[tex4ht] what do these warning messages really mean. starts/ends with character code 255

[Michal Hoftich]

Hi Naser,

> When compiling the following MWE, it generates messages such as
>
> warning --- File `lm-ec.htf' starts/ends with character code 255 (instead of
> 124)
> warning --- File `lm-ec.htf' starts/ends with character code 255 (instead of
> 124)
> warning --- Couldn't find font `zxlri-8r.htf' (char codes: 17--181)
> --- Couldn't find font `zxlr-8r.htf' (char codes: 17--181)
> etc..

>
> But when looking at the HTML output, there does not seem to
> anything wrong really with the output (such as in mangled
> letters or dropped "fi" and such
>

This just reports that there font used in the document uses different
number of characters than htf font which is used to map glyphs. This
shouldn't matter as long as both used font and htf font use same font
encoding.

> I understand these come out because tex4ht does not have full
> support for the fonts. But how come the HTML output looks fine
> when looking at it? Or does it mean one simply did not yet encounter
> the font problem because the current text being compiled does not
> have a text that will show the problem?

If the font follows standard encoding (such as T1, for example), there
shouldn't be problems. Normal text and basic things should be OK, I
would expect more complicated situation with accented characters. Math
is totally different thing, much more complicated, but as you use
picture math, you can't see it. If you had use mathml, you would get
totally wrong output, probably.

>
> I am just trying to decide if I should not use this font when seeing
> such warnings, even though the HTML output looks OK.

In your use case it is probably OK.

Best regards,
Michal