How to install mimetex on PHP/apache?

Question

So I'm trying to use the LaTeX on my server but I need mimetex. I have no idea how to do this nor have I been able to find any tutorials. Basically all I know about servers is how to ssh into my server... and thats about it. I was hoping it would be as easy as doing something like apt-get {blah}... but I have no idea. Can anyone provide me or at least point me in the right direction on how to go about setting up mimetex?

Thanks

Answer 1

If you are on a Debian-based distribution (ie, Debian, Ubuntu, ...), you'll have the apt-get command-line command, which allows you to install packages.

First of all, you have to search for the exact package name ; the command, for that, is apt-cache :

$ apt-cache search mimetex
mimetex - LaTeX math expressions to anti-aliased GIF images converter
python-nodebox-web - collection of web-related Python modules

So, searching for "mimetex" got you two results ; obviously, the first one is the one you want.

Now, you can use apt-get to install the package :

# apt-get install mimetex

Note that this command must be launched as root -- which means being administrator of the server.

If you are using Ubuntu, you'll use this, as non-root :

$ sudo apt-get install mimetex

Still, this will require that you have privileges to execute commands as root (to simplify : the "sudo" stuff being to say that you want the command executed as root)

Again, if using a Debian-based distribution, another solution would be to use the aptitude tool, which is now the recommend one (instead of apt-get), I believe -- I don't use it, but commands should be quite similar.

In any case, you can use

man apt-get

or

man aptitude

to get some help (use the "q" key to quit)

If you are using some kind of Redhat-based distribution (like centOS), you'll have to use the "yum" command.

I won't be able to tell you anything about that one, sorry -- but you might find plenty of help on the Internet ; and there is still the man command ;-)

As a sidenote : if you don't know anything about Linux and command-line, accessing your server as root to do that kind of stuff might not be the wisest idea ; don't you have someone that acts as administrator of that server ?