bdftops - Convert X11 font from BDF to PostScript Type 1 format

/usr/bin/bdftops

infile.bdf [infile.afm ...] outfile.gsf font_name UID [XUID] [encoding]

Convert a Bitmap Distribution Format font, possibly with associated AFM files, to a PostScript Type 1 font (scalable outline, without eexec encryption). The resulting font will work with any PostScript language interpreter, but not with ATM or other font rasterizers lacking a complete interpreter.

Options are given in positional order only, and are directly passed to the bdftops.ps script which does all the work. Explanation of the bdftops.ps parameters is included below.

infile.bdf

Path to the existing bitmap BDF font file.

inifile.afm

Zero or more corresponding .afm files which give the font metrics.

outfile.gsf

Name of the output file to be created. You could construct the filename for a font in a way somewhat similar to the construction for temporary UniqueIDs: FTTWVVVE.gsf; where F is the foundry, TT a two-letter abbreviation for the typeface, and W, V, and E the weight, variant, and expansion.

font_name

Font name. If you're not sure, FACE_NAME or FULL_NAME options from the BDF file could help.

UID

If you create your own fonts, and are only going to use them within your own organization, you should use UniqueID values between 4000000 and 4999999. The suggested temporary UniqueID for a font looks like: 4TTWVE0 where TT is a two-digit number representing the typeface, W represents the weight (normal, bold, ...), V represents the variant (normal, italic, oblique, ...), and E represents the expansion (normal, condensed, ...).

XUID

XUIDs are a Level 2 PostScript feature that serves the same function as UniqueIDs, but is not limited to a single 24-bit integer. The bdftops program creates XUIDs of the form [-X- 0 -U-] where -X- is the organization XUID and -U- is the UniqueID. If you supply your own value, you could use the form n1.n2.n3.

encoding

The encoding for the font. Currently, the defined encodings are StandardEncoding, ISOLatin1Encoding, SymbolEncoding, and DingbatsEncoding. If the encoding is omitted, StandardEncoding is assumed.

bdftops pzdr.bdf ZapfDingbats.afm pzdr.gsf ZapfDingbats 4100000 1000000.1.41 bdftops hanglm24.bdf hanglm24.gsf hangul 4144456 bdftops unifont.bdf unifont.gsf unifont 4144456

bdftopcf(1), fstobdf(1), bdftruncate(1)

bdftops is part of the gs-common package, and serves as a simple wrapper for gs' bdftops.ps, written by Aladdin Enterprises. This manual page was written by Davor Ocelic (docelic@linux.hr) for the Debian GNU system (but may be used by others).