2

Do I need to download packages manually for MacTeX and ProTeXt?

on TeXLive Almost all packages are downloaded not as MiKTeX, But What about ProTeXt & MacTeX?

Mamoun Mohammed
  • 1,634
  • Both include latex package managers so use those. Nowadays there is not much need to install packages manually. MacTeX (which is just TeXLive packaged for Mac) has two managers (one is just a more Mac like front end for the other). ProTeXt is just miktex + extra, so use the miktex package manager (the miktex console) – daleif Mar 15 '21 at 15:41
  • @daleif on TeXLive Almost all packages are downloaded not as MiKTeX, So What about ProTeXt & MacTeX – Mamoun Mohammed Mar 15 '21 at 15:47
  • The current MacTeX does not include the GUI TeX Live Utility app, due to licensing restrictions, but a link at http://www.tug.org/mactex/index.html takes you to the download site for the app. – murray Mar 15 '21 at 15:50
  • 1
    As I said ProTeXt is just MikTeX, I don't know if they put extra settings on it, haven't installed ProTeXt in 10+ years. MacTeX = TeXLive and will install the same packages. Just note that MacTeX is a snapshot in time, so after installing MacTeX you will need to update it to get the latest updates. A straight TeXLive installes from the currenctly updated packages. – daleif Mar 15 '21 at 15:50
  • @murray where do you see info about that licensing restriction? – daleif Mar 15 '21 at 15:52
  • @daleif See https://www.tug.org/mactex/whatsinthepackage.html. It's not licensing really, but Apple's insistence that all apps be signed with an Apple developer id. – Alan Munn Mar 15 '21 at 16:05
  • @AlanMunn ahh, thanks. – daleif Mar 15 '21 at 16:10

1 Answers1

4

MacTeX is TeXLive, but packaged into a single installer for the Mac. By default it installs a full TeXLive distribution, in which case, no, you shouldn't have to install any packages manually. See:

It's possible to install the BasicTeX version of MacTeX, in which case you would need to install some packages yourself.

ProTeXt is a MikTeX distribution, and MikTeX installs packages on the fly, i.e., it installs a base distribution and packages get installed automatically. MikTeX support for Mac is very new, and most Mac users I know use MacTeX. It's a single download and you never have to worry about missing packages.

Alan Munn
  • 218,180