[tex-live] epstopdf.sty 2008 vs 2009

Karl Berry karl at freefriends.org
Fri Aug 14 02:45:42 CEST 2009


    recent versions of (pdf)latex do not allow calling remote programs. 

The other replies have already addressed the OP's issue, but for the
record, no version of web2c/texk/tetex/texlive has *ever* enabled
\write18 by default (as far as I know), although MacTeX has done so.
(I don't know about MiKTeX.)

This year will be the first time that we have enabled external
execution, now in the new "restricted" mode.  Needs to be emblazoned in
many announcements, since it'll require changes by the admins who need
maximum paranoia, and there are some who have good reason for it.


Norbert: I've been meaning to write you about this.  After talking with
Alan Wetmore and others at TUG'09, I think we should make this (external
execution) another <O> option in the installation.  This will give it
much greater visibility.  Not in the wizard, there's no way we can
explain it there, but in the regular text and gui mode installation.

It should default to on ("allow restricted external command execution"),
but be allowed to be turned off.  There shouldn't be any way in the
installer to enable *un*restricted \write18.

I know you're in the mountains now, but maybe you'll have some spare
minutes to hack this in?

Thanks,
k


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