RE: [Groff] Question re: embedded fonts

[Ted Harding]

On 01-Sep-06 Clarke Echols wrote:
> I'm in over me head a bit here...

I'll jump in and join you -- I'm no expert in TeX either (though
I hope Werner can help).

> I have typeset several books (novels) for a friend using Times Roman
> font set and groff with PostScript output.  The printing plant is
> asking for embedded fonts, and I don't see anything but what I think
> is the font metrics files in /usr/share/groff/1.18.1/font/devps in
> files TR, TI, TB, and TBI.
> 
> I'm inclined to think these are font metric files for Adobe Times
> Roman font family fonts, and rely on the Adobe fonts installed on
> the printer (such as a PostScript-equipped HP LaserJet).  Am I
> anywhere close to right on this?

I think you're spot-on here. The main fonts in groff are the "Adobe
standard" font families (Times, Avatgarde, Bookman, Courier, Helvetica,
NewCenturySchoolbook, Palatine, Symbol) which are assumed to exist
on the printer (or mapped in the printer to equivalent fonts supplied
by the printer manufacturer -- not always an exact match for the Adobe
font metrics!). Hence there are no font-definition file (".pfa" etc),
only the font metrics files.

> The folks at the printing plant
> prefer that the fonts be embedded with the PS or PDF file so there
> is no risk of mis-matched layout.
> 
> I downloaded the cm-super font package (all 67 Mbytes) and unpacked
> it.  Now I see directories for afm, debian, dvipdfm, dvips, inf,
> pfb, and vtex.  I am clueless about tex.  I am suspicious that what
> I need is in dvips, but reading through the README and other files
> in the package, I'm still swimming in mud.

I think "cm" stands for Knuth's "Computer Modern" fonts, which have
a distinctly different typeface from Times (or indeed any other of the
standard Adobe fonts). So the appearance of your typesetting would change.

Groff has a device devdvi which again has only font metrics files,
and with this produces a ".dvi" file. If you have TeX/LaTeX installed,
then you will have the fonts installed with it. dvips is a component
of TeX which converts a .dvi file to a PS file, using these fonts.
Then the TeX fonts needed will be embedded in your final PS file.

However, I suggest you try a summy run -- typeset a few pages (with as
much variety as possible) using groff with -Tdvi, then use dvips
to get a PS file which you can look at. See if you like it. basic use of
dvips is simple enough:

  dvips filename.dvi

which should give you a PS file "filename.ps"; dvips can be excruciatingly
slow at time, though, since it will "compile" the fonts it needs for
you document into bitmaps. Your printing house may not like this too much,
though again they may not mind provided the bitmap resolution is high
enough (but then you're into big embeddings).

> Can anyone in groff-land give me a hint about where to start with
> these in order to get the fonts up and running with groff/grops
> convert the mystical font-file names into something that a mere
> mortal such as I can make sense of?
> 
> Thanks a bunch!
> 
> Clarke

Hoping you will get a more helpful reply than I can give!
Best wishes,
Ted.

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Date: 01-Sep-06                                       Time: 17:28:39
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