CMacTeX contains eTeX and pdfeTeX. The first produces dvi output and the latter produces PDF output, thereby avoiding the creation of intermediate dvi and postscript files. Bibliographies can be constructed with bibtex and indices can be created with makeindex.

Metafont 2.7182 can be called automatically by other programs in CMacTeX to generate pk font files.

Dvips 5.94a converts the dvi files produced by TeX into Postscript documents. Dvips supports the partial downloading of postscript fonts.

Dvi files can be previewed with macdvi. It can display certain types of included eps graphics and has full support for color. If you have ATM 4.0 or later, you can use the Postscript versions of the CM fonts for previewing. Macdvi can be used to print dvi files if you do not have a Postscript printer and your dvi file does not contain any Postscript graphics or fonts.

Postscript is fully supported in CMacTeX. MacGhostView is a Postscript previewer built upon ghostscript 7.05. Unlike ghostscript, macghostview allows the user to view the pages of a Postscript document in any order. Macps2pdf is a Postscript converter and Metapost can be used for the construction of Postscript figures. Several utilities are provided for manipulating postscript files and fonts.

Utilities for manipulating dvi files and font files are also included.

CMacTeX handles text files with Macintosh, Unix, and DOS line endings.

A 32 page User's Guide is included in PDF format.

CMacTeX fully supports EC fonts, the Postscript versions of the CM and AMS fonts, and the conversion of Postscript documents into PDF documents. Both dvips and pdftex can use the Macintosh versions of Postscript fonts. Only dvitopdfm still requires Postscript fonts in pfb format.

CMacTeX contains all of the files (.tfm, .fd, .sty, .enc, .map, etc) needed to use the MathTime and Lucida Bright fonts. The actual screen and printer fonts must be purchased from Y&Y.

CMacTeX provides complete support for Apple Scripts, thereby allowing the user to automate most tasks.

In addition to providing the standard Macintosh graphical user interface, CMacTeX implements a basic command line interface to TeX. Some things, unpacking library source files or building formats, are more easily performed through a command line interface than through menu selections. This command line interface is also available through Apple Scripts.