# mf - man(1) - [phpMan] [_MF_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MF/1/markdown) General Commands Manual [_MF_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MF/1/markdown) ## NAME mf, inimf, mf-nowin - Metafont, a language for font and logo design ## SYNOPSIS **mf **[_options_] [_commands_] ## DESCRIPTION Metafont reads the program in the specified files and outputs font rasters (in _gf_ format) and font metrics (in _tfm_ format). The Metafont language is described in _The_ _Metafontbook_. Like TeX, Metafont is normally used with a large body of precompiled macros, and font genera‐ tion in particular requires the support of several macro files. This version of Metafont looks at its command line to see what name it was called under. Both **inimf **and **virmf **are symlinks to the **mf **executable. When called as **inimf **(or when the **-ini **option is given) it can be used to precompile macros into a _.base_ file. When called as **virmf **it will use the _plain_ base. When called under any other name, Metafont will use that name as the name of the base to use. For example, when called as **mf **the _mf_ base is used, which is identical to the _plain_ base. Other bases than _plain_ are rarely used. The _commands_ given on the command line to the Metafont program are passed to it as the first input line. (But it is often easier to type extended arguments as the first input line, since UNIX shells tend to gobble up or misinterpret Metafont's favorite symbols, like semi‐ colons, unless you quote them.) As described in _The_ _Metafontbook_, that first line should be‐ gin with a filename, a \_controlsequence_, or a _&basename_. The normal usage is to say **mf **'\mode=; [mag=[magstep(_n_)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/n/markdown);]' input _font_ to start processing _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 Metafont from thinking that you want to produce a font called _mode_. (Or you can just say _mf_ and give the other stuff on the next line, without quotes.) Other control sequences, such as _batchmode_ (for silent operation) can also appear. The name _font_ will be the ``job‐ name'', and is used in forming output file names. If Metafont doesn't get a file name in the first line, the jobname is _mfput_. The default extension, _.mf_, can be overridden by specify‐ ing an extension explicitly. A log of error messages goes into the file _jobname_**._**log_. The output files are _jobname_**._**tfm_ and _jobname_**._**<_number_>gf_, where depends on the resolution and magnification of the font. The _mode_ in this example is shown generically as , a symbolic term for which the name of an actual device or, most commonly, the name _localfont_ (see below) must be substi‐ tuted. If the mode is not specified or is not valid for your site, Metafont will default to _proof_ mode which produces large character images for use in font design and refinement. Proof mode can be recognized by the suffix _.2602gf_ after the jobname. Examples of proof mode output can be found in _Computer_ _Modern_ _Typefaces_ (Volume E of _Computers_ _and_ _Typesetting_). The system of _magsteps_ is identical to the system used by TeX, with values generally in the range 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0. A listing of _gf_ numbers for 118-dpi, 240-dpi and 300-dpi fonts is shown below. MAGSTEP 118 dpi 240 dpi 300 dpi mag=[magstep(0)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/0/markdown) 118 240 300 mag=magstep(0.5) 129 263 329 mag=[magstep(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/1/markdown) 142 288 360 mag=[magstep(2)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/2/markdown) 170 346 432 mag=[magstep(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/3/markdown) 204 415 518 mag=[magstep(4)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/4/markdown) 245 498 622 mag=[magstep(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/magstep/5/markdown) 294 597 746 Magnification can also be specified not as a magstep but as an arbitrary value, such as 1.315, to create special character sizes. 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 _plain.mf_ macro file and the local _mode_def_ file. The macros in _plain.mf_ can be studied in an appendix to the _Metafontbook_; they were developed by Donald E. Knuth, and this file should never be al‐ tered except when it is officially upgraded. Each _mode_def_ specification helps adapt fonts to a particular print-engine. There is a regular discussion of _mode_def_s in _TUGboat_, the journal of the TeX Users Group. The local ones in use on this computer should be in _modes.mf_. The _e_ response to Metafont's error-recovery mode invokes the system default editor at the er‐ roneous 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 **vi **editor can be set with the **csh **command _setenv_ _MFEDIT_ _"vi_ _+%d_ _%s"_ A convenient file in the library is _null.mf_, containing nothing. When **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. ## ONLINE GRAPHICS OUTPUT Metafont can use most modern displays, so you can see its output without printing. Chapter 23 of _The_ _Metafontbook_ describes what you can do. This implementation of Metafont uses envi‐ ronment 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. Oth‐ erwise, the value of the variable determines the device to use: **hp2627**, **sun **(for old Sun‐ View), **tek**, **uniterm **(for an Atari ST Tek 4014 emulator), **xterm **(for either X10 or X11). Some of these devices may not be supported in all Metafont executables; the