texi2dvi(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
texi2dvi is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.texinfo to get the GNU Texinfo version (the page is dated for Texinfo 7.1). It matches the Linux page closely. OpenBSD and NetBSD document a much older texi2dvi 1.34 (December 2004) with different options, so -c, -o and -q behave differently.
The manual pages
- Solnix: texi2dvi(1) from
pkgs.solnix.texinfo - Linux: texi2dvi(1) texinfo-7.2
- OpenBSD: texi2dvi(1) 8.0
- NetBSD: texi2dvi(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.texinfo. The Solnix page is the GNU Texinfo 7.1 page (October 2023). The Linux page in the bundle is GNU Texinfo 7.2 (December 2024). No other variants are shipped.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | same program | Solnix and Linux document the same GNU texi2dvi, with the same synopsis (texi2dvi, texi2pdf, pdftexi2dvi), build modes and option set. The Linux page is from a newer release (7.2 vs 7.1), and the differences listed for Linux below are the only ones in the bundle. Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) SYNOPSIS and footer (GNU Texinfo 7.1); Linux texi2dvi(1) SYNOPSIS and footer (GNU Texinfo 7.2) |
| Linux | HeVeA output formats | Solnix documents --html, --info and --text, which produce output from LaTeX using HeVeA. The Linux page lists no such options. The Solnix page also lists the HEVEA, T4HT and TEX4HT environment variables, which the Linux page does not.Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) Output format (--html, --info, --text) and environment variable list; Linux texi2dvi(1) Output format and environment variable list |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | -c meaning | On Solnix, -c means --build=clean: compile in a local *.t2d directory and remove it afterwards. On OpenBSD and NetBSD, -c (--clean) removes all auxiliary files, and the build-mode options do not exist.Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) Build modes (-c, --clean; clean mode); OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) -c; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) -c |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | -o implies --clean | On OpenBSD and NetBSD, -o OFILE implies --clean. On Solnix, -o only leaves the output in OFILE, and the page says no such implication. Both allow only one input FILE with -o.Source: OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) -o; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) -o; Solnix texi2dvi(1) -o |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | -q and batch mode | On OpenBSD and NetBSD, -q implies --batch (no interaction), and -b/--batch and -s/--silent exist. Solnix -q only means no output unless errors, and the Solnix page has no -b, --batch or -s.Source: OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) -b, -q, -s; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) -b, -q, -s; Solnix texi2dvi(1) -q |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | missing build and output options | The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages have no --build, --tidy, --build-dir, --mostly-clean, --max-iterations, --dvi, --dvipdf, --ps, --shell-escape, --src-specials, --no-line-error or --translate-file. Solnix documents all of these, so a script using them fails on the BSD versions.Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) General options, Output format, TeX tuning, Build modes; OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) OPTIONS; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) OPTIONS |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | BSD-only options | OpenBSD and NetBSD document -@ (use @input instead of \input), -r/--recode (call recode before TeX) and -e as a synonym for -E. The Solnix page lists none of these. It documents only -E/--expand.Source: OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) -@, -e, -r; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) -@, -e, -r; Solnix texi2dvi(1) -E |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | texi2pdf and output format | Solnix documents the names texi2pdf and pdftexi2dvi, and says DVI is the default output unless invoked as texi2pdf or given --pdf. The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages show only texi2dvi, and -p/--pdf is the only PDF option they document.Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) SYNOPSIS, -p; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) SYNOPSIS, -p |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | environment variables | Solnix lists many more variables (including DVIPDF, DVIPS, BIBER, TEXINDY) and the name THUMBPDF_CMD. OpenBSD and NetBSD list only BIBTEX, LATEX/PDFLATEX, MAKEINDEX, MAKEINFO, TEX/PDFTEX, TEXINDEX and THUMBPDF. Solnix also documents TEXI2DVI_BUILD_MODE and TEXI2DVI_BUILD_DIRECTORY. Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) environment variable list and Build modes; OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) TeX tuning; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) TeX tuning |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | -t / --texinfo | The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages describe --texinfo=CMD as an alternative to -t, with multiple values accumulating, and say CMD is added after @setfilename for Texinfo input. The Solnix page lists only -t, --command=CMD.Source: OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) -t, or --texinfo=CMD; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) -t; Solnix texi2dvi(1) -t |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | plain TeX and (La)TeX input | Solnix and Linux say that setting LATEX=tex processes (e)plain TeX files, and describe input as (La)TeX or Texinfo. The OpenBSD and NetBSD pages mention only LaTeX or Texinfo and say nothing about plain TeX. Source: Solnix texi2dvi(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD texi2dvi(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD texi2dvi(1) DESCRIPTION |
Standards
- POSIX: texi2dvi is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Stick to
-o,-I,-l,-p,-t,-E,-Vand-Dif the script must run on Solnix, Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD. The build-mode,--dvipdf,--psand HeVeA options exist only in the GNU versions. - Do not rely on
-cor-ofor cleanup behaviour.-cmeans clean build mode on Solnix and Linux but removes all auxiliary files on the BSDs, and-oimplies--cleanonly on OpenBSD and NetBSD.
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.