[MiKTeX] The "&fmt" command-line option does not work

[Anctop C. <an...@ho...>]

I'm using MiKTeX-2.6 on Win98SE, installed under "C:\MiKTeX".

I've a macros file outside the TeXMF trees, say "C:\fmtmp\newfmt.tex".
The command :
   "C:\MiKTeX\miktex\bin\tex -output-directory=C:\fmtmp -initialize C:\fmtmp\newfmt.tex"
produces the format file "C:\fmtmp\newfmt.fmt". Then
   "C:\MiKTeX\miktex\bin\tex &C:\fmtmp\newfmt.fmt mydoc.tex"
compiles "mydoc.tex" using the format "newfmt".

This approach has the advantage that one can test new formats without messing up existing TeXMF trees. However, this mechanism does not work on WinXP/Vista (still with MiKTeX-2.6 installed under "C:\MiKTeX").
I can produce "C:\fmtmp\newfmt.fmt" with the same command as shown above, but MiKTeX fails to compile documents using the new format.
When invoked from the command-line, it gives the "**" prompt. I enter "\end", then a system error pops up, saying

   "Windows cannot open this file: File: newfmt.fmt"

I'd like to ask if there's any way to restore the functionality ?


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