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(kpathsea.info)File lookup

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File lookup
===========

  This section describes how Kpathsea searches for most files (bitmap
font searches are the exception, as described in the next section).

  Here is the search strategy for a file NAME:
  1. If the file format defines default suffixes, and the suffix of
     NAME name is not already a known suffix for that format, try the
     name with each default appended, and use alternative names found
     in the fontmaps if necessary.  We postpone searching the disk as
     long as possible.  Example: given `foo.sty', look for `foo.sty.tex'
     before `foo.sty'.  This is unfortunate, but allows us to find
     `foo.bar.tex' before `foo.bar' if both exist and we were given
     `foo.bar'.

  2. Search for NAME, and if necessary for alternative names found in
     the fontmaps.  Again we avoid searching the disk if possible.
     Example: given `foo', we look for `foo'.

  3. If the file format defines a program to invoke to create missing
     files, run it (Note: mktex scripts).

  This is implemented in the routine `kpse_find_file' in
`kpathsea/tex-file.c'.  You can watch it in action with the debugging
options (Note: Debugging).