@c This is part of the AUCTeX Manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1994, 1996, 2003-2007, 2012-2013,
@c               2015-2024  Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See the file auctex.texi for copying conditions.
@ifset rawfile
@include macros.texi
@node Installation,,(dir),(dir)
@top Installing @AUCTeX{}
@end ifset

@ifclear rawfile
@node Installation
@chapter Installing @AUCTeX{}
@end ifclear

The modern and strongly recommended way of installing @AUCTeX{} is by
using the Emacs package manager integrated in Emacs 24 and greater
(@acronym{ELPA}).  Simply do @kbd{M-x list-packages @key{RET}}, mark the
auctex package for installation with @kbd{i}, and hit @kbd{x} to execute
the installation procedure.  That's all.

@code{use-package} users can use this simple recipe in their
@code{user-init-file} which essentially does the same as the manual
installation explained above.

@lisp
(use-package tex
  :ensure auctex)
@end lisp

Using the @acronym{ELPA} version has several advantages.  Besides being
platform and @acronym{OS} independent, you will receive intermediate
bugfix releases between major @AUCTeX{} releases conveniently.  For past
@acronym{ELPA} releases, see
@url{https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/auctex.html}.
@ifclear rawfile
Once the installation is completed, you can skip the rest of this
section and proceed to @ref{Quick Start}.
@end ifclear

The remainder of this section is about installing @AUCTeX{} from a
release tarball or from a checkout of the @AUCTeX{} repository.

Installing @AUCTeX{} should be simple: merely @command{./configure},
@command{make}, and @code{make install} for a standard site-wide
installation (most other installations can be done by specifying a
@option{--prefix=@dots{}} option).

On many systems, this will already activate the package, making its
modes the default instead of the built-in modes of Emacs.  If this is
not the case, consult @ref{Loading the package}.  Please read through
this document fully before installing anything.  The installation
procedure has changed as compared to earlier versions.  Users of @w{MS
Windows} are asked to consult
@ifset rawfile
the file @file{INSTALL.windows}.
@end ifset
@ifclear rawfile
@xref{Installation under MS Windows}.
@end ifclear

@ifclear rawfile
@menu
* Prerequisites::
* Configure::
* Build/install and uninstall::
* Loading the package::
* Advice for package providers::
* Advice for non-privileged users::
* Installation under MS Windows::
* Customizing::
@end menu
@end ifclear

@ifset rawfile
@menu
* Prerequisites::
* Configure::
* Build/install and uninstall::
* Loading the package::
* Advice for package providers::
* Advice for non-privileged users::
* Customizing::
@end menu
@end ifset

@ifset rawfile
@node Prerequisites
@chapter Prerequisites
@raisesections
@end ifset

@ifclear rawfile
@node Prerequisites
@section Prerequisites
@end ifclear

@itemize @bullet
@item GNU Emacs 27.1 or higher

Using @previewlatex{} requires a version of Emacs compiled with image
support.

@table @b
@item Windows
Precompiled versions are available from
@uref{https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/emacs/windows/}.
@item macOS
For an overview of precompiled versions of Emacs for macOS see for
example @uref{https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/EmacsForMacOS}.
@item GNU/Linux
Most GNU/Linux distributions nowadays provide a recent variant of Emacs
via their package repositories.
@item Self-compiled
Compiling Emacs yourself requires a C compiler and a number of tools and
development libraries.  Details are beyond the scope of this manual.
Instructions for checking out the source code can be found at
@uref{https://savannah.gnu.org/git/?group=emacs}.
@end table

@item A working @TeX{} installation

Well, @AUCTeX{} would be pointless without that.  Processing
documentation requires @TeX{}, @LaTeX{} and Texinfo during installation.
@previewlatex{} requires Dvips or @command{dvipng} for its operation in @acronym{DVI} mode.
The default configuration of @AUCTeX{} is tailored for @w{@TeX{} Live}-based
distributions, but can be adapted easily.

@item A recent Ghostscript

This is needed for operation of @previewlatex{} in both @acronym{DVI}
and @acronym{PDF} mode.  Ghostscript version 7.07 or newer is required.

@item GNU make

Recent @AUCTeX{} uses GNU make specific capabilities in the Makefiles.
If your @acronym{OS}'s default @command{make} command is not GNU make,
you have to obtain it in order to build @AUCTeX{} by yourself.  GNU make
is sometimes provided under the name @command{gmake} in your
@acronym{OS}'s binary package system.

