Re: Type1 PC <==> Mac

[Berthold Horn <bkph@ai.mit.edu>]

At 08:05 PM 9/16/98 +0200, Laurent SIEBENMANN wrote:

> ******* Type1 PC <==> Mac *******

>Berthold K.P. Horn <bkph@ai.mit.edu>:

> > The Font Manipulation Package for example includes MACtoPFA
> > and PFBtoMAC which convert between Mac and PC Type 1 formats

>However, it is highly deceptive to suggest that this conversion
>amounts to a useful conversion of Type 1 fonts between Windows
>and MacOS. The Mac Type~1 format is an *orchestration* of several
>sorts of file, classically "lwfn", FOND, and NFNT, all suitably
>installed.  With the above alone you can do nothing much.

No deception whatever.

The above converts the actual scalable outline font file itself.  The FMP, 
of course, *also* has AFMtoPFM to make the needed metrics file for 
Windows and AFMtoSCR to make the needed `screen font' files for the Mac. 
If you don't have AFM files, there is also PFAtoAFM, PFMtoAFM which 
together produce an AFM file complete with kerning pairs.  Maybe you 
should look at http://www.YandY.com/products.htm#otherprods

>I believe FontStudio and Fontographer claim to accomplish the
>full conversion PC to Mac. But I have witnessed pathetic failures
>using several versions of Fontographer.  The Mac versions are
>produced, but malfunction in many cases (but probably not all).

It is well known that MacroMedia does not understand non-text fonts.
Also, you may very well mess up the hinting if you read the font into 
FOG and spit it out in a different format (I say `may' because in the
past this was guaranteed to mess up the hinting, but I have not tried
the latest version).

>Can anyone report on the Y&Y Font Manipulation Package
>performance.  Incidentally, what is the price?

For price information see the web page.  
If you want copies of a review, send  them email.

>It is possible that Inside Mac series Font Manager volume reveals
>enough about the FOND format to 

It does not.  The best information is in the out-of-print manual that
came with the Apple LaserWriter.  Next best information is from
Adobe in a Technical Report on `supporting downloadable printer
fonts' available in PDF format from their web site.

>let someone build a set of utilities that really do build a *robust* 
>system to convert PC <==> Mac.  

The FMP does.

>But it seems just as likely to me that there is a
>patch of mangrove swamp in there, since the virtuosos have always
>fallen silent when the matter is raised.

It *is* a swamp. Some ambiguities. 
And the above mentioned references are complete with errors.
And, just to irritate R&R: ResEdit is not useful when it comes to 
Macintosh Screen font suitcases :-)

>If you think you have
>adequate bootstrapping PC-to-Mac conversion tools, then try them
>on the Type 1 fonts recently posted by Taco Hoekwater
>(ps-type1/hoekwater on CTAN) before you shout.

Why would that be a good test?  Why not try it first on some fonts from
Adobe first?
That way you don't have to deal with possible quirks of those particular
font files.
In any case, if you are serious about font conversion, why not ask on
comp.fonts, 
where someone might actually know something about this sort of thing :-)

Regards, Berthold.