TeX Live and MacTeX ⇒ How to install or copy a package in TeX Live (Ubuntu)?

[bit]

Hello,

i have just found out the todonotes package and it seems great!

However, (since i am new to code-writing and terminal using ) i do not know how to install it correctly to my ubuntu 9.10 latex sytem (Texlive). Can i just copy the todonotes.sty in a folder and if yes which one is the best to do it?

Or, is there any command that i can run (through kile or terminal) in order to install it (and future packages as well) on my latex system and make it work?

(I have downloaded the package from CTAN, but there is no instruction for a new user how to install it, or where to copy it!)

Thank you in advance!

Alex

[meho_r]

I guess you're using ancient TeXLive 2007 from Ubuntu's repos (yes, I do recommend you to install TeXLive 2009, which has a nice Package Manager, which can pull any package present on CTAN and install it easily).

However, for TeXLive 2007, you should place files into places as follows (don't forget to use nautilus with administrative privileges, i.e. Alt+F2 > gksudo nautilus):

1. README, todonotes.pdf, todonotesexample.pdf and todonotesexample.tex go into /usr/share/texmf-texlive/doc/latex/todonotes (you may need to create this todonotes folder first, but make sure the path before that matches the one on your system)

2. todonotes.sty goes into /usr/share/texmf-texlive/tex/latex/todonotes

3. todonotes.dtx and todonotes.ins go into /usr/share/texmf-texlive/source/latex/todonotes

4. After you've finished copying all files into their respective places, you should run the following command (to update the package database):

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sudo texhash

You can find useful infos about this here.

[bit]

I guess you're using ancient TeXLive 2007 from Ubuntu's repos (yes, I do recommend you to install TeXLive 2009, which has a nice Package Manager, which can pull any package present on CTAN and install it easily).
...
You can find useful infos about this here.

Yes indeed, Texlive2007. Wow, i didn't know this! That was a huge disadvantage of Texlive, compared to e.g. Miktex! However, is Texlive2009 stable?

Thanks for the clear instructions!! That was very helpful, the package now works fine!

Thanks a lot for your time and comments meho_r!!!

Alex

[magicmoose]

I tried installing TeXlive2009 onto my ubuntu 9.10 computer but couldn't make it work!

Hopefully TL2009 is put into the repositories for 10.4

[frabjous]

Ubuntu gets its tex packages through Debian, so it'll have to get accepted into Debian stable first. I haven't heard much about this lately; I rather doubt it'll make it in time for Lucid's release, but I could be wrong.

I'm impatient, so I've installed TL2009 on Ubuntu 9.10. Indeed, I had it installed on Ubuntu 9.04 before Karmic was even released. I used the instructions on TUG.net, and haven't had any problems. (You could also try installing through this PPA here.) What problem installing did you run into?

[magicmoose]

I installed it all but I couldn't configure the PATH properly - I'm very new to the Linux world. Depending what websites I looked at they told me to edit the PATH in the .bashrc file, or .profile or even do it through the terminal with some commands. I plan on installing TL2009 when I change over to Lucid in a few months and I'll just be careful and try and find some good detailed instructions

[meho_r]

As recommended on this forum couple of times, you can try install TL2009 locally. Instructions how to do this can be found here.

It seems TL2009 is in Debian repos, both unstable and testing, so I hope to see it in Ubuntu 10.04.

@Alex, TL2009 is pretty stable. However, with the easy way of updating packages from CTAN, it is possible that you encounter some problems from time to time after fresh updates (which you, of course, aren't obliged to do). So, in case you decide to install it, just keep in mind: never do an update in the middle of a project, and you'll be fine.

@magicmoose, just add TL2009 path into your ~/.bashrc file. E.g., mine looks like this:

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export PATH=/home/mehor/TeXLive/texlive/2009/bin/x86_64-linux:$PATH

Of course, you'll have to change it and put full path to the place you've installed TL2009 to. Notice that the path should be followed by :$PATH.

You may need to run this command afterwards too, to specify paths order:

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source ~/.bashrc

[magicmoose]

Good news, thanks for the tip

[bit]

Good news and information guys, thanks for the advices and links meho_r and frabjous!

I will try to install TL2009 as soon as possible and will come back for feedback!

Thank you all!