Users sometimes create additional sty, cls, bib, and tex files for common use in several different projects. These files will certainly be seen by tex and latex if they are placed in the same folder as the tex source file being typeset, but then multiple copies of the files must be kept on the computer.

It is possible to make these files visible to all TeXLive projects, whether typeset from TeXShop or from the Terminal. To do so, create a subfolder of the Library folder in your home directory named texmf. Create subfolders named tex and bibtex. Within the tex folder, create a subfolder named latex. Store your personal files in these folders.

Tex will find any file in ~/Library/texmf/tex or a subfolder of this directory. Latex will find any file in ~/Library/texmf/tex/latex or a subfolder of this directory. Bibtex will find bib files in ~/Library/texmf/bibtex/bib or a subfolder; it will find bst files in ~/Library/texmf/bibtex/bst or a subfolder. Makeindex will find any file in ~/Library/texmf/makeindex or a subfolder. It is not necessary to run texhash after adding files to these folders.

On other Unix machines, tex is sometimes notified of the location of personal input files by setting the environment variables TEXINPUTS, BSTINPUTS, and BIBINPUTS. This is almost never necessary with TeX Live; instead put personal input files in appropriate subdirectories of ~/Library/texmf.

Under very special circumstances, these environment variables can be set. Mac OS X allows users to notify programs about environment variables by creating a file in their home directory named ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist. These environment variables get picked up by all user shells and all Carbon and Cocoa programs, so caution should be used when creating the file.

Below is a sample environment.plist file sent me by Nathan Potter; thanks! For further details, consult

http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1067.html.

Advanced Help
Adding Personal Sty and Macro Files to TeX Live