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Cade's Dotfiles

TinyTeX refuses package installation until tlmgr is updated

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Source: Troubleshooting reference

Symptom: Linux bootstrap stops at the TeX baseline with tlmgr itself needs to be updated, followed by latex.sh failed.

Cause: TeX Live requires critical package-manager updates before it permits package installation. The installer previously attempted tlmgr install before its upgrade-mode self-update, so it could never reach the repair command.

Fix: update the checkout and run the installer again:

Terminal window
DF_MODE=upgrade bash ~/dotfiles/install/latex.sh

The Linux installer now runs tlmgr update --self --all before installing the baseline in upgrade mode. Install/update modes run tlmgr update --self first, leaving broad package upgrades opt-in. It then installs the baseline and checks pdflatex, latexmk, chktex, texcount, and latexdiff in the managed tool directory. Expect TeX ready; a failed manager update, missing command, or failed package operation still stops the installer. This does not bypass TeX Live’s repository/release compatibility checks.

The implementation is install/latex.sh; see the upstream tlmgr manual for self-update and package-update behavior.