---
name: "pktrace"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pktrace"
version: "1.0.3-1"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pktrace"
---

# pktrace(1)

convert METAFONT format fonts into Type1 outline fonts

## NAME

pktrace - convert METAFONT format fonts into Type1 outline fonts

## SYNOPSIS

**pktrace** \[*options*\] *fontname*

## DESCRIPTION

**pktrace** is a program that can convert a METAFONT font into a Type1 font.  It is simply called with the name of the font (without a .mf suffix) and produces a Type1 font file called either *fontname*.pfa or *fontname*.pfb depending on the command line options.

## OPTIONS

These programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (\`-').

- **-k, --keep**

  Keep all output in directory \`pktrace.dir'.

- **--glyphs***LIST*

  Process only these glyphs. *LIST* is a comma separated list of glyphs.

- **-a, --pfa**

  Generate a PFA file (default).

- **-b, --pfb**

  Generate a PFB file.

- **--tfmfile=***FILE*

  Use *FILE* for the TFM file.  (The default is to use *fontname*.tfm).

- **-o, --output-base=***FILE*

  Output to *FILE*.pfa or *FILE*.pfb.

- **-e, --encoding=***ENC*

  Use encoding file *ENC*. (The default is to use tex256.enc.)

- **--keep-trying**

  Try to continue if autotrace fails: first try it with a less smoothed curve, and if that fails, skip the character.  By default pktrace leaves a file \`autotrace-bug-font-char.pbm' and stops the process with a request to file a bugreport.

- **-V, --verbose**

  Be verbose.

- **-h, --help**

  Show summary of options.

- **--simplify**

  This will pass the created Type1 font through **pfaedit** to simplify and autohint it.

- **-v, --version**

  Show version of program.

- **-w, --warranty**

  Show warranty and copyright.

## SEE ALSO

[**mf**(1)](/mf/1.md), [**autotrace**(1)](/autotrace/1.md).

## AUTHOR

**pktrace** was written by Han-Wen Nienhuys \<hanwen@cs.uu.nl\>. This manual page was written by Julian Gilbey \<jdg@debian.org\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).