Complete LATEX environment on a USB stick

1.  What is it for?

Install a LATEX distribution, Ghostscript, Ghostview software, install a text editor, configure it all … These instructions can be a problem for newbies who then feel lost and discouraged before even starting to discover LATEX.

For other LATEX users, it is frustrating to work on a computer where no LATEX environment is (or perhaps can be) installed.

See also

* This article (in French) about USBTEX on the Framasoft.net website.
* The pack Framakey “LaTeX edition” inspired from USBTeX that provides several softwares and additive documents.

2.  USBTEX: LATEX portable environnment

It contains LATEX, Ghostscript, Ghostview and Texmaker, in a portable setup. To make it work:

1. Download and unzip the distribution on a USB stick (or on your hard disk)
2. Run the program — no configuration needed
3. Write and compile your documents!

Admin rights are not required so the software can be run in a normal user Windows session.
3.  Download (Version 1.1 updated on 27.11.2008)

Download the USBTEX archive (about 186Mo unzipped):
The self-extracting archive USBTeX.exe (40Mo) (1022 downloads since 05/23/07)

USBTEX gives you:

* MiKTeX 2.7 portable version
* Ghostscript 8.53
* Ghostview 4.7
* SumatraPDF 0.9.3-fr
* Texmaker 1.8

4.  Using USBTEX

After downloading, uncompress the archive. The program asks you where you wish to place the folder, choose, for instance, your USB stick. Be patient, it can take several minutes.

Now go to the uncompressed folder.

1. Demarrer: double-click on Demarrer (Start). It will build the paths needed for the software to work.
2. TexMaker: while commnds are executing, double-click on TexMaker and start writing your LATEX document or open the example file located in the Documents folder.
When Demarrer has finished, you can compile your document clicking on the QuickBuild (Compilation rapide) button:

3. Arreter: at the end of your work session, close Texmaker and double-click on Arreter(Stop). You can now unmount your USB stick.

To make it work well, it is important to have a good USB stick, meaning high speed. A lot of data will be read and written to the stick while the software executes. A stick and a computer that are USB-2.0 compliant are highly recommended. For instance, I use Kingston DataTraveler and USBTEX starts in less than 1 min.
5.  Add a package

Since 0.9.4 version, MiKTeX_Options works. Start it then click on the tab Packages. Choose your package, install it (clicking on +) and in the tab Général, click on Refresh FNDB, then Update Formats. There you are, your new package is ready to use.
6.  How does it work?

MiKTeX can be built as a portable distrinution following the instructions of this HOWTO, which is how I made USBTEX:
http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/MiKTeX+Ghostscript+GSview+USB-drive-HOWTO.txt
7.  License

The USBTEX-specific work in the distribution downloadable on this page is placed under GPL license.
The author has no responsibility in case of any problems or damage caused by the use of this distribution.
8.  Archives

You will find USBTEX versions on this page.
Source: ExOmatiK.net