Creating memory dumps

The programs all create memory dumps in slightly idiosyncratic (thought substantially similar) way, so we describe the details in separate sections (references below). The basic idea is to run the initial version of the program (see section Initial and virgin), read the source file to define the macros, and then execute the \dump primitive.

Also, each program uses a different filename extension for its memory dumps, since although they are completely analogous they are not interchangeable (TeX cannot read a Metafont memory dump, for example).

Here is a list of filename extensions with references to examples of creating memory dumps:

TeX

(`.fmt') See section initex invocation.

Metafont

(`.base') See section inimf invocation.

MetaPost

(`.mem') See section inimpost invocation.

When making memory dumps, the programs read environment variables and configuration files for path searching and other values as usual. If you are making a new installation and have environment variables pointing to an old one, for example, you will probably run into difficulties.

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