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I'm experiencing some problems with the following issues: 1) How to know what is the TeXlive version I'm using, and how to know if it's the latest one; 2) How to update it in case it's not updated (provided it's worth doing it, rather than remove the older version and install the up-to-date one); 3) How to install a package that is not contained in the downloaded distribution.

As for the first question, what I do now is to type 

tex --version

in the command prompt, and I get something like

tex --version TeX 3.14159265 <TeX Live 2015/W32TeX> [...]

But I don't think that's enough...

As for the third one, I read about it but I haven't been able to make the packages work. I've read what's written in here and the package I'm looking for is - according to tlmgr - already installed... (Obviously pdflatex doesn't find it). Thank you very much for your time.

PS I use Windows 8.1

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  • To solve the issue you are actually facing, it might be useful to tell us what package your TeX system is not finding (a short demo and copy-pasted error message is likely best)
    – Joseph Wright ♦
    Feb 10, 2016 at 15:44
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    You don't think its enough for what? Seems you have Texlive 2015.
    – A Feldman
    Feb 10, 2016 at 16:19
  • @Marcau Please post a MWE which includes the "non-working" package in the context of how you would be using that package.
    – A Feldman
    Feb 10, 2016 at 16:35
  • @AFeldman The package was mathpazo, but I looked into the documentation and I read that the package psnfss was needed, so I installed it and now everything seems to work fine. Thank you.
    – Marcau
    Feb 11, 2016 at 8:44
  • @Marcau I'm happy that you were able to get it working!
    – A Feldman
    Feb 11, 2016 at 12:44

2 Answers 2

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Use tlmgr to update. Put the packages in your texmf directory and do texhash to install new packages, and see How can I manually install a package on MiKTeX (Windows).

LaTeX for Complete Novices also has a section on installing packages. That being said there are a lot of other reasons why you would not be getting any output from a package, other than it not being installed. For instance, incorrect use of the package, conflict with other packages, package dependencies, using the wrong command to compile, failing to compile more than once, using the wrong TeX engine, among others.

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  • I'm using the TeXlive distribution, will the packages work even if I install them on MikTeX? On my PC I have also the MikTeX distribution, but I guess this is due to the fact that I installed LyX. Anyway, through tlmgr I can just update the packages, not the TeXlive version, is that correct?
    – Marcau
    Feb 11, 2016 at 8:52
  • I do not know much about MikTeX, but I think it has its own update tools. What are the possibilities regarding having both on the same system is an interesting question, one that I have never been faced with myself.
    – A Feldman
    Feb 11, 2016 at 12:47
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Regarding your questions:

  1. How to know what is the TeXlive version I'm using, and how to know if it's the latest one?
    At a command prompt, type tlmgr --version. TeXLive is released once a year, 2015 is the current one.

  2. How to update it in case it's not updated (provided it's worth doing it, rather than remove the older version and install the up-to-date one)?
    Currently, there is no other way than to uninstall the old version and install the new one.

  3. How to install a package that is not contained in the downloaded distribution?
    Install the files into your texmf-local or texmf-home. At a command prompt, enter kpsewhich -expand-var=$TEXMFLOCAL or kpsewhich -expand-var=$TEXMFHOME to find out where they are. You must install the files acc. to TDS (TeX directory structure) and run mktexlsr.

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  • Thank you very much! About the third question, is the texmf-local the directory which contains my personal tree? And, when I type 'tlmgr --info' I get 'unknown option'!
    – Marcau
    Feb 11, 2016 at 8:37
  • @Marcau - Sorry, my bad. I've updated my answer.
    – Arash Esbati
    Feb 11, 2016 at 9:13
  • No problem, you've been very clear, thank you very much.
    – Marcau
    Feb 11, 2016 at 14:38

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