Re: fontinst 1.801 -- still worse

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

At 12:43 PM 6/9/99 +0000, Sebastian Rahtz wrote:

>Berthold K.P. Horn writes:
>  > I guess I don't know what the big deal is about fontinst.  All I do is 
>  > (i) install the Type 1 font using ATM (Adobe Type Manager), (ii) Select
>  > "Fonts > WriteTFM..." then pick the new font, (iii) make a note of the
>  > file name used for the TFM.   Then refer to the TFM using \font in
>  > plain TeX, or via a simple *.fd file in LaTeX 2e.  I make the *.fd file
>  > simply by taking some existing file for another font family and
>  > editing it to change the names...
>
>its fine, if all you want to do is install a single font, in your
>private environment, 

There are TFMs for the 2230 fonts in the Adobe library at 
http://www.YandY.com/usely1.htm :-) (done in about 10 minutes).

>with no tweaking. then again there are the people 
>who want to make complex virtual fonts combining characters from a
>variety of sources. 

Yes, and for the pleasure of that tiny percentage of TeX users,
the rest have to suffer not being able to use Type 1 fonts.
Look at the steady stream of questions from clueless people
on c.t.t. --- which is only starting, but will become a deluge once
people really start to use scalable outline fonts more widely.

I have nothing against using complex methods
when you have complex needs, but it is arrogant in the extreme
to prevent the unwashed masses from using Type 1 fonts just
because you want to show off how smart you are.

But then that *is* the TeX way, isn't it?

Why cripple AFM2TFM so it can't be used for "normal" use?
(Fortunately there is a work around: 
http://www.yandy.com/maketfm.htm).

>of course, in your crippled GUI system, you have to do stages (i) to
>(iii) *for every single* font.  yurgh. i prefer an automated
>route. just me an old-fashioned control freak.

In order to save bandwidth, I did not mention "Font > WriteTFMs"
which will do all installed fonts, or, optionally only Type 1 or
only TrueType, or, optionally only text or only non-text fonts,
or, optionally only "new" fonts :-)

>as the pundit say, fontinst is the most fun you have which does not
>involve chocolate

I use AFMtoTFM and gain free time that way to do *real* fun things :-)

Regards, Berthold.



Berthold K.P. Horn	mailto:bkph@ai.mit.edu  http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/bkph/bkph.html