{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "KPSEWHICH",
    "section": "1",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/KPSEWHICH/1/json",
    "generated": "2026-06-16T10:11:49Z",
    "synopsis": "kpsewhich [options] [filenames]",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "kpsewhich - standalone path lookup and and expansion for kpathsea\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "kpsewhich [options] [filenames]\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "This  manual page is not meant to be exhaustive.  The complete documentation for this version\nof TeX can be found in the info file or manual Kpathsea: A library for path searching.\n\nkpsewhich is used as a standalone front-end of the kpathsea library that can be used to exam‐\nine  variables  and  find  files.  When the -format option is not given, the search path used\nwhen looking for a file is inferred from the name given, by looking for  a  known  extension.\nIf no known extension is found, the search path for TeX source files is used.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "OPTIONS": {
            "content": "kpsewhich accepts the following options:\n",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "-debug",
                    "content": "Set debugging flags.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-D",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-D"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-dpi",
                    "content": "As -D.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-engine",
                    "content": "Set $engine in the environment, which is used in some search paths.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-expand-braces",
                    "content": "Print variable and brace expansion of string.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-expand-path",
                    "content": "Print complete path expansion of string.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-expand-var",
                    "content": "Print variable expansion of string.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-format",
                    "content": "Use  file  type name.  See the info manual for a list of valid names, or use the -help\noption to print the list.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-help",
                    "content": ""
                },
                {
                    "name": "-interactive",
                    "content": "Ask for additional filenames to look up.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-mktex",
                    "content": "enable mktexfmt generation.  (fmt=pk/mf/tex/tfm)\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-mode",
                    "content": "Set device name for $MAKETEXMODE to string; no default.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-must-exist",
                    "content": "Search the disk as well as ls-R if necessary.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-no-mktex",
                    "content": "disable mktexfmt generation.  (fmt=pk/mf/tex/tfm)\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-path",
                    "content": "Search in the path string.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-progname",
                    "content": "Set program name to string.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-show-path",
                    "content": "Output search path for file type name.  See the info manual for a list of valid names,\nor use the -help option to print the list.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-var-value",
                    "content": "Print the expansion of variable.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-version",
                    "content": "Print version information and exit.\n"
                }
            ]
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "mktexlsr(1), mktexmf(1), mktexpk(1), mktextfm(1).\n\n\n\nKpathsea 6.3.4/dev                          1 March 2011                                KPSEWHICH(1)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "kpsewhich - standalone path lookup and and expansion for kpathsea",
    "flags": [
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Set debugging flags."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-D",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "As -D."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Set $engine in the environment, which is used in some search paths."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Print variable and brace expansion of string."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Print complete path expansion of string."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Print variable expansion of string."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Use file type name. See the info manual for a list of valid names, or use the -help option to print the list."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Ask for additional filenames to look up."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "enable mktexfmt generation. (fmt=pk/mf/tex/tfm)"
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Set device name for $MAKETEXMODE to string; no default."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Search the disk as well as ls-R if necessary."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "disable mktexfmt generation. (fmt=pk/mf/tex/tfm)"
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Search in the path string."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Set program name to string."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Output search path for file type name. See the info manual for a list of valid names, or use the -help option to print the list."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Print the expansion of variable."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Print version information and exit."
        }
    ],
    "examples": [],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "mktexlsr",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mktexlsr/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mktexmf",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mktexmf/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mktexpk",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mktexpk/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mktextfm",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mktextfm/1/json"
        }
    ]
}