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From: rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: comp.fonts
Subject: Re: Where is the AFM format specification?
Summary: answering the question...
Message-ID: <1991Jan28.185553.16462@ico.isc.com>
Date: 28 Jan 91 18:55:53 GMT
References: <1991Jan24.094815.4688@ioe.lon.ac.uk> <1991Jan27.194124.17224@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>
Organization: Interactive Systems Corporation, Boulder, CO
Lines: 37

xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
> teexdwu@ioe.lon.ac.uk (DOMINIK WUJASTYK) writes:

> > ...But I need some clarifications, and I was wondering
> > where the AFM format is written about?...
...
> > Could someone point me to the documentation for AFMs?
...
> If what you are looking for is the documentation for the Adobe Type 1
> font format, that is its own book;...

Uh, Kent, don't you think that he'd have asked for the Type 1 font format
if that's what he wanted?

Now, I realize I'm only jumping to a rash conclusion, but I have a hint
that he might really be looking for the AFM format.  My clue--I admit it's
a subtle one--is where he asked for the AFM format.  (OK, Dick, stop being
a smartass and answer the question!:-)

AFM = Adobe Font Metrics.  AFM files are ordinary ASCII text files, one per
font, containing the metric information for the font.  It includes overall
font information such as
	PostScript name, full name, trademark info, bounding box, italic
	angle, cap height, x height, descender...
plus a list of all characters with per-character info such as
	code (if encoded), width, bounding box, PostScript name...
plus ligature relationships.  More recent versions also contain pair-
kerning data and other fun stuff.

The definition of AFM format is in a paper which is available from the
Adobe file server.  Send email containing the line
	send Documents AFMformat.ps
to ps-file-server@adobe.com, and you'll get back a PostScript file
for printing the paper.
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd@ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...Mr. Natural says, "Use the right tool for the job."