LaTeX installation cannot find pdflatex.cnf

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1

I installed texlive-basic from pacman in order to compile .tex latex files into pdf using pdflatex. Here is the output from the command pdflatex first.tex

This is pdfTeX, Version 3.141592653-2.6-1.40.27 (TeX Live 2026/dev/Arch Linux) (preloaded format=pdflatex)
 restricted \write18 enabled.

kpathsea: Running mktexfmt pdflatex.fmt
mktexfmt: mktexfmt is using the following fmtutil.cnf files (in precedence order):
mktexfmt:   /etc/texmf/web2c/fmtutil.cnf
mktexfmt: mktexfmt is using the following fmtutil.cnf file for writing changes:
mktexfmt:   /home/ishaang/.texlive/texmf-config/web2c/fmtutil.cnf
mktexfmt [INFO]: writing formats under /home/ishaang/.texlive/texmf-var/web2c
mktexfmt [INFO]: Did not find entry for byfmt=pdflatex skipped
mktexfmt [INFO]: not selected formats: 8
mktexfmt [INFO]: total formats: 8
mktexfmt [INFO]: exiting with status 0
I can't find the format file `pdflatex.fmt'!

It cannot find pdflatex.fmt, and neither can I, anywhere on my computer. I have tried running both fmtutil-user --all and fmtutil-sys --all with no success. (although there was a little popup about switching to user only format files when I used fmtutil-user for the first time, which might be related to the issue)

The output form kpsewhich pdflatex.fmt is blank.

This seems to be like a path issue. I also tried reinstalling but to no success.

There is also a billion other people having the same issue online and none of their solutions seems to work for me. Pls help

2

Perhaps you are missing texlive-latex and/or texlive-latexextra?

The tex people recommend to install it outside package managers reach and without them:
https://www.tug.org/texlive/

that way you are sure to have everything

3

I searched your file and I have it.

CapturaTexLive
CapturaTexLive1512Ă—527 60.9 KB

I have almost all texlive packages installed and I have no issues. Searching the file I found what is in the image. Try intalling that package to see if that solves your problem.

This way you don’t need to skip pamac.

This could be the issue also.

4

I also have that file, but no package owns it. Maybe it was created by an installation hook.

pacman -Qo /var/lib/texmf/web2c/pdftex/pdflatex.fmt                                                    ✔ 
erro: Nenhum pacote possui /var/lib/texmf/web2c/pdftex/pdflatex.fmt

EDIT:

This ^

5

The message implies - by the location printed - the file being created beforehand.

As you did not create the format file - it has been skipped.

This is NOT a broken package - but an incomplete or invalid configuration.

I have renamed your topic to reflect your real issue.

Solved: There was a “pdflatex.fmt” on the same directory as the latex file. I deleted it and all was well.
– [SOLVED] pdflatex: (Fatal format file error; I'm stymied) / Newbie Corner / Arch Linux Forums

The package texlive-bin contains the binary pdflatex, I suggest you try

man pdflatex

Or online pdflatex(1) — Arch manual pages

1 Like
6

I’ll drop this here for consideration; but I note that this is not a recommendation; only my own personal resolution:

Some time ago (as much as a year, maybe) I was experiencing multiple issues with having TeX function to my expectations.

I’ll not play the blame game, but simply mention how I overcame the problem and continued the projects I was working on, with minimal fuss;

This is what I did:

  • Install Homebrew (for Linux)
  • Use Homebrew to install and manage TeXLive

This installed the full suite of TeXLive packages (currently 5/6 GB) into my User directory heirarchy, independent of Manjaro package management.

For me, this worked as expected and has done so ever since; updated to TeXLive-2025 last month.

Your mileage may vary. No support will be offered.

Regards.

1 Like
7

Purge all texlive related packages then reinstall it again:

sudo pacman -Rcs $(pacman -Qsq 'texlive*')
sudo pacman -S texlive