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.TH MF 1 "23 January 1994" .\"===================================================================== .if n .ds MF Metafont .if t .ds MF M\s-2ETAFONT\s0 .if t .ds TX \fRT\\h'-0.1667m'\\v'0.20v'E\\v'-0.20v'\\h'-0.125m'X\fP .if n .ds TX TeX .ie t .ds OX \fIT\v'+0.25m'E\v'-0.25m'X\fP\" for troff .el .ds OX TeX\" for nroff .\" the same but obliqued .\" BX definition must follow TX so BX can use TX .if t .ds BX \fRB\s-2IB\s0\fP\*(TX .if n .ds BX BibTeX .\" LX definition must follow TX so LX can use TX .if t .ds LX \fRL\\h'-0.36m'\\v'-0.15v'\s-2A\s0\\h'-0.15m'\\v'0.15v'\fP\*(TX .if n .ds LX LaTeX .if n .ds WB Web .if t .ds WB W\s-2EB\s0 .\"===================================================================== .SH NAME mf, inimf, virmf \- Metafont, a language for font and logo design .SH SYNOPSIS .B mf [ first line ] .PP .B inimf [ first line ] .PP .B virmf [ first line ] .\"===================================================================== .SH DESCRIPTION \*(MF reads the program in the specified files and outputs font rasters (in .I gf format) and font metrics (in .I tfm format). The \*(MF language is described in .IR "The \*(MF\^book" . .PP Like \*(TX, \*(MF is normally used with a large body of precompiled macros, and font generation in particular requires the support of several macro files. The basic program as compiled is called .BR inimf ; it can be used to precompile macros into a .I .base file. The .B virmf variant is used to reload the .I .base files quickly. Typically, .B virmf has links to it by the names of the various base files. For example, if you link .B virmf to .B foo and then execute the program .BR foo , you get the base file .IR foo.base . You can load a different base by saying, e.g., .IR "virmf \\\\\|&mybase" . .PP As described in .IR "The \*(MF\^book" , the command line (or first input line) should otherwise begin with a file name or a \\\|controlsequence. The normal usage is to say .IP \fBmf\ \fP '\\\|mode=<printengine>\^;\^ [\^mag=magstep(\fI\^n\fP\^)\^;\^]' input\ \^\fI font \fP .PP to start processing .IR font.mf . The single quotes are the best way of keeping the Unix shell from misinterpreting the semicolons and from removing the \\ character, which is needed here to keep \*(MF from thinking that you want to produce a font called .IR mode . (Or you can just say .I mf and give the other stuff on the next line, without quotes.) Other control sequences, such as .I batchmode (for silent operation) can also appear. The name .I font will be the ``jobname'', and is used in forming output file names. If \*(MF doesn't get a file name in the first line, the jobname is .IR mfput . The default extension, .IR .mf , can be overridden by specifying an extension explicitly. .PP A log of error messages goes into the file \fIjobname\fP\fB\^.\^\fP\fIlog\fP. The output files are \fIjobname\fP\fB\^.\^\fP\fItfm\fP and \fIjobname\fP\fB\^.\^\fP\fI<\fP\^number\^\fI>gf\fP, where <number> depends on the resolution and magnification of the font. The .I mode in this example is shown generically as <printengine>, a symbolic term for which the name of an actual device or, most commonly, the name .I localfont (see below) must be substituted. If the mode is not specified or is not valid for your site, \*(MF will default to .I proof mode which produces large character images for use in font design and refinement. Proof mode can be recognized by the suffix .I .2602gf after the jobname. Examples of proof mode output can be found in .I "Computer Modern Typefaces" (Volume E of .IR "Computers and Typesetting" ). The system of .I magsteps is identical to the system used by \*(TX, with values generally in the range 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0. A listing of .I gf numbers for 118-dpi, 240-dpi and 300-dpi fonts is shown below. .ds f. mf.tbl \" tbl output inserted here .TS .if \n+(b.=1 .nr d. \n(.c-\n(c.-1 .de 35 .ps \n(.s .vs \n(.vu .in \n(.iu .if \n(.u .fi .if \n(.j .ad .if \n(.j=0 .na .. .nf .nr #~ 0 .if n .nr #~ 0.6n .ds #d .d .if \(ts\n(.z\(ts\(ts .ds #d nl .fc .nr 33 \n(.s .rm 80 81 82 83 .nr 80 0 .nr 38 \w\s-2MAGSTEP\s0 .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(0) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(0.5) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(1) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(2) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(3) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(4) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .nr 38 \wmag=magstep(5) .if \n(80<\n(38 .nr 80 \n(38 .80 .rm 80 .nr 81 0 .nr 38 \w118 dpi .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w118 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w129 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w142 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w170 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w204 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w245 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .nr 38 \w294 .if \n(81<\n(38 .nr 81 \n(38 .81 .rm 81 .nr 82 0 .nr 38 \w240 dpi .