[comp.text.tex] Faster loading

rokicki@Neon.Stanford.EDU (Tomas G. Rokicki) (03/01/90)

> I'm trying to write my thesis using LaTeX.  When I LaTeX my thesis I
> have to wait about a minute for TeX to load all the macro files--ie
> the thesis style, document style, and custom commands.

I will agree that a minute is a long time to wait.  There are a number of
things you can do to remedy this situation.  For instance, you can create
a custom format file all your own that you use instead of lplain.  The
exact commands are system dependent, but they are something like:

initex "lplain \\input mymacros.tex \\dump"

to actually create the new format file, then

mv lplain.fmt mythesis.fmt

to give it a better name, and

tex \&mythesis [file...]

to run.  Note that (as far as I know) you cannot load the style file into
this preloaded format file, as LaTeX explicitly reads that style file.
(You will also have to comment out the line where you include your own
macros in your main thesis file.)  You also have to make sure that your
local macro file only defines things---rather than executing things.

The second potential solution is to get a faster machine or a faster
version of TeX; a minute is somewhat ridiculous, slower than I have
seen with even the lowliest PC running off floppies.

Perhaps if you give us a breakdown of time required to load the format
file, then to load the style file, then to load your own macros, it
would help guide us in our recommendations.

-tom

bryan@cs.utexas.edu (Bryan Bayerdorffer @ Wit's End) (03/02/90)

In article <1990Feb28.235043.27302@Neon.Stanford.EDU> rokicki@Neon.Stanford.EDU (Tomas G. Rokicki) writes:
=-
=-The second potential solution is to get a faster machine or a faster
=-version of TeX; a minute is somewhat ridiculous, slower than I have
=-seen with even the lowliest PC running off floppies.
=-
=-Perhaps if you give us a breakdown of time required to load the format
=-file, then to load the style file, then to load your own macros, it
=-would help guide us in our recommendations.
=-

	Gee Tom, I'm surprised you didn't mention the loop mode of AmigaTeX.
Just what the Dr. ordered.