Ubuntu Manpage: mftrace - convert METAFONT format fonts into Type1 outline fonts

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 (formerly called pfaedit) 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 (formerly called pfaedit) 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.

AUTHOR