@item The Texinfo package

Strictly speaking, you can get away without it if you are building
from the distribution tarball, have not modified any files and don't
need a printed version of the manual: the pregenerated info file is
included in the tarball.  At least @w{version 4.0} is required.

@end itemize

For some known issues with various software, see
@ifset rawfile
the @file{PROBLEMS.preview} file.
@end ifset
@ifclear rawfile
@ref{Known problems,,,preview-latex,the @previewlatex{} manual}.
@end ifclear

@node Configure
@section Configure

The first step is to configure the source code, telling it where
various files will be.  To do so, run

@example
./configure @var{options}
@end example

(Note: if you have fetched @AUCTeX{} from Git rather than
a regular release, you will have to first follow the instructions in
@file{README.GIT}).

On many machines, you will not need to specify any options, but if
@command{configure} cannot determine something on its own, you'll need to
help it out with one of these options:

@table @code
@item --prefix=@var{prefix}
All automatic placements for package components will be chosen from
sensible existing hierarchies below this: directories like @file{man},
@file{share} and @file{bin} are supposed to be directly below
@var{prefix}.

Only if no workable placement can be found there, in some cases an
alternative search will be made in a prefix deduced from a suitable
binary.

@file{/usr/local} is the default @var{prefix}, intended to be suitable
for a site-wide installation.  If you are packaging this as an
operating system component for distribution, the setting @file{/usr}
will probably be the right choice.  See @ref{Advice for package
providers} for detail.

If you are planning to install the package as a single non-priviledged
user, you will typically set @var{prefix} to your home directory.
Consult @ref{Advice for non-privileged users} for additional
instructions.

@item --with-emacs=@var{/path/to/emacs}
If you are using a pretest which isn't in your @env{PATH}, or
@command{configure} is not finding the right Emacs executable, you can
specify it with this option.

@item --with-lispdir=@var{lispdir}
This option specifies the location of the @file{site-lisp}
directory within @code{load-path} under which the files will get
installed (the bulk will get installed in a subdirectory).
@command{./configure} should figure this out by itself.

@item --with-auctexstartfile=@file{auctex.el}
@itemx --with-previewstartfile=@file{preview-latex.el}
This is the name of the respective startup files.  If @var{lispdir}
contains a subdirectory @file{site-start.d}, the start files are
placed there, and @file{site-start.el} should
load them automatically.  Please be aware that you must not move the
start files after installation since other files are found
@emph{relative} to them.

@item --with-packagelispdir=@file{auctex}
This is the directory where the bulk of the package gets located.  The
startfile adds this into @code{load-path}.

@item --with-auto-dir=@var{/dir}
You can use this option to specify the directory containing
automatically generated information by @kbd{M-x TeX-auto-generate-global @key{RET}}.  It is not necessary for most
@TeX{} installs, but may be used if you don't like the directory that
configure is suggesting.

@item --help
This is not an option specific to @AUCTeX{}. A number of standard
options to @command{configure} exist, and we do not have the room to
describe them here; a short description of each is available, using
@option{--help}.

@c FIXME: It seems this no longer holds.
@c If you use @samp{--help=recursive}, then also @previewlatex{}-specific
@c options will get listed.

@item --disable-preview
This disables configuration and installation of @previewlatex{}.  This
option is not actually recommended.  If your Emacs does not support
images, you should really upgrade to a newer version.  Distributors
should, if possible, refrain from distributing @AUCTeX{} and
@previewlatex{} separately in order to avoid confusion and upgrade
hassles if users install partial packages on their own.

@item --with-texmf-dir=@var{/dir}
@itemx --without-texmf-dir
@cindex preview-install-styles
This option is used for specifying a @acronym{TDS}-compliant directory
hierarchy.  Using @code{--with-texmf-dir=@var{/dir}} you can specify
where the @TeX{} @acronym{TDS} directory hierarchy resides, and the
@TeX{} files will get installed in
@file{@var{/dir}/tex/latex/preview/}.

If you use the @option{--without-texmf-dir} option, the @TeX{}-related
files will be kept in the Emacs Lisp tree, and at runtime the
@env{TEXINPUTS} environment variable will be made to point there.  You
can install those files into your own @TeX{} tree at some later time
with @kbd{M-x preview-install-styles @key{RET}}.

