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MiKTeX Readme File

This is the MiKTeX 2.0 Readme File.


1. What is it

MiKTeX is a free TeX distribution for Windows.


2. Downloading the MiKTeX distribution

The download folder (i.e. the folder that contains this Readme file) contains an HTML page named index.html. The page contains links to all downloadable files. It is highly recommended that you open this page with an Internet browser now.

The MiKTeX distribution consists of the MiKTeX Setup Wizard (setupwiz.exe) and accompanying Zip files. Download the components (Zip files), that you want to install. Download all components, if you intend to redistribute MiKTeX.

msdll.zip
Various dynamic link libraries by Microsoft. It's highly recommended that you download this Zip file.

lcore.zip
MiKTeX core distribution: shared libraries.

xcore.zip
MiKTeX core distribution: executable files.

core.zip
MiKTeX core distribution: non-executable files.

latex.zip
LaTeX core distribution & Babel. You should download this Zip file if you intend to use LaTeX and/or Babel.

latexpkg.zip
Standard LaTeX packages. You should download this Zip file if you intend to use LaTeX.

urw.zip
URW PostScript fonts. You should download this Zip file if you intend to use standard PostScript fonts.

amslatex.zip
This component includes the AMS-LaTeX package and the AMS fonts. You should download this Zip file if you intend to typeset mathematics.

cmps.zip
Computer Modern fonts in Type1 format. You should download this Zip file if you intend to use pdfTeX and/or Dvipdfm.

amsps.zip
AMS fonts in Type1 format. You should download this Zip file if you intend to use pdfTeX and/or Dvipdfm and if you typeset mathematics.

ecfonts.zip
This component includes the European Computer Modern Fonts and Text Companion Fonts. You should download this Zip file if you write in an european language.

dvipdfm.zip
This component includes Dvipdfm. This utility converts DVI files into PDF files. You should download the Zip file if you want to create PDF documents.

metapost.zip
This component includes the MetaPost application. MetaPost is a graphics language based on METAFONT, but with PostScript output.

lhfonts.zip
This component includes LH fonts in various encodings. You should download this Zip file if you want to typeset cyrillic texts.

yandy.zip
This component includes support files for Lucida Bright and MathTime fonts. Download this Zip file if you have these fonts.

psutils.zip
Utilities for manipulating PostScript documents. Some of these utilities require Perl.

pdftex.zip
This component includes pdfTeX. pdfTeX can be used to convert TeX documents into PDF documents.

etex.zip
This component includes e-TeX. e-TeX is a feature-enhanced version of TeX.

pdfetex.zip
This component includes pdfeTeX. pdfeTeX is a pdfTeX/e-TeX merger.

texinfo.zip
This component includes the programs Makeinfo, Makertf and Texindex.

eplain.zip
Extended Plain TeX macros.

xomega.zip
Omega executables. Omega is a unicode-enhanced version of TeX.

omega.zip
Omega input files.

source2.zip
This component includes the source code for the LaTeX2e packages included in MiKTeX.

german.zip
This component includes files supporting german-language typesetting.

polish.zip
This component includes files supporting polish-language typesetting.

Every Zip file has a correspinding .lst file which shows the Zip file's contents.


3. Installation Instructions

  1. You should first remove any previous MiKTeX installation:

  2. Make sure that you have enough disk space. A complete MiKTeX installation consumes approximately 70MB of disk space.

  3. It is highly recommended that you login as Administrator, if you're installing MiKTeX on a Windows NT/2000 computer.

  4. Choose a location for the installation folder (e.g. C:\Program Files\MiKTeX). This folder receives the files of the MiKTeX distribution.

  5. You can cause MiKTeX to deposit newly created files (fonts, format files, file name databases) in a separate hierarchy of folders, called the Local TEXMF tree. If you decide to use a local TEXMF tree, then you must choose a location for its root folder (e.g. C:\Local TeXMF).

    Benefits that a local TEXMF tree provides include the following:

  6. Decide whether you want to incorporate an existing TEXMF tree. For example, if you have a TeXLive CD inserted in your CD-ROM drive E:, then it would be possible to include E:\texmf (the root of the TeXLive TEXMF tree) in the MiKTeX search procedure.

  7. Start MiKTeX Setup Wizard (setupwiz.exe). You will presented with the welcome page:

    images/setupwiz-welcome

  8. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-shared

    You have the option to create a shared installation, so that other users are able to use MiKTeX. Under Windows NT/2000, this option requires administrator privileges.

  9. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-installdir

    Enter the full path to the desired installation folder (see step 4).

  10. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-compsel

    Choose the components that you want to install.

  11. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-localdir

    Enter the full path to the desired local TEXMF folder (see step 5). Check the button `No local TEXMF tree', if you don't want to use a local TEXMF tree.

  12. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-addtexmf

    You are asked about whether you want to incorporate existing TEXMF trees. If you check the button `Incorporate existing TEXMF directory trees', then you must specify the locations of those trees on a subsequent page.

  13. Click `Next>' to go to the next page:

    images/setupwiz-review

    You should now review the installation options.

  14. Click `Next>' to start the installation process. The selected components will be copied to the installation folder chosen in step 9.

  15. When the files have been copied to your computer, you have the option to register the path to the MiKTeX bin directory:

    images/setupwiz-path

  16. Click `Next>' to go to the final page:

    images/setupwiz-finish

    Click `Finish' to close Setup Wizard.

It is possible to run the MiKTeX Setup Wizard in unattended mode. See the Local Guide for more information.


4. Configuring dvips

Dvips is configured as follows:

If these settings are not suitable for your site, then you have to edit the Dvips configuration file config.ps. You will find this file in the directory dvips\config relative to the MiKTeX installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\MiKTeX). See the MiKTeX Manual, for more information.


5. Where are the docs?

The MiKTeX Manual is available in a variety of formats:

  1. As a DVI document viewable/printable with Yap:

     
    C:\Program Files\MiKTeX\doc\miktex\miktex.dvi
    

  2. As a Windows Help file:

     
    C:\Program Files\MiKTeX\doc\miktex\miktex.hlp
    

  3. As an HTML document:

     
    C:\Program Files\MiKTeX\doc\miktex\miktex.html
    

  4. As a PDF file viewable with Acrobat Reader:

     
    C:\Program Files\MiKTeX\doc\miktex\miktex.pdf
    

For up-to-date information, visit the MiKTeX Project Page (see below).


6. Mailing List

There is a discussion list for MiKTeX. To join the list, send an email to miktex-request@dsts.dk which contains the word `subscribe' as the first line in the message body.


7. MiKTeX Project Page

Latest news are available on the MiKTeX Project Page:

http://www.miktex.org


8. Copying

As far as I know, all components of the MiKTeX distribution are freely redistributable, i.e. the whole MiKTeX distribution is freely redistributable.


9. Disclaimer

The MiKTeX distribution comes with absolutely no warranty of any kind.


[Top] [Contents] [Index] [ ? ]

Table of Contents

1. What is it
2. Downloading the MiKTeX distribution
3. Installation Instructions
4. Configuring dvips
5. Where are the docs?
6. Mailing List
7. MiKTeX Project Page
8. Copying
9. Disclaimer

[Top] [Contents] [Index] [ ? ]

Short Table of Contents

1. What is it
2. Downloading the MiKTeX distribution
3. Installation Instructions
4. Configuring dvips
5. Where are the docs?
6. Mailing List
7. MiKTeX Project Page
8. Copying
9. Disclaimer

[Top] [Contents] [Index] [ ? ]

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