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

# ttfdump(1)

Dumping the contents of a TrueType Font file

## NAME

ttfdump - Dumping the contents of a TrueType Font file

## SYNOPSIS

**ttfdump** \[**-h**\] \[**-t** *tablename*\] \[**-g** *glyphnumber*\] \[**-c** *collection*\] \[**-o** *dumpfile*\] \[**-i**\] *ttfile*

## DESCRIPTION

**ttfdump** dumps the contents of a TrueType font file in ASCII form.  A TrueType font file is consist of various tables. Those table are divided into two categories - *Required Tables* and *Optional Tables*. Mulitiple  TrueType fonts can be merged to a TrueType Collection.

### Options

- **-h**

  Print a help message on standard output and exit.

- **-t** *tablename*

  If this option is specified then dump the table *"tablename"*, otherwise  dump every tables in *ttfile*. *Tablename* can be one of the following:

  - **Required Tables**

    - *cmap*

    character to glyph mapping table

  - *glyf*

    glyph data

  - *head*

    font header

  - *hhea*

    horizontal header

  - *hmtx*

    horizontal metrics

  - *loca*

    index to location

  - *maxp*

    maximum profile

  - *name*

    naming table

  - *post*

    PostScript information

  - *OS/2*

    OS/2 and windows specific metrics

  - **Optional Tables**

    - *cvt*

    control value table

  - *fpgm*

    font program; *not implemented yet.*

  - *gasp*

    grid-fitting and scan conversion procedure (grayscale)

  - *hdmx*

    horizontal device metrics

  - *kern*

    kerning table

  - *LTSH*

    Linear threshold table

  - *prep*

    CVT program; *not implemented yet*

  - *PCLT*

    PCL5 table

  - *VDMX*

    Vertical Device Metrics table

  - *vhea*

    vertical metrics header

  - *vmtx*

    vertical metrics

  - **Additional OpenType Tables**

    - *GPOS*

    glyph positioning table

  - *GSUB*

    glyph substitution table

- **-g** *glyphnumber*

  If this option is specified then dump the glyph with index *glyphnumber*,  otherwise dump all glyphs in *ttfile*.

- **-c** *collection*

  Select a TrueType font in a TrueType Collection.

- **-o** *dumpfile*

  Output of the dump. If this option is not specified, dump to stdout.

- **-i** *ttfile*

  TrueType font file to be dumped.

## EXAMPLE

To dump all information in the TrueType font file times.ttf:

ttfdump times.ttf

To dump the required table *cmap* in the file:

ttfdump -t cmap times.ttf

To dump a single glyph with index 50:

ttfdump -g 50 times.ttf

## SEE ALSO

TrueType 1.0 Font Files,  *Technical Specification Revision 1.66 November 1995*

## NOTE

Instruction disassembler in not implemented.

## AUTHOR

Li-Da Lho

Currently maintained as part of TeX Live; email bug reports to tex-k@tug.org..