In order to get a fixed version of another package, I need to upgrade expl3. As I am sharing this project, I’d prefer to put the new version next to the document.
I extracted the l3kernels.tds.zip in a subdirecotry l3kernels.tds/ of the directory with my document test.text, which is simply
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{expl3}
\begin{document}
Hello \LaTeX
\end{document}
but when I run it as follows, it does not work:
/tmp/test $ TEXINPUTS=./l3kernel.tds//: pdflatex test.tex
This is pdfTeX, Version 3.141592653-2.6-1.40.22 (TeX Live 2021/nixos.org) (preloaded format=pdflatex)
restricted \write18 enabled.
entering extended mode
(./test.tex
LaTeX2e <2021-11-15> patch level 1
L3 programming layer <2022-02-24>
(/nix/store/lw99xzbz6hw1mzg1zh9n1wxzpa497s25-texlive-combined-full-2021-final/s
hare/texmf/tex/latex/base/article.cls
Document Class: article 2021/10/04 v1.4n Standard LaTeX document class
(/nix/store/lw99xzbz6hw1mzg1zh9n1wxzpa497s25-texlive-combined-full-2021-final/s
hare/texmf/tex/latex/base/size10.clo))
(./l3kernel.tds/tex/latex/l3kernel/expl3.sty
! LaTeX3 Error: Mismatched LaTeX support files detected.
(LaTeX3) Loading 'expl3.sty' aborted!
(LaTeX3)
(LaTeX3) The L3 programming layer in the LaTeX format
(LaTeX3) is dated 2022-02-24, but in your TeX tree the files require
(LaTeX3) at least 2023-02-22.
For immediate help type H <return>.
...
l.77 \ExplLoaderFileDate{expl3.sty}}
%
?
Should this not work? Am I misunderstanding how these .tds.zip files can be used?
.tds.zipfile, as suggested as an easy way to upgrade expl3 in tex.stackexchange.com/a/489649/15107