File lookup

This section describes how Kpathsea searches for most files (bitmap font searches are the exception, as described in the next section).

Here is the search strategy for a file name:

1. If name has a suffix, search for exactly name along the appropriate path. Example: given `foo.sty', look for `foo.sty' before `foo.sty.tex', even though it's a TeX input file.
2. If the file format defines a default suffix, and the suffix of name is not already that default, try appending the default. Example: given `foo.bar', search for `foo.bar.tex'. But if given `foo.tex', don't bother to search for `foo.tex.tex'.
3. If we're searching for a TFM, PK, or GF file, look for aliases of name in `texfonts.map' files (see section Fontmap). Example: given `Times-Roman', find `ptmr'.
4. If the file format defines a program to invoke to create missing files, run it (see section `MakeTeX' scripts).
5. Search for name itself, if we haven't done so already. Example: given `foo', search for `foo'.

This is implemented in the routine kpse_find_file in `kpathsea/tex-file.c'. You can watch it in action with the debugging options (see section Debugging).

Go to the first, previous, next, last section, table of contents.