[Tex/LaTex] How to find a TeX Live repository for a certain version of TeX Live

texlivetexlive-2019

My goal is to install the latest version of TeX Live, after having uninstalled the previous one, because I got the error tlmgr: Remote repository is newer than local (2018 < 2019) and I couldn't install any packages.

I am following the steps at https://www.tug.org/texlive/quickinstall.html, downloaded the latest installer and now I am trying to execute ./install-tl -scheme=basic. But it fails with

=============================================================================
./install-tl: The TeX Live versions of the local installation
and the repository being accessed are not compatible:
      local: 2019
 repository: 2018
Perhaps you need to use a different CTAN mirror?
(For more, see the output of install-tl --help, especially the
 -repository option.  Online via https://tug.org/texlive/doc.)
=============================================================================

I do want to use 2019, so I figured I need to specify a repository which has TeX Live 2019.

Question How to do I find a repository for this specific TeX Live version (2019)?

I looked at the -repository documentation at https://www.tug.org/texlive/doc/install-tl.html, but no help there.
I visited http://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet, but specifying the repository that it linked me to, so in my case ./install-tl -scheme=basic -repository http://ctan.triasinformatica.nl/systems/texlive/tlnet/ gave the same error.

I also found in this list of mirrors https://ctan.org/mirrors but I tried a few and they were all old.

But I'm sure there must be an updated mirror somewhere, if it's not intended that I install packages for the old TeX Live, right? (I am aware that it is possible to install packages for the old TeX Live, but the output message specifically redirects to a webpage which recommends updating TeX Live).

Of course I could just wait until repositories are updated, but I prefer to install TeX Live relatively soon.

Best Answer

You were too early updating TeX Live. You should at least wait a week after the release day mentioned at https://www.tug.org/texlive/ before trying any update.

If you want to install packages in the meantime, you can do the following:

  1. Find a nearby mirror by visiting http://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet and checking the link to which you are redirected. Copy that link.
  2. You can now try installing texlive using this repository, as in the question, but probably this will fail (as this redirection is used by default).
  3. Set it as default package repository, so do something like tlmgr option repository http://some mirror site.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/ but of course for your own link.
  4. When that mirror updates, this may break your installation of packages again. But hooray: now that the mirror is updated, you can finally update your TeX Live using this same mirror:

./install-tl -scheme=basic -repository http://some mirror site.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/

Note that you can also install a full scheme by downloading the iso file, as @Al_Fh mentions, more info at https://www.tug.org/texlive/acquire-iso.html

If you really need TeX Live 2019 now, look at the list of mirrors at https://ctan.org/mirrors/mirmon and try a few recent ones in your country. Click on the mirror name, and find a directory like systems/texlive/tlnet. If you found it, copy the url and use it in the installation command like above.

If that also doesn't work and you are really desparate, as a last resort try specifying the Dante repository which is the Master Host (Root) repository: this is the one from which all the others are mirrors. It is mentioned as Master Host at https://ctan.org/mirrors (thanks to @Sigur) and also at https://ctan.org/mirrors/mirmon#Root

Change your command to:

./install-tl -scheme=basic -repository ftp://dante.ctan.org/tex-archive/systems/texlive/tlnet/

Important When you installed using a different package repository, after a while, when package repositories are updated, you should change back to the default by executing

tlmgr option repository http://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet
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