@item --with-tex-dir=@var{/dir}
If you want to specify an exact directory for the preview @TeX{} files,
use @code{--with-tex-dir=@var{/dir}}. In this case, the files will be
placed in @file{@var{/dir}}, and you'll also need the following option:

@item --with-doc-dir=@var{/dir}
This option may be used to specify where the @TeX{} documentation goes.
It is to be used when you are using @code{--with-tex-dir=@var{/dir}},
but is normally not necessary otherwise.
@end table

@node Build/install and uninstall
@section Build/install and uninstall

@cindex Installation
@cindex Make
@cindex Uninstallation

Once @command{configure} has been run, simply enter

@example
make
@end example

@noindent
at the prompt to byte-compile the lisp files, extract the @TeX{} files
and build the documentation files.  To install the files into the
locations chosen earlier, type

@example
make install
@end example

@noindent
You may need special privileges to install, e.g., if you are installing
into system directories.

Should you want to completely remove the installed package, in the same
directory you built @AUCTeX{} run

@example
make uninstall
@end example

@noindent
You will need administration privileges if you installed the package
into system directories.

@node Loading the package
@section Loading the package
@cindex @file{init.el}
@cindex @file{.emacs}

You can detect the successful activation of @AUCTeX{} and
@previewlatex{} in the menus after loading a @LaTeX{} file like
@file{circ.tex}: @AUCTeX{} then gives you a @samp{Command} menu,
and @previewlatex{} gives you a @samp{Preview} menu.

@cindex @file{auctex.el}
@cindex @file{tex-site.el}
With Emacs (or if you explicitly disabled use of the package system),
the startup files @file{auctex.el} and @file{preview-latex.el} may
already be in a directory of the @file{site-start.d/} variety if your
Emacs installation provides it.  In that case they should be
automatically loaded on startup and nothing else needs to be done.  If
not, they should at least have been placed somewhere in your
@code{load-path}.  You can then load them by placing the lines

@lisp
(load "auctex.el" nil t t)
(load "preview-latex.el" nil t t)
@end lisp
@noindent
into your init file such as @file{init.el} or @file{.emacs}.

If you explicitly used @code{--with-lispdir}, you may need to add the
specified directory into Emacs' @code{load-path} variable by adding
something like

@lisp
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/elisp")
@end lisp
@noindent
before the above lines into your Emacs startup file.

For site-wide activation in GNU Emacs, see
@ifset rawfile
below.
@end ifset
@ifclear rawfile
@xref{Advice for package providers}.
@end ifclear

Once activated, the modes provided by @AUCTeX{} are used per default for
all supported file types, namely @code{plain-tex-mode}, @code{latex-mode},
@code{doctex-mode} and @code{texinfo-mode}.  This might not match your
preference.  You can have control over which @AUCTeX{} mode is activated
per file types by @code{TeX-modes} option.  For example, you can use Emacs
built-in @code{plain-tex-mode} for plain @TeX{} files while you can use
@AUCTeX{} @code{LaTeX-mode} for @LaTeX{} files.

@defopt TeX-modes
List of Emacs built-in @TeX{} modes redirected to @AUCTeX{} modes.  If you
prefer a particular built-in mode over @AUCTeX{} mode, remove it from this
list.  Type
@example
@kbd{M-x customize-option @key{RET} TeX-modes @key{RET}}
@end example
@noindent
to manipulate the contents of @code{TeX-modes}.
@end defopt

Don't remove @code{tex-mode} from @code{TeX-modes} because it results in
inconsistent behavior.

On Emacs 29 and later, you can alter @code{major-mode-remap-alist} instead
of @code{TeX-modes} as you like to arrange @AUCTeX{} redirections.  In
fact, @code{TeX-modes} option does nothing other than setting up
@code{major-mode-remap-alist} according its value on those Emacsens.

If you want to remove a preinstalled @AUCTeX{} completely before any of
its modes have been used,
@lisp
(unload-feature 'tex-site)
@end lisp
@noindent
in your init file should accomplish that.

@node Advice for package providers
@section Providing @AUCTeX{} as a package

As a package provider, you should make sure that your users will be
served best according to their intentions, and keep in mind that a
system might be used by more than one user, with different
preferences.

