Why is TeX ignoring texmf.cnf?

Question

I got the following error:

TeX capacity exceeded, sorry [main memory size=3000000]

while compiling a TikZ path containing ~10,000 points. So i decided to increase this memory limit of TeX. I edited the /usr/share/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf file. Now it contains the following lines:

main_memory.latex = 30000000

main_memory.pdflatex = 30000000

main_memory.xelatex = 30000000

But the pdflatex or xelatex dies with the same error, and it says, that the main memory size is still 3,000,000. I was searching for other texmf.cnf files, and there is one here: /etc/texmf/web2c/texmf.cnf. But it's just a link, the changes what i made, appeared also in that file. So why does TeX ignore it?

I'm using TeX Live 2010/Arch Linux.

that's the solution. i run fmtutil instead fmtutil-sys. now it works, and i'm able to compile the large tikzpicture. thank you! — deeenes, Jul 20 '11 at 12:08
@Taco: Please add it as an answer now so that vizipok can accept it and conclude the question. Thanks. — Martin Scharrer, Jul 20 '11 at 13:27

score 8 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 03 '13 at 01:59

8

When you change the array size values in texmf.cnf, the formats need to be regenerated, since these values are stored into the formats themselves. The command used to recreate the formats is:

fmtutil-sys --all

edited Nov 03 '13 at 01:59

gypaetus

3,162

answered Jul 20 '11 at 13:55

Taco Hoekwater

13,724
43
67

2

On standard TeX Live systems there's a "local" texmf.cnf file located in /usr/local/texlive/<year>/ where site changes to variables can be made without touching the main file that could be rewritten during updates. Is there the possibility also on "packaged" TeX Live distributions such as the one for ArchLinux? – egreg Jul 20 '11 at 14:00
i don't have that file, in this distribution the local tree is /usr/share/texmf/, and the regulary updated tree is /usr/share/texmf-dist/. and texmf.cnf exist only in the former. – deeenes Jul 20 '11 at 21:24

Why is TeX ignoring texmf.cnf?

1 Answers1

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