Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

texindex is not in the Solnix base system; install pkgs.solnix.texinfo to get GNU texinfo's texindex. Its page matches Linux (GNU texinfo 7.2) except for the version. OpenBSD and NetBSD ship an older texindex 4.8 that has -o/--output, which the Solnix page does not list.

The manual pages

Solnix: texindex(1) from pkgs.solnix.texinfo
Linux: texindex(1) texinfo-7.2
OpenBSD: texindex(1) 8.0
NetBSD: texindex(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.texinfo. The Solnix page is from GNU texinfo 7.1 (October 2023). The bundle shows no other illumos variant.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	Solnix and Linux both document GNU texinfo's texindex, with the same NAME, SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS (`-h`/-`-help`, `--version`, --). The Solnix page is from texinfo 7.1 and the Linux page from texinfo 7.2. No option difference is documented. Source: Solnix texindex(1) OPTIONS and footer (GNU texinfo 7.1); Linux texindex(1) OPTIONS and footer (GNU texinfo 7.2)
OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-o`, `--output` FILE	OpenBSD and NetBSD texindex accept `-o`/-`-output` FILE to send output to FILE. The Solnix page lists no output option, so a script using `-o` that works on these BSDs is not supported by the Solnix manual. Source: OpenBSD texindex(1) -o, --output; NetBSD texindex(1) -o, --output; Solnix texindex(1) OPTIONS
OpenBSD	`-k`, `--keep` and `--no-keep`	OpenBSD texindex has `-k`/-`-keep` to keep temporary files and `--no-keep` (the default) to delete them. The Solnix page documents neither option. Source: OpenBSD texindex(1) -k, --keep, --no-keep; Solnix texindex(1) OPTIONS
OpenBSD, NetBSD	older texindex version	The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages are for texindex 4.8 (December 2004). Solnix documents GNU texinfo 7.1. This age gap explains the option differences. Source: OpenBSD texindex(1) footer; NetBSD texindex(1) footer; Solnix texindex(1) footer
OpenBSD, NetBSD	-- end of options	The Solnix and Linux pages list `--` to end option processing. The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages do not list it. Source: Solnix texindex(1) OPTIONS (--); OpenBSD texindex(1) OPTIONS; NetBSD texindex(1) OPTIONS
Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD	availability	The counterpart pages are for texindex as shipped on Linux, OpenBSD 8.0 and NetBSD 11.0. On Solnix the command is absent until you install pkgs.solnix.texinfo. Source: Solnix bundle header (none: install pkgs.solnix.texinfo)

Standards

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

Writing portable scripts

Call texindex as `texindex FILE...` with no options, since the options other than -h and --version differ between versions. -o and --output are not in the Solnix or Linux pages, and -k and --keep are OpenBSD only.

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.