NAME

       mftrace - convert METAFONT format fonts into Type1 outline fonts

SYNOPSIS

       mftrace [options] fontname

DESCRIPTION

       mftrace  is  a  program that can convert a METAFONT font into a Type1 font.  It is simply called with the
       name of the font (without a `.mf' suffix) and produces a Type1 font file called  either  fontname.pfa  or
       fontname.pfb  depending  on the command line options.  With the help of fontforge(1) it can produce other
       font formats too.

       For tracing the bitmap, mftrace  either  uses  potrace(1)  or  autotrace(1)  (the  former  preferred)  if
       available; this can be overridden with the --autotrace and --potrace command line options.

OPTIONS

       This program follows the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (`-').

       -k, --keep
              Keep all output in directory `mftrace.dir'.

       --magnification=MAG
              The  magnification  to  use for the PFA file.  The default is 1000.  The larger the magnification,
              the more precise the PFA file will be.  However, if the magnification is too  large  METAFONT  can
              crash with overflow errors.

              Sadly, many MF fonts contain resolution checks

                     if dots_per_inch * design_size > 1500:

              This  check is susceptible to overflow errors.  Such code should be reported as a bug, and changed
              to

                     if dots_per_inch > (1500 / design_size):

       --formats=FMT1,FMT2,...
              Specify which formats to generate (default is pfa).  Choices  are:  `afm',  `pfa',  `pfb',  `ttf',
              `svg'.   Note  that fontforge must be installed to generate any format except `pfa' or `pfb'.  For
              generating `afm' you need either fontforge or ghostscript.

       --simplify
              This passes the created Type1 font to fontforge to simplify and autohint it.

       --gffile=FILE
              Use generic font file FILE instead of running Metafont.  (GF  is  the  default  output  format  of
              Metafont.)

       -I DIR, --include=DIR
              Add DIR to the current path for searching files.

       --glyphs=LIST
              Process  only  these  glyphs.   LIST  is  a comma separated list of decimal numbers or ranges, for
              example `1-10,50,55,90-100'.

       --tfmfile=FILE
              Use FILE for the TFM file.  (The default is to use fontname.tfm).

       -e ENC, --encoding=ENC
              Use encoding file ENC.  Encoding files used by mftrace  are  basically  in  the  GhostScript/dvips
              format,  but  you may use a special .notavail glyph name in order to tell mftrace not to process a
              specific glyph.  If this option is not specified, mftrace tries to  determine  the  encoding  file
              automatically, from the encoding specified in the TFM file, the default being `tex256.enc'.

       --keep-trying
              Try  to  continue  if external programs called by mftrace fail.  If METAFONT crashes with overflow
              errors, but nevertheless outputs a GF file, try to process its output as is (useful for some buggy
              fonts,  see above).  If potrace or autotrace fail to trace a specific character, first try it with
              a less smoothed curve, and if that fails, skip the character.  By default, mftrace leaves  a  file
              `trace-bug-font-char.pbm' and stops the process with a request to file a bugreport.

       --dos-kpath
              Try to use MikTeX's version of kpsewhich.

       --potrace
              Use  potrace  for tracing bitmaps.  The default is to use potrace if it is found, otherwise to use
              autotrace.

       --autotrace
              Use autotrace for tracing bitmaps.

       --no-afm
              Don't read the AFM file to find font information.

       --noround
              Do not round coordinates of control points to integer  values  (use  with  --grid).   Disabled  by
              default.

       --grid=GRID
              Set  reciprocal  grid  size  in  em  units  multiplied  by ratio magnification/1000.  For example,
              `--grid 10 --magnification 1000' rounds coordinates of control points to 1/10th of  the  em  unit.
              Useful simultaneously with the --noround option.  Default GRID value is 1, i.e., round to integer.
              This option is only used with potrace.

       -D,--define=SYMBOL=VALUE
              Set the font info SYMBOL to the given VALUE.  For example, -DFamilyName=Foo sets the  font  family
              name  to  Foo.  mftrace tries to fill in sensible default values for the `FontName', `FamilyName',
              `FullName' and `Weight' fields.

       -V, --verbose
              Be verbose.

       -h, --help
              Show summary of options.

       -v, --version
              Show version of program.

       -w, --warranty
              Show warranty and copyright.

COPYRIGHT

       You  may  redistribute  copies  of  mftrace  under  the  terms  of  the  GNU   General   Public   License
       <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.  There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
       This  manual  page  is  copyright © 2005,2006,2007 Julian Gilbey and is distributed under the GNU General
       Public License too.

SEE ALSO

       mf(1), autotrace(1), potrace(1), fontforge(1).

AUTHOR

       mftrace was written by Han-Wen Nienhuys <hanwen@xs4all.nl>.  This manual page was originally  written  by
       Julian Gilbey <jdg@debian.org> and has been revised by Werner Lemberg <wl@gnu.org>.

                                                January 23, 2007                                      MFTRACE(1)