choice is made at com‐ pilation time. On some systems, there are two Metafont binaries, **mf **and **mf-nowin**. On those systems the **mf** binary supports graphics, while the **mf-nowin **binary does not. The **mf-nowin **binary is used by scripts like **mktexpk **where graphics support is a nuisance rather than something helpful. ## OPTIONS This version of Metafont understands the following command line options. ### -base _ Use _base_ as the name of the base to be used, instead of the name by which Metafont was called or a _%&_ line. ### -cnf-line _ Parse _string_ as a _texmf.cnf_ configuration line. See the Kpathsea manual. ### -file-line-error Print error messages in the form _file:line:error_ which is similar to the way many com‐ pilers format them. ### -no-file-line-error Disable printing error messages in the _file:line:error_ style. ### -file-line-error-style This is the old name of the **-file-line-error **option. ### -halt-on-error Exit with an error code when an error is encountered during processing. ### -help ### -ini **imf**. ### -interaction _ Sets the interaction mode. The mode can be one of _batchmode_, _nonstopmode_, _scrollmode_, and _errorstopmode_. The meaning of these modes is the same as that of the correspond‐ ing commands. ### -jobname _ Use _name_ for the job name, instead of deriving it from the name of the input file. ### -kpathsea-debug _ Sets path searching debugging flags according to the bitmask. See the _Kpathsea_ manual for details. ### -maketex _ Enable mktex_fmt_, where _fmt_ must be _mf_. ### -no-maketex _ Disable mktex_fmt_, where _fmt_ must be _mf_. ### -output-directory _ Write output files in _directory_ instead of the current directory. Look up input files in _directory_ first, the along the normal search path. ### -parse-first-line If the first line of the main input file begins with _%&_ parse it to look for a dump name or a **-translate-file **option. ### -no-parse-first-line Disable parsing of the first line of the main input file. ### -progname _ Pretend to be program _name_. This affects both the format used and the search paths. ### -recorder Enable the filename recorder. This leaves a trace of the files opened for input and output in a file with extension _.fls_. ### -translate-file _ Use the _tcxname_ translation table. ### -version Print version information and exit. ## ENVIRONMENT See the Kpathsearch library documentation (the `Path specifications' node) for the details of how the environment variables are use when searching. The **kpsewhich **utility can be used to query the values of the variables. If the environment variable **TEXMFOUTPUT **is set, Metafont attempts to put its output files in it, if they cannot be put in the current directory. Again, see [**tex**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tex/1/markdown). **MFINPUTS** Search path for _input_ files. **MFEDIT **Command template for switching to editor. **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 spec‐ ification, as usual.) If neither MFTERM nor DISPLAY is set, TERM is used to guess the window support to use. ## FONT UTILITIES A number of utility programs are available. The following is a partial list of available utilities and their purpose. Consult your local Metafont guru for details. **gftopk **Takes a _gf_ file and produces a more tightly packed _pk_ font file. **gftodvi **Produces proof sheets for fonts. **gftype **Displays the contents of a _gf_ file in mnemonics and/or images. **pktype **Mnemonically displays the contents of a _pk_ file. **mft **Formats a source file as shown in _Computer_ _Modern_ _Typefaces_. ## FILES _mf.pool_ Encoded text of Metafont's messages. _*.base_ Predigested Metafont base files. _$TEXMFMAIN/metafont/base/plain.mf_ The standard base. _$TEXMFMAIN/metafont/misc/modes.mf_ The file of _mode_def_s for your site's various printers ## NOTES This manual page is not meant to be exhaustive. The complete documentation for this version of Metafont can be found in the info manual _Web2C:_ _A_ _TeX_ _implementation_. ## BUGS On January 4, 1986 the ``final'' bug in Metafont 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. ## SUGGESTED READING Donald E. Knuth, _The_ _Metafontbook_ (Volume C of _Computers_ _and_ _Typesetting_), Addison-Wesley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13445-4. Donald E. Knuth, _Metafont:_ _The_ _Program_ (Volume D of _Computers_ _and_ _Typesetting_), Addison-Wes‐ ley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13438-1. Donald E. Knuth, _Computer_ _Modern_ _Typefaces_ (Volume E of _Computers_ _and_ _Typesetting_), Addison- Wesley, 1986, ISBN 0-201-13446-2. _TUGboat_ (the journal of the TeX Users Group). ## 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.'' ## SEE ALSO [**gftopk**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/gftopk/1/markdown), [**gftodvi**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/gftodvi/1/markdown), [**gftype**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/gftype/1/markdown), [**mft**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mft/1/markdown), [**mpost**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mpost/1/markdown), [**pltotf**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pltotf/1/markdown), [**tftopl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tftopl/1/markdown). ## AUTHORS Metafont was designed by Donald E. Knuth, who implemented it using his Web 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. Web2C 2023 6 August 2019 [_MF_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MF/1/markdown)