There are people that prefer the built-in Emacs modes for editing
@TeX{} files, in particular plain @TeX{} users.  There are various
ways to tell @AUCTeX{} even after auto-activation that it should
not get used, and they are described in
@ifset rawfile
the @file{README} file.
@end ifset
@ifclear rawfile
@ref{Introduction,,Introduction to @AUCTeX{}}.
@end ifclear

So if you have users that don't want to use the preinstalled @AUCTeX{},
they can easily get rid of it.  Activating @AUCTeX{} by default is
therefore a good choice.

If the installation procedure did not achieve this already by placing
@file{auctex.el} and @file{preview-latex.el} into a possibly existing
@file{site-start.d} directory, you can do this by placing

@lisp
(load "auctex.el" nil t t)
(load "preview-latex.el" nil t t)
@end lisp

@noindent in the system-wide @file{site-start.el}.

The @option{--without-texmf-dir} option can be convenient for systems that
are intended to support more than a single TeX distribution.  Since more
often than not @TeX{} packages for operating system distributions are
either much more outdated or much less complete than separately provided
systems like @w{@TeX{} Live}, this method may be generally preferable
when providing packages.

The following package structure would be adequate for a typical fully
supported Unix-like installation:

@c FIXME: teTeX is much outdated now.
@table @samp
@item preview-tetex
Style files and documentation for @file{preview.sty}, placed into a
@TeX{} tree where it is accessible from the te@TeX{} executables usually
delivered with a system.  If there are other commonly used @TeX{} system
packages, it might be appropriate to provide separate packages for
those.
@item auctex-emacs-tetex
This package will require the installation of @samp{preview-tetex} and
will record in @code{TeX-macro-global} where to find the @TeX{} tree.
It is also a good idea to run
@example
emacs -batch -f TeX-auto-generate-global
@end example
when either @AUCTeX{} or te@TeX{} get installed or upgraded.  If your
users might want to work with a different @TeX{} distribution (nowadays
pretty common), instead consider the following:
@item auctex-emacs
This package will be compiled with @option{--without-texmf-dir} and will
consequently contain the @samp{preview} style files in its private
directory.  It will probably not be possible to initialize
@code{TeX-macro-global} to a sensible value, so running
@code{TeX-auto-generate-global} does not appear useful.  This package
would neither conflict with nor provide @samp{preview-tetex}.
@end table

@node Advice for non-privileged users
@section Installation for non-privileged users

Often people without system administration privileges want to install
software for their private use.  In that case you need to pass more
options to the @command{configure} script.

The main expedient is using the @option{--prefix} option to the
@command{configure} script, and let it point to the personal home
directory.  In that way, resulting binaries will be installed under the
@file{bin} subdirectory of your home directory, manual pages under
@file{man} and so on.  It is reasonably easy to maintain a bunch of
personal software, since the prefix argument is supported by most
@command{configure} scripts.

You often need to specify @option{--with-lispdir} option as well.
If you haven't installed Emacs under your home directory and use Emacs
installed in system directories, the @command{configure} script might not
be able to figure out suitable place to install lisp files under your
home directory.  In that case, the @command{configure} script would
silently choose, by default, the @file{site-lisp} directory within
@code{load-path} for the place, where administration privileges are
usually required to put relevant files.  Thus you will have to tell
the @command{configure} script explicitly where to put those files by,
e.g., @code{--with-lispdir=@samp{/home/myself/share/emacs/site-lisp}}.

You'll have to add something like
@samp{/home/myself/share/emacs/site-lisp} to your @code{load-path}
variable, if it isn't there already.

In addition, you will have to tell @command{configure} script where to
install @TeX{}-related files such as @file{preview.sty} if
@previewlatex{} isn't disabled.  It is enough to specify
@option{--with-texmf-dir=@file{$HOME/texmf}} for most typical cases, but
you have to create the direcotry @file{$HOME/texmf} in advance if it
doesn't exist.  If this prescription doesn't work, consider using one or
more of the options @code{--with-texmf-dir=@var{/dir}},
@code{--without-texmf-dir}, @code{--with-tex-dir=@var{/dir}} and
@code{--with-doc-dir=@var{/dir}}.  See @ref{Configure} for detail of
these options.

Now here is another thing to ponder: perhaps you want to make it easy
for other users to share parts of your personal Emacs configuration.  In
general, you can do this by writing @samp{~myself/} anywhere where you
specify paths to something installed in your personal subdirectories,
not merely @samp{~/}, since the latter, when used by other users, will
point to non-existent files.

