---
name: "afm2afm"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "texlive-doc"
version: "2026.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/afm2afm"
---

# afm2afm(1)

reencode an afm file

## NAME

afm2afm - reencode an afm file

## SYNOPSIS

- **afm2afm**

  \[**-help**\] \[**-version**\] \[**-encoding**=*\<encodingfile\>*\] \[**-kpx**=*\<kpxfile\>*\] \[**-output**=*\<outputfile\>*\] **\<afmfile\>**

## DESCRIPTION

**afm2afm** re-encodes an *afm* file.

Metrics (including kerning data) for characters not present in the chosen encoding are excluded from the output, which resuls in (potentially much) smaller files.

Additional kerning pairs can be added to the output file. If you don't specify an encoding file, the *afm* file isn't re-encoded; however, all unused (unencoded) data is still pruned.

The program also generates an entry for a *dvips*-style map file, but only if the *afm* file has been re-encoded and the output was written to file (i.e., if both the *-encoding* and *-output* options were specified).

## OPTIONS AND ARGUMENTS

- **-help**

  Print a short description of the syntax

- **-version**

  Print version number and exit

- **-encoding**=*\<encodingfile\>*

  Re-encode to the enconding in *\<encodingfile\>*

- **-kpx**=*\<kpxfile\>*

  Read additional kerning pairs from *\<kpxfile\>* and add these to the output. This option cannot be used to override values from the input *afm* file, since **afm2afm** will write both old and new values to the output!

  The *\<kpxfile\>* should contain kerning data in standard *afm* format, i.e. for each kerning pair there should be a line

  ```
      KPX <left_glyph> <right_glyph> <amount>
  ```

  All other lines in the *\<kpxfile\>* are ignored.

- **-output**=*\<outputfile\>*

  Write the result to *\<outputfile\>* instead of `"stdout"`.

- **\<afmfile\>**

  The *afm* file to be re-encoded.

You may use either one or two dashes before options, and option names may be shortened to a unique prefix.

## AUTHOR

Marc Penninga \<marcpenninga@gmail.com\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2005-2026 Marc Penninga.

## LICENSE

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. A copy of the GNU General Public License is included with **afm2afm**; see the file *GPLv2.txt*.

## DISCLAIMER

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

## VERSION

This document describes **afm2afm** version 20260210.

## RECENT CHANGES

(See the source code for the rest of the story.)

- *2019-05-20*

  Added the *-version* option.