.
    – kgr
    May 1, 2011 at 18:14
  • yes, done that!
    – romeovs
    May 1, 2011 at 22:31

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