# Rescuing/Compiling old TeX file starting with “\input amstex”

I have come across an ancient (1995) LaTeX file which was (surely) once compliant, but now does not compile at all. Is there any way to rescue it?

My actual question is much more precise. I want a copy of the follow paper on the arXiv:

http://arxiv.org/abs/alg-geom/9401005

Downloading the pdf source produces something which looks like a document on a4 paper printed on US letter (the bottoms of some pages are cut off). However, if you download the TeX source from the arXiv, then it doesn't compile (even adding .tex, naturally). I'm using an up to date version of TeXshop on a mac.

• Welcome to TeX.SX! The file is made for AMS-TeX, you should compile it with `amstex`. Or uncomment the `\input amstex` line and compile with `pdftex`. – egreg Jan 31 '15 at 21:56
• The page you reference says `: 13 pages in AMS-TeX v2.1` so it is not latex it is amstex which is a different format plain `pdftex` should work, so long as you have `amstex.tex on your system` – David Carlisle Jan 31 '15 at 21:56
• I changed the title so other people with `\input amstex` in their file can find this one – egreg Jan 31 '15 at 22:10

It's not LaTeX 2.09, but AMS-TeX, a completely different format.

After having added the `.tex` extension, open your file with TeXShop and uncomment the `\input amstex` line

``````%Paper: alg-geom/9401005
%From: "E. Looijenga" <looijeng@math.ruu.nl>
%Date: Mon, 24 Jan 1994 16:34:09 +0100
%Date (revised): Fri, 24 Mar 1995 16:06:18 +0100

\input amstex
\documentstyle{amsppt}
\magnification=1200
\hyphenation{}
\define\Z{{\Bbb Z}}
\define\R{{\Bbb R}}
\define\Q{{\Bbb Q}}
\define\M{\Cal{M}}
\define\J{\Cal{J}}
...
``````

Then choose the “Plain TeX” engine from the drop down menu next to the “Typeset” button, like in the following picture

Press the “Typeset” button. Et voilà. `;-)`

If you know how to use the Terminal, then

``````amstex -output-format=pdf 9401005v2
``````

will produce a PDF file.

This was brought to my attention recently.

The v2 of the code seems to be coded for an A4DIN page size, but on the main arxiv.org website, we force all submissions into letterpaper as part of the dvi -> ps -> pdf processing.

I've updated the source files for this paper on arXiv adding the line:

\voffset=-0.5in

which moves the text on the page "up", so there is now no information loss on the printed pdf.

--

Jake Weiskoff