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I've heard that it is difficult to install my new statrep package using MiKTeX. The dtx file is self-extracting, but I think MiKTeX doesn't expect to work with a dtx file.

Can someone provide a "best practice" for a CTAN package bundle that is friendly for MiKTeX, TeX Live, and manual installation? Perhaps including the *.sty files and a plain *.ins file even though the dtx is self-extracting?

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    You can use ctanify.
    – Marco Daniel
    May 18, 2012 at 14:45
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    See: What is good practice when preparing a package for CTAN?
    – Marco Daniel
    May 18, 2012 at 15:11
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    I provide all my packages as DTX plus INS file, but also as TDS ZIP file where all files are already extracted and in the correct sub-folder. I never had an issue with getting my packages into TeX Live or MiKTeX.
    – Martin Scharrer
    May 18, 2012 at 15:39
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    In my opinion this has nothing to do with MiKTeX! The only problem may be, that MiKTeX perhaps is used by less experienced users, who probably don’t know, where to put the created files. Also in the README the install procedure fits only to TeXlive. If you create a TDS ZIP file, as Martin already wrote, all should go fine and probably your package will be integrated into the distributions then. (For package installing into a local TeXMF in MiKTeX you will find answers here at least by me.) Beside that is there an external SAS program needed and if yes does exist a windows version?
    – Speravir
    May 18, 2012 at 20:50
  • I'm not complaining about MikTeX, but if it expects a .ins file, then I should not upload a self-extracting .dtx file (and do exactly as Martin says). This seems like important information for package authors if a package that only includes a self-extracting .dtx file, omitting the .ins file, creates problems for MikTeX users. Also, SAS runs on unix and windows.
    – Tim A
    May 21, 2012 at 14:31

1 Answer 1

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What is best for MiKTeX is ultimately up to Christian Schenk. However, for a .dtx-style package CTAN usually ask for:

  • The .dtx
  • The .ins to unpack it
  • The documentation (in PDF format)

That is what I upload for 'self-extracting' .dtx files, and this seems to work well.

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