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

[Christian S. <cs...@mi...>]

Anctop Chan wrote:
> 
> 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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