Hans Hagen wrote:
well, opening files and overwriting them can be done anyway
That's true. Though the default teTeX setup seems to be (from texmf.cnf): % Allow TeX \openin, \openout, or \input on filenames starting with `.' % (e.g., .rhosts) or outside the current tree (e.g., /etc/passwd)? % a (any) : any file can be opened. % r (restricted) : disallow opening "dotfiles". % p (paranoid) : as 'r' and disallow going to parent directories, and % restrict absolute paths to be under $TEXMFOUTPUT. openout_any = p openin_any = a So you can read any file but you cannot write any file. Seems sensible. -Sanjoy `Never underestimate the evil of which men of power are capable.' --Bertrand Russell, _War Crimes in Vietnam_, chapter 1.