hans. i re-started fresh (again :-) re-installing livetex using the texsetup.exe command. HH> if you install context, you can best do it into HH> HH> texmf-local HH> HH> (sometimes texmflocal) HH> HH> that way the files will be found there first; (it's also easier to prune HH> that tree) i did that too. HH> if you have textools.rb: HH> HH> textools --fixtexmftrees HH> HH> will fix the tree i did find textools.rb in the folder C:\texlive\texmf-local\scripts\context\ruby when i type the instruction windows does not (yet) understand it. C:\>textools --fixtexmftrees 'textools' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. in the windows environment there is: path c:\texlive\bin\win32;... texmfcnf c:\texlive\texmf-var\web2c texmftemp c:\texlive\temp texexec --verbose gives the following: C:\>texexec --verbose Kpathsea released! TeXExec 4.0 - ConTeXt / PRAGMA ADE 1997-2003 current path : C:/Documents and Settings/vm/Desktop locating ini file : found by kpsewhich reading : c:/TeXLive/texmf/context/config/texexec.ini setting : 'TeXShell' to 'fptex' for 'all' setting : 'UsedInterfaces' to 'en nl metafun mptopdf' for 'all' setting : 'UserInterface' to 'en' for 'all' setting : 'TeXExecutable' to 'tex' for 'all' setting : 'MpExecutable' to 'mpost' for 'all' setting : 'MpToTeXExecutable' to 'mpto' for 'all' setting : 'DviToMpExecutable' to 'dvitomp' for 'all' setting : 'DviSpecialScript' to 'dvispec' for 'all' setting : 'MpFormat' to 'metafun' for 'all' setting : 'TeXFormatFlag' to '&' for 'all' setting : 'MpFormatFlag' to '&' for 'all' setting : 'TeXFontsPath' to 'l:/tex/texmf;l:/tex/texmf-local;' fo r 'all' setting : 'TeXHashExecutable' to 'mktexlsr' for 'fptex' setting : 'TeXExecutable' to 'pdfetex' for 'fptex' setting : 'TeXVirginFlag' to '-ini' for 'fptex' setting : 'TeXPassString' to '-progname=context --default-transla te-file=cp8bit' for 'fptex' setting : 'TeXBatchFlag' to '-int=batchmode' for 'fptex' setting : 'MpToTeXExecutable' to 'mpto' for 'fptex' setting : 'MpVirginFlag' to '-ini' for 'fptex' setting : 'MpPassString' to '-progname=mpost' for 'fptex' setting : 'MpBatchFlag' to '-int=batchmode' for 'fptex' used setting : TeXShell = fptex used setting : SetupPath = used setting : UserInterface = en used setting : UsedInterfaces = en nl metafun mptopdf used setting : TeXFontsPath = l:/tex/texmf;l:/tex/texmf-local; used setting : MpExecutable = mpost used setting : MpToTeXExecutable = mpto used setting : DviToMpExecutable = dvitomp used setting : TeXProgramPath = used setting : TeXFormatPath = used setting : ConTeXtPath = used setting : TeXScriptsPath = used setting : TeXHashExecutable = mktexlsr used setting : TeXExecutable = pdfetex used setting : TeXVirginFlag = -ini used setting : TeXBatchFlag = -int=batchmode used setting : TeXNonStopFlag = -int=nonstopmode used setting : MpBatchFlag = -int=batchmode used setting : MpNonStopFlag = -int=nonstopmode used setting : TeXPassString = -progname=context --default-translate-f ile=cp8bit used setting : TeXFormatFlag = & used setting : MpFormatFlag = & used setting : MpVirginFlag = -ini used setting : MpPassString = -progname=mpost used setting : MpFormat = metafun used setting : MpFormatPath = used setting : FmtLanguage = used setting : FmtBodyFont = used setting : FmtResponse = used setting : TcXPath = used setting : SetFile = applications will use : c:\TeXLive\texmf-var\web2c/texmf.cnf locating fmtutil : C:/TeXLive/bin/win32/fmtutil.exe --help overview of all options and their values --help all all about all options --help short just the main options --help mode ... pdf all about a few options --help '*.pdf' all about options containing 'pdf' total run time : 0 seconds the problem to me is that it is difficult to know what to look for and where. then it turns out that the documentation is not in sync with reality. that makes it difficult for a novice user (which i try to remain :-). i'm really looking forward in using context, but getting the car out of the garage is cumbersome. which (automatic) setup is best to use for XP and OSX ? as i wrote before, i hope at least that there is also a positive aspect to my stumbling e.g. what do people wrong... % floris