Re: [MiKTeX] Refresh FNDB database?

[Alan R. <ri...@ec...>]

Matthias Brennwald (bwm) wrote:
> 
> I meant that refreshing the FNDB data base is not necessary with other 
> LaTeX distros, e.g. with teTeX and gwTeX on Mac OS X. On the Mac, I just 
> move a file to the texmf tree and I'm done. (La)TeX finds it, because it 
> knows the paths to search for my files. No extra 
> rebuilding-FNDB-by-opening-the-start-menu-and-then-the-miktex-settings-program-and-then-click-on-the-right-tab-and-then-on-the-rebuild-FNDB-button-and-wait-for 
> -the-process-to-complete (sorry for this, this just made me feel 
> better...) :-)
> 
>> PS! Only refresh you local texmf tree. In a DOS prompt run
>>     "initexmf --update-fndb=path_to_localtexmf" - takes only a few
>>     seconds
> 
> Ok, that may save some horse power from the computer, but overall it 
> won't save me a lot of time, because I first have to open a DOS prompt, 
> type the command and then retype the command a few times (because I 
> mistyped it before).
> 
> To make a long story short: I don't see the point of the FNDB thing. As 
> far as I understand MikTeX knows the paths where the TeX stuff is (the 
> 'roots' in the MikTeX settings). However, for some reason it does not 
> automatically look for files there. It rather uses the FNDB thing, which 
> I find cumbersome.

MiKTeX does, in fact, look for files in the paths you designate, and it 
uses those paths to build the FNDB. The alternative is to skip the FNDB 
and have MiKTeX search those paths every single time you compile a 
document. One way or another, an FNDB (or its functional equivalent) 
will be built no matter what TeX distribution you use -- it's just a 
matter of whether it's done once or every time you compile a document. 
If you have a small tree, there probably isn't much difference between 
either method, but since searching an FNDB is nearly instantaneous it is 
clearly the way to go if you have a large tree.

So in the long run, unless you have a rather small tree then rebuilding 
the FNDB does, in fact, save you time by reducing the amount of time you 
spend waiting for compilation to finish.

BTW, it is worth noting that teTeX is no longer maintained -- in fact, 
CTAN has moved it to the "obsolete" tree.

Alan