Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!icdoc!sot-ecs!spqr From: spqr@ecs.soton.ac.uk (Sebastian Rahtz) Newsgroups: comp.text.tex Subject: Re: Can I use one format file with different virtex executables? Message-ID: Date: 7 Jan 91 12:11:45 GMT References: Sender: news@ecs.soton.ac.uk Distribution: comp.text.tex Organization: Southampton University Computer Science Lines: 14 In-reply-to: smith@zeus.harvard.edu's message of 3 Jan 91 15:48:06 GMT In article smith@zeus.harvard.edu (Steven Smith) writes: I am trying to compile TeX/MF for a DEC 5000 and a SUN 4. My problem is that the two different compilations of TeX produce incompatible format files. I.e., when I use the format file produce by the DEC There is ongoing discussion about this in the circles where the web2c system for compiling TeX is developed; its to do with big endian and little endian.... things *could* be changed so that format files are definitely interchangeable, so not now. At present its a matter of ?luck. My site shares the same format files between sun3, sparc, HP 9000 and Masscomp; sparc and 68000 chips can thus agree. sebastian