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w240 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w263 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w288 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w346 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w415 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w498 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .nr 38 \w597 .if \n(82<\n(38 .nr 82 \n(38 .82 .rm 82 .nr 83 0 .nr 38 \w300 dpi .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w300 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w329 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w360 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w432 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w518 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w622 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .nr 38 \w746 .if \n(83<\n(38 .nr 83 \n(38 .83 .rm 83 .nr 38 1n .nr 79 0 .nr 40 \n(79+(0*\n(38) .nr 80 +\n(40 .nr 41 \n(80+(3*\n(38) .nr 81 +\n(41 .nr 42 \n(81+(3*\n(38) .nr 82 +\n(42 .nr 43 \n(82+(3*\n(38) .nr 83 +\n(43 .nr TW \n(83 .if t .if \n(TW>\n(.li .tm Table at line 13 file mf.tbl is too wide - \n(TW units .nr #I \n(.i .in +(\n(.lu-\n(TWu-\n(.iu)/2u .fc .nr #T 0-1 .nr #a 0-1 .eo .de T# .ds #d .d .if \(ts\n(.z\(ts\(ts .ds #d nl .mk ## .nr ## -1v .ls 1 .ls .. .ec .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'\s-2MAGSTEP\s0\h'|\n(41u'118 dpi\h'|\n(42u'240 dpi\h'|\n(43u'300 dpi .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(0)\h'|\n(41u'118\h'|\n(42u'240\h'|\n(43u'300 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(0.5)\h'|\n(41u'129\h'|\n(42u'263\h'|\n(43u'329 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(1)\h'|\n(41u'142\h'|\n(42u'288\h'|\n(43u'360 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(2)\h'|\n(41u'170\h'|\n(42u'346\h'|\n(43u'432 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(3)\h'|\n(41u'204\h'|\n(42u'415\h'|\n(43u'518 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(4)\h'|\n(41u'245\h'|\n(42u'498\h'|\n(43u'622 .ta \n(80u \n(81u \n(82u \n(83u .nr 31 \n(.f .nr 35 1m \&\h'|\n(40u'mag=magstep(5)\h'|\n(41u'294\h'|\n(42u'597\h'|\n(43u'746 .fc .nr T. 1 .T# 1 .in \n(#Iu .35 .TE .if \n-(b.=0 .nr c. \n(.c-\n(d.-12 .PP Magnification can also be specified not as a magstep but as an arbitrary value, such as 1.315, to create special character sizes. .PP Before font production can begin, it is necessary to set up the appropriate base files. The minimum set of components for font production for a given print-engine is the .I plain.mf macro file and the local .I mode_def file. The macros in .I plain.mf can be studied in an appendix to the .IR "\*(MF\^book" ; they were developed by Donald E. Knuth, and this file should never be altered except when it is officially upgraded. Each .I mode_def specification helps adapt fonts to a particular print-engine. There is a regular discussion of .IR mode_def s in .IR TUGboat , the journal of the \*(TX Users Group. The local ones in use on this computer should be in .IR @MFINPUTDIR@/@LOCALMODES@.mf . With only .I plain.mf and the .I modes file loaded it is possible to create fonts of simple characters, such as those used for the \*(MF logo, and those used for the \*(LX line and circle fonts, but the production of Computer Modern fonts would be speeded by making a .I cmmf.base file (which includes the macros in .I cmbase.mf as well as those in .IR plain.mf ). .PP Several environment variables can be used to set up directory paths to search when \*(MF opens a file for input. For example, the .B csh command .RS .I "setenv MFINPUTS\ .:~me/mylib:@MFINPUTDIR@" .RE or the .B sh command sequence .RS .nf .I "MFINPUTS=.:~me/mylib:@MFINPUTDIR@" .I "export MFINPUTS" .fi .RE would cause all invocations of \*(MF and its derivatives to look for \\\|input files first in the current directory, then in a hypothetical user's .IR mylib , and finally in the system library. Normally, the user will place the command sequence which sets up the MFINPUTS environment variable in his or her .I .\|login or .I .\|profile file. .PP The .I e response to \*(MF\|'s error-recovery mode invokes the system default editor at the erroneous line of the source file. There is an environment variable, MFEDIT, that overrides the default editor. It should contain a string with "%s" indicating where the filename goes and "%d" indicating where the decimal linenumber (if any) goes. For example, an MFEDIT string for the .B vi editor can be set with the .B csh command .RS \fIsetenv MFEDIT "/usr/ucb/vi +%d %s"\fP .RE The .B ENVIRONMENT section below lists the relevant environment variables, and their defaults. .PP A convenient file in the library is .IR null.mf , containing nothing. When .B mf can't find the file it thinks you want to input, it keeps asking you for another file name; responding `null' gets you out of the loop if you don't want to input anything. .