General ⇒ Problem with LaTeX => PDF

[thelark]

Hi there,

after a completely fresh install of Miktex 2.8 and Texniccenter, I have a strange problem with the LaTeX => PDF output profile:

Code: Select all

miktex-makefmt: The input file could not be found.
inittexmf.exe:  The operation failed for some reason.
inittexmf.exe:  Data: c:\Program Files\Office\MiKTeX\miktex\bin\miktex-makefmt.exe
I can't find the default format file.

This is Windows 7 (32 bit). There were no problems with the previous install on XP (same hardware).

I made the following observations:

• does not occur with LaTeX => PS/ LaTeX => PS => PDF
• updating the format files in MiKTex Settings doesn't change anything
• deinstalling/reinstalling MiKTeX doesn't change anything (I tried deinstalling the Basic MikTex package and installing the Complete MikTex package.

I would appreciate your ideas/advice.

Thanks,
Alex

[localghost]

Try to invoke the format files for pdflatex via MiKTeX Settings in the Start menu. If pdflatex is excluded from building format files, chnge its status an rebuild the format files. More detail can be found in the MiKTeX Manual. If all efforts come to nothing, consider a re-installation.


Best regards and welcome to the board
Thorsten

[thelark]

Thanks, but isn't this what I have already done? Is there a point in doing such things more than twice?

Thanks,
Aexander

[localghost]

You talked about updating the format files, not about modifications and then building new ones.

[thelark]

Hmm, sorry, then I have misunderstood something. Neither pdflatex nor pdftex are excluded. I have updated the format files several times. Could you elaborate a bit what I should modify and build?

Thanks,
Alex

[localghost]

Ok, now you have a problem. My answer was based on the assumption that pdftex might be excluded in these settings. The error message you gave in the initial post seems to be incomplete. Create a very minimal document like this.

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\documentclass{minimal}
\begin{document}
  Test
\end{document}

Start a run with pdflatex and post the complete log file here as attachment by uploading it to the forum server.

[thelark]

Hmmm, a log file should appear in the same folder as the .tex file or in the current directory, shouldn't it? Because there are no temporary files being generated as far as I can see.

Thanks,
Alex

[localghost]

That's really a problem. All I was able to find about this issue is a statement by the MiKTeX author himself [1]. But it is related to an installation of the MiKTeX tools on a Linux system. I think it would be good to contact the author directly and describe the problem in detail. You are welcome to report here about new insights.

[1] Nabble - miktex-users - MiKTeX on Linux

[thelark]

Too bad, but thanks for your help anyway.

If the problem occurs on Linux as well, perhaps it might be permission-related?

Anyway, I made one feeble attempt by installing Miktex 2.7 - with the same results, though.

Best,
Alex

[localghost]

[...] If the problem occurs on Linux as well, perhaps it might be permission-related? [...]

I think you didn't read the reply of the MiKTeX author careful enough. It's not about access permission but about existence of a certain file. I'm not familiar with Windows 7 (and never will be). Contact the MiKTeX author.