tlmgr-arch

View documentation for the original command

$ tldr tlmgr platform

tlmgr-arch [tlmgr_subcommand] [tlmgr_options_and_arguments]

install <package>
    Installs a TeX Live package or collection not managed by pacman. E.g., tlmgr-arch install a0poster.

update [--all|--self|--force]
    Updates TeX Live packages. Use --all to update all packages, --self to update tlmgr itself, or --force to force updates. This applies to tlmgr-managed components, not pacman-managed ones.

remove <package>
    Removes a TeX Live package previously installed via tlmgr-arch. E.g., tlmgr-arch remove a0poster.

gui
    Launches the graphical user interface for tlmgr, providing an interactive way to manage TeX Live packages.

search --file <pattern>
    Searches for files within the TeX Live installation. E.g., tlmgr-arch search --file article.cls.

show <package>
    Displays detailed information about a specified TeX Live package.

option [key] [value]
    Manages tlmgr's configuration options. E.g., tlmgr-arch option repository ctan.

path add
    Adds TeX Live paths to the system's PATH environment variable (usually handled by Arch's TeX Live package).

repository add|remove|list
    Manages TeX Live package repositories.

version
    Displays the version information for tlmgr.

help
    Shows the help message for tlmgr, including available subcommands and options.

tlmgr-arch is an Arch Linux-specific wrapper script for the TeX Live package manager, tlmgr. On Arch Linux, TeX Live is typically installed system-wide via pacman. This differs from a standard TeX Live installation, which is usually self-contained in a dedicated directory. tlmgr-arch bridges this gap by setting the appropriate environment variables (like TEXLIVE_INSTALL_ROOT or TEXMFROOT) before invoking tlmgr.

This ensures that tlmgr operations, such as installing new packages, updating existing ones, or managing collections, interact correctly with the Arch-managed TeX Live installation and avoid conflicts with files handled by pacman. It allows users to leverage tlmgr's full functionality for adding components that are not part of the standard Arch TeX Live packages or for managing local additions.

Always use tlmgr-arch instead of direct tlmgr on Arch Linux to prevent conflicts and ensure proper pathing, especially if you have both pacman-installed and tlmgr-installed components.

tlmgr-arch primarily manages TeX Live components installed by tlmgr itself (e.g., in /usr/local/share/texmf-dist or /opt/texlive depending on the Arch setup for tlmgr-arch), not those installed and managed directly by pacman. For pacman-managed components, use pacman commands (e.g., sudo pacman -S texlive-most).

Some distributions might place the TeX Live user trees in different locations; tlmgr-arch aims to correctly identify this for Arch.

On Arch Linux, TeX Live is installed and maintained primarily through the pacman package manager. This places TeX Live components into standard system directories like /usr/share/texmf-dist. In contrast, the official TeX Live distribution provides tlmgr, which expects a self-contained installation (e.g., in /usr/local/texlive).

Directly using tlmgr on an Arch-installed TeX Live without proper setup can lead to issues such as files being written to unexpected locations, permissions problems, or conflicts with pacman's file tracking, potentially breaking your TeX Live installation or interfering with system integrity. tlmgr-arch solves this by correctly configuring the environment for tlmgr, allowing it to safely manage packages that are *not* provided by pacman (e.g., new packages, specific versions, or local additions) without corrupting the pacman-managed core TeX Live installation. It ensures that tlmgr operations target the correct user-writable locations while respecting the system-managed components.

tlmgr-arch emerged as a necessary utility within the Arch Linux ecosystem due to the inherent differences in how TeX Live is typically installed and managed. While TeX Live's own package manager, tlmgr, is designed for self-contained installations that manage their entire directory tree, Arch Linux's philosophy dictates system-wide integration via pacman. This often means TeX Live files are scattered across standard system directories (e.g., /usr/share/texmf-dist). Directly running tlmgr on such an installation could lead to inconsistencies, permissions issues, or conflicts with pacman-managed files.

To resolve this, Arch developers or community members created tlmgr-arch as a wrapper. Its primary function is to set the correct environment variables and paths, allowing tlmgr to operate safely on the Arch-installed TeX Live, primarily for adding packages not included in Arch's texlive-* bundles or for managing user-specific TeX Live trees.

tlmgr(1), pacman(8), tex(1)