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`texi2pdf(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

texi2pdf is not in the Solnix base system; install pkgs.solnix.texinfo to get it. The Solnix page text in the bundle is empty, so no Solnix behaviour can be compared. Linux and OpenBSD both define texi2pdf as texi2dvi producing PDF.

The manual pages

Solnix: texi2pdf(1) from pkgs.solnix.texinfo
Linux: texi2pdf(1) texinfo-7.2
OpenBSD: texi2pdf(1) 8.0

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.texinfo (implementation: texinfo). No other variants are shipped. The bundle contains no Solnix page text, so the manual does not say which options the Solnix package supports.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux, OpenBSD	Solnix page content	The Solnix texi2pdf(1) text in the bundle is empty, so its options, environment variables and defaults cannot be checked against Linux or OpenBSD. Anything about the Solnix behaviour is undocumented here. Source: Solnix texi2pdf(1) (no text in bundle); header option list for solnix is empty
all four	availability	texi2pdf is not on PATH in a default Solnix system; it comes from pkgs.solnix.texinfo. The bundle has no FreeBSD or NetBSD counterpart page, so it says nothing about those systems. Source: Header: command on PATH is none: install pkgs.solnix.texinfo; counterparts listed only for linux and openbsd
Linux	how texi2pdf is defined	On Linux, texi2pdf is texi2dvi invoked under another name. When invoked as texi2pdf, or given `--pdf`, it generates PDF; otherwise texi2dvi generates DVI. It shares the texi2dvi page. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION (When invoked as `texi2pdf' or given the option --pdf)
OpenBSD	how texi2pdf is defined	OpenBSD texi2pdf is documented as equivalent to texi2dvi `--pdf`. Its page lists no options of its own and refers the reader to texi2dvi(1). Source: OpenBSD texi2pdf(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD	synopsis and arguments	The OpenBSD synopsis is texi2pdf [option ...] [file ...], with files optional. The Linux synopsis is texi2pdf [OPTION]... FILE..., with at least one file. Source: OpenBSD texi2pdf(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux texi2pdf(1) SYNOPSIS
Linux	`-v` and `-V`	On Linux, `-v` prints the version and exits, and `-V` reports what is done (verbose). `-q` suppresses all output except errors. Do not assume `-v` means verbose. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) -v, --version; -V, --verbose; -q, --quiet
Linux	`-o` with several files	Linux `-o` OFILE leaves output in OFILE and allows only one input FILE. A script that passes several files together with `-o` fails on Linux. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) -o, --output=OFILE
Linux	build modes and auxiliary files	Linux `--build=MODE` takes local (default), tidy or clean. tidy compiles in a local *.t2d directory; clean also removes it afterwards. TEXI2DVI_BUILD_MODE and TEXI2DVI_BUILD_DIRECTORY set these. OpenBSD documents none of this. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) Build modes, --build, --tidy, -c, --build-dir; OpenBSD texi2pdf(1) DESCRIPTION
Linux	external tool environment variables	Linux reads BIBER, BIBTEX, DVIPDF, DVIPS, EGREP, LATEX, MAKEINDEX, MAKEINFO, PDFLATEX, PDFTEX, SED, TEX, TEXINDEX, TEXINDY and THUMBPDF_CMD to choose programs. With `--dvipdf` and no DVIPDF set, it tries dvipdfmx, dvipdfm, dvipdf, dvi2pdf, dvitopdf in that order. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) environment variable list and --dvipdf paragraph
Linux	iteration limit	Linux `--max-iterations=N` stops processing a file after N passes; the default is 7. The OpenBSD page does not document this. Source: Linux texi2pdf(1) --max-iterations=N

Standards

POSIX: texi2pdf is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Do not rely on texi2pdf being present: on Solnix install pkgs.solnix.texinfo first, or check with command -v texi2pdf.
For portable PDF builds, use texi2pdf with only the input file name, since OpenBSD documents no options of its own for it and only Linux documents options such as -o, -c and --build.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.