I've installed TeXLive 2008 using the install-tl script to take advantage of the package manager tlmgr (not available in texlive 2007 that is packaged in Debian repos). Everything works as promised. However, when I try to install other packages that depend on texlive (e.g. python-matplotlib) via apt-get, the current texlive installation is not detected and apt-get then requires to install the repos version. How do I get to tell the system that there's already an existing tex install? Note that TeXLive 2008 puts symlinks in /usr/local/bin, ../man,../info during install.

Thanks in advance.

My guess is that your problem is this: apt-get (or aptitude or any APT tool) doesn't actually check your filesystem to see if TexLive is installed; it just checks its own internal database to see if it was installed via an APT tool. Since there's no "registered" TexLive installation, it's officially not installed.

That said, I have no idea how to solve this.

The solution is "to pack" the 'TeXLive 2008', you have
in /usr/local/ into a " .deb " package, and install it
with 'dpkg -i <package.deb>'

Then it will be recognized.
.....
Besides the official Debian method for making packages,
there are two easy "cheating" methods, one with 'alien'
and one using 'pkgtool2'. Please ask for details, if
you are interested.
( 'Checkinstall' can be used too, third method.)
.....
http://www.kiarchive.ru/pub/linux/lo...x/pkgtool2.tgz
.....

I have the same problem trying to install kile, I'm interested in all methods you said. Please tell me how!

@ edlopezmx

1) Build debian packages
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8047723203.html
http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-pkg_basics.en.html

2) create .deb package from content, using 'alien' :
Assume /home/"user"/tmp/1/
cd tmp/1/
mkdir usr local bin lib include share
( or what is actually required ).
Move 'other' directories into usr/ to get a 'directory tree'
Copy the files to appropriate dir. Now you have usr/ only.
tar -cf <package-name>.tar usr/ (and not /usr ! ! ! )
gzip <package-name>.tar
mv <package-name>.tar.gz <package-name>.tgz
# alien <package-name>.tgz
will create <package-name>.deb

3) Create a .deb package with pkgtool2

> > pkgtool2-2.2.1...
# 'alien pkgtool2-2.2.1.tgz' to get an installable .deb
http://www.filewatcher.com/b/ftp/ftp.../RPMS.2.3.html

ftp://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/.SAN0/pub/l...0.9-1.i386.rpm

You may need pkgtools-x.xx too
ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/ftp.slac...0/slackware/a/
> > pkgtools-12.0.0-noarch-4.tgz
.......
Read the pkgtool2-2.2.1.readme. 'pkgtool2' can create from
content like 2) = a 'directory tree' or from a file list.
.....
.....
Later I may post with further details for 1).
.....

Hi,

I have used equivs to fulfill Kile's dependency on texlive while using TL 2008. Here I've described the way: Kile and TeX Live 2008 on Ubuntu Linux.

Stefan


--
TeXblog.net

knudfl and Stefan_K:
Thank you very much for your kind answers, they were very useful.
Best regards
edlopezmx