tlmgr needs self-update on 2026.03.02

[jurriaan]

I think something was updated in the latest texlive repository that forces tlmgr to ask for a self-update:

===============================================================================
tlmgr itself needs to be updated.
Please do this via either
  tlmgr update --self
or by getting the latest updater for Unix-ish systems:
  https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/update-tlmgr-latest.sh
and/or Windows systems:
  https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/update-tlmgr-latest.exe
Then continue with other updates as usual.
===============================================================================
tlmgr: Terminating; please see warning above!

Can the updated tlmgr be included in the next release?

[cderv]

Did you install updated version of TinyTex ?

As each year, TeX Live does it yearly release. this time from TeX Live 2025 to TeX Live 2026.
All CTAN infra and mirrors are now for TeX Live 2026, so you need to update.

We already provided updated bundles (see #50) so it should be all good.

You need to reinstall / update using your preferred method. Either using latest monthly stable release, or last daily release.

[jurriaan]

Yes, I installed that version, I am on 2026.03.02, which worked fine last week, but this morning I got this error and needed to do tlmgr update --self (also I was the one that reported #50). This was reproducible by others/CI as well

[cderv]

(also I was the one that reported #50).

First, sorry for not connecting the dots.

Yes, I installed that version, I am on 2026.03.02, which worked fine last week, but this morning I got this error and needed to do tlmgr update --self

🤔 Interesting. Maybe we need to rebuild a new monthly because they changed something.

Though tinytex R 📦 and quarto LaTeX engine using TinyTeX should both call tlmgr update --self

For example tinytex::tlmgr_update() can be called, and will be when error are found
https://github.com/rstudio/tinytex/blob/1c0e11c9d24b92c3ae61122ab610f1cbf64a2d1f/R/latex.R#L219-L222

Which is the context you are using ? R, Quarto, or on its own ?

[cderv]

@yihui is this usual to have to call tlmgr update --self after TeX Live release ?

[jurriaan]

@cderv no worries ;)

I use TinyTex separately in some Podman containers since it is so lightweight and easy to install. I already fixed the issue myself by indeed including tlmgr update --self before installing packages.

[yihui]

Yes, the monthly release is often old (a month is too long for tlmgr :). If you choose to install the monthly release, I recommend that you run tlmgr update --self --all to stay updated. Or you can install the daily build, which is my personal recommendation and mostly equivalent to installing the monthly release & running tlmgr update --self --all afterwards.