For yourself, it will do to manipulate environment variables in your
@file{.profile} resp.@: @file{.login} files.  But if people will be
copying just Elisp files, their copies will not work.  While it would
in general be preferable if the added components where available from
a shell level, too (like when you call the standalone info reader, or
try using @file{preview.sty} for functionality besides of Emacs
previews), it will be a big help already if things work from inside
of Emacs.

Here is how to do the various parts:

@subheading Making the Elisp available

In GNU Emacs, it should be sufficient if people just do

@lisp
(load "~myself/share/emacs/site-lisp/auctex.el" nil t t)
(load "~myself/share/emacs/site-lisp/preview-latex.el" nil t t)
@end lisp
@noindent
where the path points to your personal installation.  The rest of the
package should be found relative from there without further ado.

@subheading Making the Info files available

For making the info files accessible from within Elisp, something like
the following might be convenient to add into your or other people's
startup files:

@lisp
(eval-after-load 'info
   '(add-to-list 'Info-directory-list "~myself/info"))
@end lisp

@subheading Making the @LaTeX{} style available

If you want others to be able to share your installation, you should
configure it using @option{--without-texmf-dir}, in which case things
should work as well for them as for you.

@subsection Using @AUCTeX{} from local Git repo

With the techniques described above, it is also possible to use @AUCTeX{}
directly from a local Git repository.  Let's assume you have your Git
repositories under @samp{~/development/}.

First, you have to fetch a copy of the @AUCTeX{} Git repository.  In a
shell, change directory to @samp{~/development/} and do:
@example
git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/auctex.git
@end example

Now change directory to @samp{~/development/auctex} and run
@samp{./autogen.sh}.  Next thing is to run @command{configure} like this:
@example
./configure --without-texmf-dir --with-lispdir=.
@end example

@noindent
When finished, simply enter
@example
make
@end example
@noindent
and you're finished.  Note that the @samp{make install} step is not
necessary.

Now you have to tell Emacs about the plan.  The following variables must
be set in your init file because their normal values are only correct when
@AUCTeX{} is installed:
@lisp
(setq TeX-data-directory "~/development/auctex"
      TeX-lisp-directory TeX-data-directory)
@end lisp

@noindent
The info files will be available with this:
@lisp
(eval-after-load 'info
   '(add-to-list 'Info-additional-directory-list
                 "~/development/auctex/doc"))
@end lisp

@noindent
Now you're ready to load @file{auctex.el} and @file{preview-latex.el} out
of this directory:
@lisp
(load "~/development/auctex/auctex.el" nil t t)
(load "~/development/auctex/preview-latex.el" nil t t)
@end lisp

@ifclear rawfile
@node Installation under MS Windows
@section Installation under MS Windows
@include wininstall.texi
@end ifclear

@node Customizing
@section Customizing
@cindex Site initialization
@cindex Initialization
@cindex @file{tex-site.el}
@cindex Personal customization
@cindex Site customization
@cindex Customization
@cindex Customization, personal
@cindex Customization, site
Most of the site-specific customization should already have happened
during configuration of @AUCTeX{}.  Any further customization can be
done with customization buffers directly in Emacs.  Just type @kbd{M-x
customize-group @key{RET} AUCTeX @key{RET}} to open the customization group for
@AUCTeX{} or use the menu entries provided in the mode menus.  Editing
the file @file{tex-site.el} as suggested in former versions of @AUCTeX{}
should not be done anymore because the installation routine will
overwrite those changes.

You might check some options with a special significance.  They are
accessible directly by typing @kbd{M-x customize-option @key{RET} <option>
@key{RET}}.

@defopt TeX-macro-global
Directories containing the site's @TeX{} style files.
@end defopt

Normally, @AUCTeX{} will only allow you to complete macros and
environments which are built-in, specified in @AUCTeX{} style files or
defined by yourself.  If you issue the @kbd{M-x
TeX-auto-generate-global} command after loading @AUCTeX{}, you will be
able to complete on all macros available in the standard style files
used by your document.  To do this, you must set this variable to a list
of directories where the standard style files are located.  The
directories will be searched recursively, so there is no reason to list
subdirectories explicitly.  Automatic configuration will already have
set the variable for you if it could use the program @command{kpsewhich}.
In this case you normally don't have to alter anything.

@c Local Variables:
@c mode: Texinfo
@c TeX-master: "auctex"
@c End:
