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

# gftype(1)

verify and translate a generic font (gf) bitmap file to plain text

## NAME

gftype - verify and translate a generic font (gf) bitmap file to plain text

## SYNOPSIS

**gftype** \[**-i**\] \[**-m**\] *gf\_file*\[gf\] \[*output\_file*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **gftype** program translates a *gf* (generic font) bitmap file output by, typically, [**mf**(1)](/mf/1.md), to a file that humans can read. It also serves as a *gf* file-validating program (i.e., if **gftype** can read it, it's correct) and as an example of a *gf*-reading program for other software that wants to read *gf* files.

The *gf\_file* on the command line must include the resolution, but can omit the suffix "gf". If no *output\_file* is specified, the output goes to stdout.

## OPTIONS

See [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) for details of command-line parsing.

- **-images**

  Includes ASCII art images of the characters in the output.

- **-mnemonics**

  Include a symbolic listing of the *gf* commands in the output.

The standard **-help** and **-version** options are also supported.

## ENVIRONMENT

The program looks for *gf\_file* using the environment variables GFFONTS, GLYPHFONTS, and TEXFONTS, in that order. If none are set, it uses the system default. See the Kpathsea manual at https://tug.org/kpathsea for the details of the searching.

## SEE ALSO

[**dvitype**(1)](/dvitype/1.md), [**pktype**(1)](/pktype/1.md).\
 Donald E. Knuth et al., *Metafontware*.

Package page on CTAN: https://ctan.org/pkg/gftype\
 Section in the Web2c manual: https://tug.org/texinfohtml/web2c.html#gftype-invocation\
 Typeset source code, including file format descriptions: https://ctan.org/pkg/knuth-pdf

## AUTHORS

David Fuchs and Don Knuth wrote the program.  It was published as part of the *Metafontware* technical report. Paul Richards originally ported it to Unix.

Public discussion list and bug reports: https://lists.tug.org/tex-k