{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "gftodvi",
    "section": "1",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/gftodvi/1/json",
    "generated": "2026-10-24T03:32:49Z",
    "synopsis": "gftodvi [-overflow-label-offset=real] [-verbose] gffilename",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "gftodvi - make proof sheets from generic font files\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "gftodvi [-overflow-label-offset=real] [-verbose] gffilename\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "This  manual  page is not meant to be exhaustive. The complete documentation for this version\nof TeX can be found in the info file or manual Web2C: A TeX implementation.\n\nThe gftodvi program converts a generic font (gf) file output by, for example, mf(1), to a de‐\nvice independent (DVI) file (that can then be typeset using the same software  that  has  al‐\nready  been  written  for TeX).  The characters in the gf file will appear one per page, with\nlabels, titles, and annotations as specified in Appendix H (Hardcopy Proofs) of The Metafont‐\nbook.\n\ngftodvi uses other fonts in addition to the main gf file.  A `gray' font is used  to  typeset\nthe  pixels that actually make up the character.  (We wouldn't want all the pixels to be sim‐\nply black, since then labels, key points, and other information would be  lost.)   A  `title'\nfont  is used for the information at the top of the page.  A `label' font is used for the la‐\nbels on key points of the figure.  A `slant' font is used to typeset  diagonal  lines,  which\notherwise have to be simulated using horizontal and vertical rules.  The default gray, title,\nand label fonts are gray, cmr8, and cmtt10, respectively; there is no default slant font.\n\nTo  change  the default fonts, you can give special commands in your Metafont source file, or\nyou can change the fonts online. An online dialog ensues if you end the gffilename  with  a\n`/'. For example,\ngftodvi cmr10.300gf/\nSpecial font substitution: grayfont black\nOK; any more? grayfontarea /home/art/don/\nOK; any more? slantfont /home/fonts/slantimagen6\nOK; any more? <RET>\nwill  use  /home/art/don/black as the `gray' font and /home/fonts/slantimagen6 as the `slant'\nfont (this name indicates a font for lines with slope 1/6 at  the  resolution  of  an  Imagen\nprinter).\n\nThe  gffilename on the command line must be complete. Because the resolution is part of the\nextension, it would not make sense to append a default extension as is done with TeX or  DVI-\nreading  software.  The output file name uses the same root as the gf file, with the .dvi ex‐\ntension added.  For example, the input file cmr10.2602gf would become cmr10.dvi.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "OPTIONS": {
            "content": "The argument to -overflow-label-offset specifies the distance from  the  right  edge  of  the\ncharacter  bounding  box  at which the overflow equations (if any) are typeset.  The value is\ngiven in TeX points. The default is a little over two inches.\n\nWithout the -verbose option, gftodvi operates silently. With it, a banner and progress report\nare printed on stdout.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "ENVIRONMENT": {
            "content": "gftodvi looks for gffilename using the environment variable GFFONTS. If that is not set, it\nuses the variable TEXFONTS. If that is not set, it uses the system default.\n\nSee tex(1) for the details of the searching.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "FILES": {
            "content": "{gray.tfm,...}\nThe default fonts.\n\n{gray.mf,...}\nThe Metafont sources.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "tex(1), mf(1).\nDonald E. Knuth, The Metafontbook (Volume C of Computers  and  Typesetting),  Addison-Wesley,\n1986, ISBN 0-201-13445-4.\nDonald E. Knuth et al., Metafontware.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHORS": {
            "content": "Donald  E. Knuth wrote and still maintains the program. It was published as part of the Meta‐\nfontware technical report. Paul Richards originally ported it to Unix.  Bug reports should go\nto tex-k@tug.org (https://lists.tug.org/tex-k).\n\nWeb2C 2023                                  4 March 2021                                  GFTODVI(1)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "gftodvi - make proof sheets from generic font files",
    "flags": [],
    "examples": [],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "tex",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tex/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mf",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mf/1/json"
        }
    ]
}