Re: security trap mode

Johannes Berg writes:

> On Fr, 2005-02-04 at 18:22 +0100, Johannes Berg wrote:
>> [bunch of useless stuff]

> So scratch that. I've seen the light. Could anyone point me to the docs
> retroactively (if there are any)?

The documentation is mainly in texmf.cnf, I fear.

% Enable system commands via \write18{...}?
shell_escape =                  f

% Allow TeX \openout/\openin on filenames starting with `.' (e.g., .rhosts)?
% 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


As far as preventing a TeX run for going off into a loop, you really
should use whatever methods the OS provides to keep runaway processes
in check, as these are much more reliable, and much more lightweight,
than messing with TeX's inner loop.

> johannes

-- 
Olaf Weber

               (This space left blank for technical reasons.)