pdftexi2dvi(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
pdftexi2dvi is not in the Solnix base system; it comes from pkgs.solnix.texinfo. The Solnix page text is empty in the bundle, so the only documented behaviour is the Linux texinfo-7.2 page, where pdftexi2dvi is another name for texi2dvi.
The manual pages
- Solnix: pdftexi2dvi(1) from
pkgs.solnix.texinfo - Linux: pdftexi2dvi(1) texinfo-7.2
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.texinfo. The header lists no other illumos variants. The bundle has no Solnix page text, so Solnix options and behaviour cannot be compared. The manual text supplied does not say whether the Solnix package matches the Linux texinfo 7.2 page.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Solnix page text unavailable | The Solnix pdftexi2dvi(1) section in the bundle is empty. No Solnix option, default or environment variable can be confirmed. Everything below about behaviour comes from the Linux page only. Source: Solnix pdftexi2dvi(1) section (empty); Linux pdftexi2dvi(1) |
| Linux | same page as texi2dvi | On Linux (texinfo 7.2), pdftexi2dvi is documented on the texi2dvi page. Its SYNOPSIS lists texi2dvi, texi2pdf and pdftexi2dvi with identical options. Source: Linux pdftexi2dvi(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS |
| Linux | default output format | The Linux page says output is PDF when invoked as texi2pdf or given --pdf, and DVI otherwise (--dvi is the default). It does not say that the pdftexi2dvi name selects PDF, so pass --pdf (-p) explicitly.Source: Linux pdftexi2dvi(1) DESCRIPTION, Output format (--dvi, -p/--pdf) |
| Linux | helper programs and environment | On Linux the tool runs external programs, which can be overridden by environment variables such as TEX, PDFTEX, LATEX, PDFLATEX, MAKEINFO, TEXINDEX, DVIPS and DVIPDF. Without DVIPDF, --dvipdf tries dvipdfmx, dvipdfm, dvipdf, dvi2pdf, dvitopdf in that order. On Solnix these programs must be installed separately; the bundle does not say whether the package pulls them in.Source: Linux pdftexi2dvi(1) environment variable list and --dvipdf paragraph |
| Linux | build mode and auxiliary files | On Linux, --build=MODE chooses local (default, leaves auxiliary files in the current directory), tidy (uses a *.t2d directory) or clean (tidy, then removes it). TEXI2DVI_BUILD_MODE and TEXI2DVI_BUILD_DIRECTORY set these from the environment.Source: Linux pdftexi2dvi(1) Build modes, MODE values |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | no BSD counterpart page | The bundle contains no FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD page for this command, so no difference against them can be stated. The manual does not say whether these systems ship it. Source: Bundle header (only a linux COUNTERPART is listed) |
Standards
- POSIX: pdftexi2dvi is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Linux: The Linux page has no STANDARDS or CONFORMING TO section.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on the pdftexi2dvi name to pick the output format. Pass
--pdf(or-p) for PDF, or--dvifor DVI, so the result is the same under any name. - On Solnix, install pkgs.solnix.texinfo first, and check that the TeX engine you need (tex, pdftex, latex, pdflatex) is on PATH or set through TEX, PDFTEX, LATEX or PDFLATEX.
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.