mf
| Chapter 6. Programs |

## Name

mf — METAFONT, a language for font and logo design

## Synopsis

`mf` [`option`...] [[`command`...] | [`file`]]

## 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 generation in particular requires the support of several macro files. METAFONT looks at its command line to see what name it was called under. Both inimf and virmf are linked to the mf executable. When called as inimf (or when the `--initialize` 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 shells tend to gobble up or misinterpret METAFONT's favorite symbols, like semicolons, unless you quote them.) As described in The METAFONTbook, that first line should begin with a filename, a \controlsequence, or a `&`basename``.

The normal usage is to say

    mf \mode=printengine; input font

to start processing ``font`.mf`. (Or you can just say mf and give the other stuff on the next line.) 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 job name is `mfput`. The default extension, `.mf`, can be overridden by specifying an extension explicitly.

A log of error messages goes into the file ``font`.log`. The output files are ``font`.tfm` and ``font`.`number`gf`, where `number` depends on the resolution and magnification of the font. The 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 `localfont` must be substituted. If the mode is not specified or is not valid, 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 job name. 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.

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 printengine 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 altered. Each mode_def specification helps adapt fonts to a particular printengine. The local ones in use on this computer should be in `modes.mf`.

The `e` response to METAFONT's error prompt causes the default editor to start up at the current line of the current file. The configuration value `Editor` can be used to change the editor used. It may contain a string with `%f` indicating where the filename goes and `%l` indicating where the decimal line number (if any) goes.

A convenient file is `null.mf`, containing nothing. When METAFONT 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

You can see METAFONTs output without printing. Chapter 23 of The METAFONTbook describes what you can do. You enable screen ouput by giving `--screen` on the command-line.

## Options

`--alias=`app``

  Pretend to be `app`, i.e., set program (and memory dump) name to `app`. This may affect the search paths and other values used. Using this option is equivalent to copying the executable file to ``app`.exe` and invoking ``app`.exe`.

`--aux-directory=`dir``

  Set the directory `dir` to which auxiliary files are written. Also look for input files in `dir` first, before along the normal search path.

`--bistack-size=`n``

  Set the size of the stack for bisection algorithms.

`--buf-size=`n``

  Set the the maximum number of characters simultaneously present in current lines of open files and in control sequences between \csname and \endcsname. TeX uses the buffer to contain input lines, but macro expansion works by writing material into the buffer and reparsing the line. As a consequence, certain constructs require the buffer to be very large, even though most documents can be handled with a small value.

`--c-style-errors`

  Change the way, error messages are printed. The alternate style looks like error messages from many compilers and is easier to parse for some editors. This option implies \scrollmode.

`--disable-installer`

  Disable automatic installation of missing packages. Specifying this option overwrites the global configuration setting in MiKTeX Options (see the section called “Automatic Package Installation”).

`--disable-pipes`

  Disable input (output) from (to) child processes.

`--dont-parse-first-line`

  Disable checking whether the first line of the main input file starts with %&.

`--enable-installer`

  Enable automatic installation of missing packages. Specifying this option overwrites the global configuration setting in MiKTeX Options (see the section called “Automatic Package Installation”).

`--enable-pipes`

  Enable input (output) from (to) child processes.

`--error-line=`n``

  Set the width of context lines on terminal error messages.

`--half-error-line=`n``

  Set the width of first lines of contexts in terminal error messages.

`--halt-on-error`

  Quit after the first error.

`--help`

  Give help and exit.

`--hhelp`

  This option is only available on Windows systems: show the manual page in an HTML Help window and exit when the window is closed.

`--include-directory=`dir``

  Prefix `dir` to the search path.

`--initialize`

  Become the INI variant of the compiler.

`--interaction=`mode``

  Set the interaction mode. Must be one of `batchmode`, `nonstopmode`, `scrollmode` and `errorstopmode`. The meaning of these modes is the same as the corresponding commands.

`--job-name=`name``

  Set the name of the job (\jobname. This has an affect on the output file names.

`--job-time=`file``

  Set the time-stamp of all output files equal to `file`'s time-stamp.

`--lig-table-size=`n``

  Set the maximum number of ligature/kern steps. Must be at least 255 and at most 32510.

`--main-memory=`n``

  Change the total size (in memory words) of the main memory array. Relevant only while creating memory dump files.

`--max-print-line=`n``

  Set the width of longest text lines output; should be at least `60`.

`--max-strings=`n``

  Set the maximum number of strings.

`--max-wiggle=`n``

  Set the number of autorounded points per cycle.

`--move-size=`n``

  Set the the space for storing moves in a single octant.

`--no-c-style-errors`

  Don't change the way, error messages are printed.

`--output-directory=`dir``

  Create output files in `dir`. This implies `--include-directory=`dir``.

`--param-size=`n``

  Set the the maximum number of simultaneous macro parameters.

`--parse-first-line`

  Check whether the first line of the main input file starts with %&, and parse if it does. This can be used to specify extra command-line options.

`--path-size=`n``

  Set the the maximum number of knots between breakpoints of a path.

`--pool-size=`n``

  Set the maximum number of characters in strings, including all error messages and help texts, and the names of all fonts and control sequences.

`--quiet`

  Suppress all output, except errors.

`--record-package-usages=`file``

  Record all package usages and write them into `file`.

`--recorder`

  Enable the file name recorder. This leaves a trace of the files opened for input and output in a file with the extension `.fls`.

`--screen`

  Enable screen output.

`--stack-size=`n``

  Set the maximum number of simultaneous input sources.

`--string-vacancies=`n``

  Set the minimum number of characters that should be available for the user's control sequences and font names, after the compiler's own error messages are stored. Must be at least 25000 less than `pool_size`, but doesn't need to be nearly that large.

`--tcx=`name``

  Process the TCX table `name`.

`--time-statistics`

  Show processing time statistics.

`--trace[=`tracestreams`]`

  Enable trace messages. The `tracestreams` argument, if speciefied, is a comma-separated list of trace stream names (Chapter 9, Trace Streams).

`--undump=`name``

  Use `name` as the name of the format to be used, instead of the name by which the program was called or a

      %&

  line.

`--version`

  Show version information and exit.

## Environment

`MFINPUTS`

  Extra paths to locate METAFONT input and openin files.

## See also

The METAFONTbook

  ISBN 0-201-13444-6

initexmf |  | miktex-tools