Frequently Asked Questions about 4TeX 5.0

1. Does 4TeX version 5 still run on MSDOS?
   No. It only runs on true Win32 platforms: Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT. It should also run on Windows 2000, but that system has not been officially released yet. 4TeX 5 does NOT run on Windows 3.x or OS/2. 4TeX version 4 does run on MSDOS, Windows 3.x and OS/2 and it's still available.
2. Is 4TeX freeware, shareware, or what?
   4TeX is free: you don't have to pay anything for using it. The sources are not available, though, because parts of it are not free. 4Spell and 4Project are distributed on the same conditions.
3. Does the cdrom version of 4TeX use any shareware that I should register, such as 4DOS?
   The cdrom version of 4TeX uses 4DOS (which is shareware), but the 4DOS version on the cdrom is already licensed for use within 4TeX. The editor program MED that is supplied on the cdrom is also already licensed. There is more shareware on the cdrom (e.g. WinEdt) that 4TeX may or may not use, depending on what features you require. However, none of these are essential.
   4TeX can run completely without any shareware tools, but then you will have to give up some more advanced features.
4. Where can I find updates?
   Updates will be made available here. See also the news on 4TeX.
5. Where can I get the 4TeX cdroms? And the manual?
   You can order the cdroms and/or the manual using the online order form.
6. Where can I get support?
   You can join the 4TeX mailing list and post your questions there. If your problems can't be solved there, or if they are highly specific for your setup, you can send an email message to 4TeX-support@ntg.nl. However, don't expect an answer within an hour or a day. We do have real jobs and very little spare time.
7. Windvi crashes at startup. Now what?
   The configuration file windvi.cnf may be corrupted or out of date. Delete all instances of this file that you can find and try again.
8. GSview starts up and wants to be installed properly. What should I do?
   Select the language you desire, then set the correct PATH: it should be something\bin\win32 and not something\bin\gs5.50. Press the [Next] button until GSview is through.
9. The speedbar version of 4TeX doesn't show any icons.
   This happens on some graphics cards or graphics drivers. No known solution.
10. The program LaTeX Mac shows garbage graphics on its buttons.
    This happens on some graphics cards or graphics drivers. No known solution.
11. BibEdit does not work properly. Why?
    The program attempts to rewrite its configuration file bibedit.ini, but it's read-only (e.g. on the cdrom). Copy the program and the ini file to your hard disk. Edit 4tex\*_bibed.lst and add the complete path to bibedit.exe on your hard disk.
12. How do I uninstall 4TeX?
    Use the program setup.exe (it's in the root of the cdrom and also in the \4tex folder. In the second screen you can select Uninstall.
13. The TeX compiler complains that it can't write the DVI file. Why?
    Probably the file is still "open" in some other program, such as Windvi or (if it's a PDF file) Acrobat Reader. Close that program and try again.
14. Some of the words used in the 4TeX menus are incorrect translations. Can I edit them?
    All words are stored in the files \4tex\*.SCR. E.g., the Dutch version is \4tex\NL.SCR. You can change these files, or you can even add new languages. Make sure that you don't change the order or the number of lines: 4TeX, 4Project and 4Spell depend on it. We would appreciate it if you send us your new or improved versions! We will make them available for downloading on this site.
15. When switching 4TeX to using an East European language (e.g. Polish) som of the characters are "wrong" (e.g. a superscript instead of a letter or an É instead of a C with ogonek). How come?
    You are probably running 4TeX on an English version of Windows NT. There is no known solution.
16. When I launch 4TeX it starts up with an installation screen. Why is that?
    Most probably the file 4TEX.INI is missing. It should exist in either the Windows system directory (e.g. C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINNT) or in the directory where 4TEX.EXE itself is stored. We recommend that you use SETUP.EXE to reinstall 4TeX.
17. When I press the Compile button, the messages window pops up but nothing happens. What's wrong?
    Maybe you are using the McAfee virus scanner? Try switching it off. Currently it's unknown why McAfee interferes.
18. I'm trying to use my own LaTeX packages, bibliography files and styles, etc. but the TeX or BibTeX compiler complains that it can't find them. Then where should I put them?
    You should respect the TeX Directory Structure. It's mentioned on page 253 in the 4TeX manual and explained in detail in the paper A Directory Structure for TeX Files by the TUG Working Group on a TeX Directory Structure (TWG-TDS) (it's on the cdrom in \ElectronicsDocs\TWG-TDS\. In short: on your hard disk there should be a directory, say, c:\4tex5.0\texmf\. This is the root of the TDS. On the cdrom there is a directory \texmf\. You should use exactly the same names you find here for subdirectories on the hard disk. So, LaTeX packages could be stored in, say, c:\4tex5.0\texmf\tex\latex\ and bibTeX style files in c:\4tex50\texmf\bibtex\bst\. Remember that after storing new files you must regenerate the index file ls-R! Through 4TeX's "Utilities" menu you can easily do that.