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How to configure MiKTeX

MiKTeX configuration parameters are stored in the Windows Registry under the key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MiK\MiKTeX\CurrentVersion

Instead of changing the settings with the help of Registry Editor (regedit), you use a text editor (e.g. notepad.exe) to edit a configuration file and then run the configuration utility configure.exe to update the Registry.

By default, configure.exe processes the master configuration file `miktex.environment'. Both files are located in the MiKTeX config directory (usually `c:\texmf\miktex\config').

Layout of a MiKTeX Configuration File

A configuration file is divided into several named sections. Each section contains configuration settings for a specific application.

General configuration settings

`[MiKTeX]Bin Directories'
This search path is used by some utilities (e.g. MakeTeXPK) to find MiKTeX executables. The default value is `%R\miktex\bin'.
`[MiKTeX]Debug'
This is a comma separated list of debug options, which cause MiKTeX to output diagnostic information:
`ndebug'
No diagnostic output.
`fndb'
For fndb related information.
`filesearch'
Traces the find file machinery.

TeX related configuration settings

`[TeX]Font Metric Dirs'
The search path (see section How to specify search paths) for `.tfm' (TeX Font Metric) files. Standard is `.;%R\fonts\tfm//'.
`[TeX]Font Metric Temp Dir'
The directory where newly created `.tfm' files will be installed. It must be in the search domain for `.tfm' files. The specifiation may include special character sequences which are replaced at search-time:
`%s'
The font supplier (e.g. `public').
`%t'
The typeface name (e.g. `cm').
The standard value is `%R\fonts\tfm\%s\%t'. Admin note: MiKTeX users must have permission to create files in the specified directory.
`[TeX]Format Dirs'
Where plain TeX looks for format files. Standard is `%R\miktex\fmt//'.
`[TeX]Input Dirs'
Where plain TeX looks for input files. Standard is `.;%R\tex//'.

LaTeX related configuration settings

`[LaTeX]Input Dirs'
The search path for LaTeX input files. Standard value: `.;%R\tex\latex//;%R\tex\generic//'.

METAFONT related settings

`[METAFONT]Base Dirs'
Search path (see section How to specify search paths) for `.base' (METAFONT Base) files. Standard is `.;%R\miktex\base'.
`[METAFONT]Input Dirs'
Search path for METAFONT input files. `.;%R\fonts\source//;%R\metafont//' is the standard value.

MakeTeXPK related settings

`[MakeTeXPK]PK Temp Dir'
The specification of a directory where newly created PK (Packed Raster Font) files will be installed. The directory must be in the search domain of PK files. The specifiation may include special character sequences which will be replaced at search-time:
`%m'
The current METAFONT mode.
`%d'
The horizontal resolution (in dots per inch).
`%s'
The font supplier (e.g. `public').
`%t'
The typeface name (e.g. `cm'). `typeface.map'.
The standard value is `%R\fonts\pk\%m\%s\%t\dpi%d'. Admin note: All MiKTeX users must have permission to create files in the specified directory. Note that the standard value will not work in conjunction with the DviWin previewer, because DviWin cannot search recursively for PK files. For DviWin, set `PK Temp Dir' to `%R\fonts\pk\%m\tmp\dpi%d'. See section Configuring Dviwin, for more information.

dvips related settings

`[dvips]DVIPSHEADERS'
Search path (see section How to specify search paths) for dvips header files. Standard is `%R\dvips//'.
`[dvips]TEXFONTS'
Search path for `.tfm' files. This should be the same as `Font Metric Dirs' (see section TeX related configuration settings).
`[dvips]TEXPKS'
Search path for `.pk' files. The specifiation may include special character sequences which will be replaced at search-time:
`%m'
The current METAFONT mode.
`%d'
The horizontal resolution (in pixels per inch).
Standard setting is `%R\fonts\pk\%m//dpi%d'.
`[dvips]TEXINPUTS'
Search path for figure files. Standard is `.;%R\dvips//'.
`[dvips]TEXCONFIG'
Search path for Dvips configuration files (such as `config.ps'). The standard value is `.;%R\dvips//'.
`[dvips]VFONTS'
Search path for `.vf' (Virtual Font) files. Standard is `.;%R\fonts\vf//'.

MakeIndex related settings

`[MakeIndex]INDEXSTYLE'
Search path (see section How to specify search paths) for MakeIndex style files. Standard is `.;%R\makeindex//'.

BibTeX related settings

`[BibTeX]Input Dirs'
Search path (see section How to specify search paths for BibTeX input files (both databases and style files). Standard is `.;%R\bibtex//'.

How to specify search paths

Search paths are used by MiKTeX to find special files (such as TeX input files) within a directory hierarchy.

A search path is a list of directory paths, which are separated by semicolons (`;'). In a directory path, the following character seqeuences have a special meaning:

`%R'
A placeholder for the list of TEXMF root directories.
`//'
Causes MiKTeX to search recursively

Search paths are processed from left to right.

Example

Assuming that `c:\texmf;\\myserver\texmf' is the list of TEXMF root directories, the search path `.;%R\tex\latex//;%R\tex\generic//' causes LaTeX to search its input files in the following locations:

  1. In the current directory (`.').
  2. In the directory `c:\texmf\tex\latex' and in all directories below it.
  3. In the directory `\\myserver\texmf\tex\latex' and in all directories below it.
  4. In the directory `c:\texmf\tex\generic' and in all directories below it
  5. In the directory `\\myserver\texmf\tex\generic' and in all directories below it.

Invoking configure

configure.exe, the MiKTeX configuration utility, is located in the MiKTeX config directory (usually `c:\texmf\miktex\config'). configure.exe reads a configuration file and modifies the Registry accordingly.

You can specify a number of options to modify the behaviour of configure.exe:

`-c filename'
`--config filename'
Specify the configuration file name. By default, configure processes the file `miktex.environment'.
`-n'
`--print-only'
Print what would be done. Nothing is changed.
`-p filename'
`--personal filename'
Process a personal configuration file and store the settings in the `HKEY_CURRENT_USER' part of the Windows Registry.
`-r dirlist'
`--root-directories dirlist'
Specify the list of TEXMF root directories.
`-u [=root]'
`--update-fndb [root]'
Refresh the MiKTeX fndb. If root is specified, then only the fndb for this one TEXMF root directory will be refreshed.
`-v'
`--verbose'
Print information on what is being done.
`-V'
`--version'
Print the version number and exit.

How to specify personal search paths

You can cause configure to store search path specifications in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER part of the Windows Registry.

To do so, write your own configuration file, say miktex.ini, and specify your personal search paths in it. For example, if you want LaTeX to search the directory hierarchy `c:\users\alice\latex' (in addition to the global one), then miktex.ini should look like this:

[LaTeX]
Input Dirs=.;c:\users\alice\latex//

To process this configuration file, run configure with the --personal option:

c:\texmf\miktex\config\configure --personal miktex.ini

LaTeX will then search in `c:\users\alice\latex' as well as in the standard places.

Personal and global search paths are combined at run-time. In the example above, if `.;%R\tex\latex//;%R\tex\generic//' is the global LaTeX search path, then the combined LaTeX search path will be `.;c:\users\alice//latex;.;%R\tex\latex//;%R\tex\generic//'.


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