Re: what provides tex metafont mf.base file?

["Jeremy C. Reed" <reed%reedmedia.net@localhost>]

On Thu, 20 May 2010, Pouya D. Tafti wrote:

> But could you check to see if you have any tex-related environment
> variables set?

I don't see any defined.

On Wed, 19 May 2010, Min Sik Kim wrote:

> I think your environment somehow forces using raster (pk) fonts.  
> This is not recommended in general.  A better way is to use font 
> metrics only (.tfm) in compiling .tex, and later use outline fonts 
> such as TrueType or Type 1 to produce the final output, .pdf or .ps.

I am not sure yet how or why this is happening. Part of my document has:

\documentclass[english]{scrbook}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

Then the part that causes my problem is:
\scriptsize
(I comment out and the problem is gone.)

> If you want to use pk fonts, make $VARBASE/lib/texmf/fonts 
> world-writable.  The following command will do that for you:
> 
>   # texconfig font rw

Well I tried that:

$ sudo texconfig font rw
texconfig: modifying permissions in `/var/lib/texmf/fonts' ...
texconfig: all permissions set.

But still have same problem...

kpathsea: Running mktexpk --mfmode / --bdpi 600 --mag 1+0/600 --dpi 600 
ecbx0800
mktexpk: Mismatched mode ljfour and resolution 600; ignoring mode.
mktexpk: Running mf-nowin -progname=mf \mode:=ljfour; mag:=1+0/600; 
nonstopmode; input ecbx0800
This is METAFONT, Version 2.718281 (Web2C 7.5.7)
I can't find the base file `mf.base'!
grep: ecbx0800.log: No such file or directory
mktexpk: `mf-nowin -progname=mf \mode:=ljfour; mag:=1+0/600; 
nonstopmode; input ecbx0800' failed to make ecbx0800.600pk.
kpathsea: Appending font creation commands to missfont.log.


pdflatex fails at end with:

!pdfTeX error: pdflatex (file ecbx0800): Font ecbx0800 at 600 not found
 ==> Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced!

For now as a workaround, I am using \footnotesize instead of 
\scriptsize.

Thanks again for your responses.