fmtutil

manage TeX format files and Metafont bases

TLDR

Rebuild all formats (prefer the sys/user wrappers)

$ fmtutil --sys --all

Create missing formats only

$ fmtutil --sys --missing

Rebuild one format by name

$ fmtutil --sys --byfmt pdflatex

Rebuild formats for a given engine

$ fmtutil --sys --byengine pdftex

List configured formats

$ fmtutil --sys --listcfg

SYNOPSIS

fmtutil [-user|-sys] [OPTION]... [COMMAND]

fmtutil rebuilds and manages TeX format files and Metafont bases (collectively called "formats"). Formats are pre-dumped engine states (for example pdflatex.fmt) that make subsequent TeX runs much faster.As of TeX Live 2017, prefer the explicit wrappers fmtutil-sys and fmtutil-user, or pass -sys / -user. Invoking bare fmtutil without a mode prints a warning. Best practice for almost all installations is system mode so generated files land under TEXMFSYSVAR and stay consistent with package updates.Exactly one command must be given (except in mktexfmt mode). Configuration is merged from all fmtutil.cnf files found via kpsewhich.

PARAMETERS

-sys

Use system trees TEXMFSYSVAR / TEXMFSYSCONFIG (same as fmtutil-sys)

-user

Use user trees TEXMFVAR / TEXMFCONFIG (same as fmtutil-user)

--all

Recreate all format files

--missing

Create all missing format files

--byfmt FORMAT

(Re)create format FORMAT

--byengine ENGINE

(Re)create formats built with ENGINE

--byhyphen HYPHENFILE

(Re)create formats that depend on HYPHENFILE

--refresh

Recreate only formats that already exist

--enablefmt FORMAT[/ENGINE]

Enable FORMAT (optionally for a specific engine)

--disablefmt FORMAT[/ENGINE]

Disable FORMAT

--listcfg

List enabled and disabled configurations for available formats

--showhyphen FORMAT

Print the hyphen file name for FORMAT

--cnffile FILE

Read FILE instead of the default fmtutil.cnf (may be repeated)

--fmtdir DIR

Write formats under DIR instead of TEXMF[SYS]VAR

--dry-run, -n

Do not actually build formats

--quiet

Be silent

--nohash

Do not update ls-R files

--no-strict

Exit successfully even if a format fails to build

--version, --help

Show version or help and exit

INSTALL

sudo dnf install texlive

sudo apk add texlive

sudo zypper install texlive

brew install texlive

CAVEATS

Running in user mode once writes formats under TEXMFVAR that permanently override system formats until those user files are removed. Prefer fmtutil-sys / -sys unless you intentionally maintain private formats. Building all formats can take a long time and needs a complete TeX Live engine set.

HISTORY

Originally written by Thomas Esser for teTeX; maintained as part of TeX Live. The -user / -sys split and dedicated fmtutil-user / fmtutil-sys commands were introduced around TeX Live 2017.

RESOURCES

Documentation · Homepage