🚀 go-pugleaf

>	I'm trying to get a 3.0 system to run AmS-TeX. I've encountered several  
>difficulties, so I'm hoping the net can help me out:

>1) After using
>			initex \&tex amstex.tex
>to process my copy of the (version 2.1) macro package, I use the \dump command to  
>create the .fmt preloaded macro file. But when I try to USE that macro file, I get  
>this:

>(Nov 09 5:26pm) /kickaha/tex -> tex \&amstex
>This is CTeX, NeXT Version 3.141
>(Fatal format file error; I'm stymied)
>(Nov 09 5:27pm) /kickaha/tex ->

First of all I did not bother making amstex format.  I found NeXT fast
enough not to bother.  But if you are using amstex a lot and you have
this extra disk space use amstex.ini with initex.  It is meant for this!

Once you have done that check if you replaced an old format with the new
one.  If your TeX is picking up the old format all kind of bad things
will happen.  Is the name of this new format amstex.fmt or amsplain.fmt
or something like that?  In the later case put your new format in
/usr/lib/tex/formats directory an make a hard link from it to
amstex.fmt.  Lastly make a link in /usr/bin - 'ln virtex amstex'.
You can than call 'amstex my_file' and proper format will be picked.

>Example error message I received:

>=======

>(amsppt.sty version 2.1a (22-JAN-1992): Loading utility definitions,
>more fonts,
>! Font \sevenex=cmex7 not loadable: Metric (TFM) file not found.
><to be read again> 
>                   \toks@ 
>\rightappend@ #1\to #2->\toks@ 
>                               {\\{#1}}\toks@@ =\expandafter {#2}\xdef #2{\t...

>\font@ #1=#2 ->\rightappend@ #1\to \fontlist@ 
>                                              \font #1=#2 
>l.120 \font@\sevenit=cmti7
>                          
AMS-TeX is using a lot of fonts which are not included in a standard
distribution (more cm's, euler, fraktur, cyrilic).  You will find them
on various servers for ftp or you may buy/copy these from elsewhere.
Cannonical site is math.ams.com.

Do not bother with transfering pk's (bitmap files).  They will likely
be of a wrong resolution anyway.  Get Metafont sources and (optional but
very useful) metric files - tfm's.  Install in proper directories
and leave to dvips a job of making fonts when they are needed.  After
some initial period you will be left with bitmaps which YOU are using.
(If you did not turn on an automatic font creation check from time
to time /LocalLibrary/Fonts/TeXFonts/NeededFonts and run it as a script
in a batch mode).

   Michal Jaegermann
   ntomczak@vega.math.ualberta.ca