[tex-k] dvips runs ok in emacs shell buffer! (was Re: this file gives an error with dvips) (fwd)

[Faheem Mitha]

Dear People,

I am forwarding this message to your list, in case anyone has any ideas
about this. I am not currently subscribed to the list, so can you cc any
replies to me, please? Sorry for troubling you.

                           Sincerely, Faheem Mitha.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Faheem Mitha <faheem@email.unc.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.text.tex, gnu.emacs.help
Subject: dvips runs ok in emacs shell buffer! (was Re: this file gives an
    error with dvips)

On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 01:31:58 -0000, Faheem Mitha <faheem@email.unc.edu> wrote:
>Dear people, this file (error.tex) gives an error with dvips. It is really
>bizarre. If I try to compile it as is, I get 
>
>faheem ~/doc/cv>dvips error
>This is dvips(k) 5.86 Copyright 1999 Radical Eye Software
>(www.radicaleye.com)
>' TeX output 2001.02.26:2024' -> error.ps
>dvips: xputenv.c:79: xputenv: Assertion `old_item' failed.
>Aborted
>
>As you will see if you try to compile it, most of the file is now
>formatting. However, if you start removing the text (suppose I take
>out the @) symbol, I get
>
>faheem ~/doc/cv>dvips error
>This is dvips(k) 5.86 Copyright 1999 Radical Eye Software
>(www.radicaleye.com)
>' TeX output 2001.02.26:2027' -> error.ps
>Segmentation fault
>
>If I remove all the text, I get a clean compile.
>
>The version of dvips I am using is 5.86
>
>faheem ~/doc/cv>dvips --version
>dvips(k) 5.86
>kpathsea version 3.3.1
>Copyright (C) 1999 Radical Eye Software.
>
>File follows:
>
>****************************************************************************
>
>\documentclass[12pt]{article}
>
>\pagestyle{empty}
>\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
>\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
>%\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{2}
>\begin{document}
>
>        \begin{center}
>                \textbf{\huge Faheem Mitha\\} \medskip
>                .\\ \medskip
>                \quad  
>\texttt{@}
>        \end{center}
>
>        \subsection{Profile}
>     
>        \newlength{\datecolumn}
>        \newlength{\eventcolumn}
>        \setlength{\datecolumn}{0.2\linewidth}
>        \setlength{\eventcolumn}{\linewidth}
>        \addtolength{\eventcolumn}{-\datecolumn}
>
>        \subsection{}
>
>        \begin{tabbing}
>                \hspace{\datecolumn}\=\kill
>                \textbf{1999--}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                          \textbf{}\\
>    
>                        \end{flushleft}
>                \end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>                \textbf{}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                          \textbf{}
>                        \end{flushleft}
>                \end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>                \textbf{}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                          \textbf{}
>                        \end{flushleft}
>                \end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>
>        \end{tabbing}
>
>        \subsection{Teaching Experience}
>
>        \begin{tabbing}
>                \hspace{\datecolumn}\=\kill
>
>
>                \textbf{}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                                \textbf{}\\
>
>\begin{itemize}
>\item 
>\end{itemize}
>\end{flushleft}
>\end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>
>
>                \textbf{}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                          \textbf{}
>                        \end{flushleft}
>                \end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>
>
>                \textbf{}\>
>                \begin{minipage}[t]{\eventcolumn}
>                        \setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
>                        \begin{flushleft}
>                          \textbf{}
>
>                        \end{flushleft}
>                \end{minipage}\\[2ex]
>
>
>\end{tabbing}
>
>        \subsection{}
>
>        \subsection{}
>        \begin{tabbing}
>                \hspace{0.4\linewidth}\=\kill
>   
>        \end{tabbing}
>
>        \subsection{}
>        \begin{tabbing}
>                \hspace{0.5\linewidth}\=\kill
>                 
>        \end{tabbing}
>
>\end{document}

let me first say that I am using tetex on Linux, with GNU Emacs 20.3.

dvips compiles Ok in a GNU Emacs Shell buffer! This is very
strange. The identical file fails running in a virtual terminal
(rxvt). I am cross-posting this to gnu.emacs.help in the hope someone
there can provide some insight.

Can someone suggest why this might be the case? Any clues
appreciated. If anyone can suggest appropriate diagnostic/debugging
output I would be happy to post/email it as appropriate.

The list of environmental variables using set gives the same list both
on rxvt and the GNU emacs buffer. Are there any other variables that
might be relevant?

I am quite keen to get to the bottom of this. 

                              Sincerely, Faheem Mitha.