\"===================================================================== .SH "ONLINE GRAPHICS OUTPUT" \*(MF can use most modern displays, so you can see its output without printing. Chapter 23 of .I "The \*(MF\^book" describes what you can do. This implementation of \*(MF uses environment variables to determine which display device you want to use. First it looks for a variable MFTERM, and then for TERM. If it can't find either, you get no online output. Otherwise, the value of the variable determines the device to use: .BR hp2627 , .B sun (for SunView), .BR tek , .B uniterm (for an Atari ST Tek 4014 emulator), .B xterm (for either X10 or X11). Some of these devices may not be supported in all \*(MF executables; the choice is made at compilation time. .\"===================================================================== .SH ENVIRONMENT The default values for all environment variables are set at the time of compilation in the file .IR kpathsea/paths.h . See the Kpathsearch library documentation (the `Path specifications' node) for the details of the searching. .PP If the environment variable TEXMFOUTPUT is set, \*(MF attempts to put its output files in it, if they cannot be put in the current directory. Again, see .BR tex (1). .TP \w'USE_MAKETEXMF'u+2n MFINPUTS Search path for .I input and .I openin files. Default: .br .I @DEFAULT_MF_PATH@ .TP MFBASES Search path for base files. Default: .I @DEFAULT_BASE_PATH@ .TP MFPOOL Search path for \*(MF internal strings. (Used by .B inimf only.) Default: .I @DEFAULT_MFPOOL_PATH@ .TP MFEDIT Command template for switching to editor. Default: .I "@EDITOR@" .TP MFTERM Determines the online graphics display. If MFTERM is not set, and DISPLAY is set, the Metafont window support for X is used. (DISPLAY must be set to a valid X server specification, as usual.) If neither MFTERM nor DISPLAY is set, TERM is used to guess the window support to use. .TP MAKETEXMF Analogous to \*(TX's MAKETEXTEX, q.v. .TP USE_MAKETEXMF Analogous. .\"===================================================================== .SH "FONT UTILITIES" A number of utility programs are available. The following is a partial list of available utilities and their purpose. Consult your local \*(MF guru for details. .br .TP \w'gftodvi'u+2n .B gftopk Takes a .I gf file and produces a more tightly packed .I pk font file. .TP .B gftodvi Produces proof sheets for fonts. .TP .B gftype Displays the contents of a .I gf file in mnemonics and/or images. .TP .B pktype Mnemonically displays the contents of a .I pk file. .TP .B mft Formats a source file as shown in .IR "Computer Modern Typefaces" . .\"===================================================================== .SH "FILES" .TP \w'@TEXMF@'u+2n .I "@MFPOOLDIR@/mf.pool" Encoded text of \*(MF's messages. .TP .I "@BASEDIR@/*.base" Predigested \*(MF base files. .TP .I "@plain.mf@" The standard base. .TP .I "@modes.mf@" The file of .IR mode_def s for your site's various printers .\"===================================================================== .SH "SUGGESTED READING" Donald E. Knuth, .I "The \*(MF\^book" (Volume C of .IR "Computers and Typesetting" ), Addison-Wesley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13445-4. .br Donald E. Knuth, .I "\*(MF:\^ The Program" (Volume D of .IR "Computers and Typesetting" ), Addison-Wesley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13438-1. .br Donald E. Knuth, .I Computer Modern Typefaces (Volume E of .IR "Computers and Typesetting" ), Addison-Wesley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13446-2. .br .I TUGboat (the journal of the \*(TX Users Group). .\"===================================================================== .SH COMMENTS Warning: ``Type design can be hazardous to your other interests. Once you get hooked, you will develop intense feelings about letterforms; the medium will intrude on the messages that you read. And you will perpetually be thinking of improvements to the fonts that you see everywhere, especially those of your own design.'' .\"===================================================================== .SH "SEE ALSO" .BR gftopk (1), .BR gftodvi (1), .BR gftype (1), .BR mft (1), .BR pltotf (1), .BR tftopl (1). .\"===================================================================== .SH BUGS On January 4, 1986 the ``final'' bug in \*(MF was discovered and removed. If an error still lurks in the code, Donald E. Knuth promises to pay a finder's fee which doubles every year to the first person who finds it. Happy hunting. .\"===================================================================== .SH AUTHORS \*(MF was designed by Donald E. Knuth, who implemented it using his \*(WB system for Pascal programs. It was originally ported to Unix by Paul Richards at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This page was mostly written by Pierre MacKay.
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