Re: Installing new files into texmf-local tree.

> I want to install: curve.cls. I downloaded the
> necessary files from CTAN. The files curve.ins and
> curve.dtx processed okay.
> 
> Everything installed into:
> 
> /usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf-local

curve is a latex macro, so the natural tds location would be

  /usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf-local/tex/latex/curve

> A snippet from texmf-local:
> 
> % ls-R -- filename database for kpathsea; do not
> change this line.
> ./:
> .:
> curve
> ls-R
>                          
> ./curve:
> 
> However, when I process a file starting with
> \documentclass{curve} I still get an error: curve.cls
> not found. I don't understand!

latex looks on the path that it's told to in texmf.cnf, and that
_doesn't_ include reading random directories at the root of a texmf-tree

for further hints, see

http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=instpackages+wherefiles