MIKTEX-GFTODVI(1)

✨ NAME ✨

okay so bestie, welcome to the MIKTEX-GFTODVI(1) page — we're in the User Commands section and this is all about miktex-gftodvi: it makes proof sheets from generic font files, periodt. 💅

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

miktex-gftodvi [option...] [gffile]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

Quick heads-up: this man page is an adaption of the corresponding TeX Live man page. 💖

The miktex-gftodvi program converts a generic font (GF) file output by, for example, METAFONT, to a device independent (DVI) file (that can then be typeset using the same software that has already been written for). The characters in the GF file will appear one per page, with labels, titles, and annotations as specified in Appendix H (Hardcopy Proofs) of The METAFONTbook. ✨

miktex-gftodvi uses other fonts in addition to the main GF file. A “gray” font is used to typeset the pixels that actually make up the character. (We wouldn't want all the pixels to be simply black, since then labels, key points, and other information would be lost.) A “title” font is used for the information at the top of the page. A “label” font is used for the labels on key points of the figure. A “slant” font is used to typeset diagonal lines, which otherwise have to be simulated using horizontal and vertical rules. The default gray, title, and label fonts are gray, cmr8, and cmtt10, respectively; there is no default slant font. 🎀

To change the default fonts, you can give special commands in your source file, or you can change the fonts on the command-line. 🫶

bestie, the GF file name on the command-line must be complete. Because the resolution is part of the extension, it would not make sense to append a default extension as is done with other DVI-reading software. The output file name defaults to the same root as the GF file, with the .dvi extension added. For example, the input file cmr10.2602gf would become cmr10.dvi. 🦋

🌈 OPTIONS 🌈

here's the full menu, no skips, no cap: 💖

• --alias=name — Pretend to be program name, i.e., set program (and memory dump) name to name. This may affect the search paths and other values used. Using this option is equivalent to copying the program file to name and invoking name. 👑
• --disable-installer — Disable automatic installation of packages. Specifying this option overrules settings in the MiKTeX configuration data store.
• --enable-installer — Enable automatic installation of packages. Specifying this option overrules settings in the MiKTeX configuration data store.
• --gray-font=font — Sets the “gray” font. Default is gray.
• --help — Give help and exit.
• --hhelp — This option is only available on Windows systems: show the manual page in an HTML Help window and exit when the window is closed.
• --include-directory=dir — Add the directory dir to the head of the list of directories to be searched for input files.
• --label-font=font — Sets the “label” font. Default is cmtt10.
• --logo-font=font — Sets the “logo” font. Default is logo8.
• --overflow-label-offset=real — Specifies the distance from the right edge of the character bounding box at which the overflow equations (if any) are typeset. The value is given in points. The default is a little over two inches.
• --record-package-usages=file — Record all package usages and write them into file.
• -slant-font=font — Sets the “slant” font. There is no default.
• -title-font=font — Sets the “title” font. Default is cmr8.
• --trace[=tracestreams] — Enable trace messages. The tracestreams argument, if specified, is a comma-separated list of trace stream names (Chapter 9, Trace Streams).
• --version — Show version information and exit.

💜 ENVIRONMENT 💜

• MIKTEX_TRACE — Comma-separated list of trace stream names (see Chapter 9, Trace Streams). If this variable is set, then MiKTeX programs will write trace messages into the configured log sink. 🌸

⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

• miktex-mf(1)
• 978-0201134452. The METAFONTbook. Donald E. Knuth. Addison-Wesley. 1986.

okay bye bestie, this was MIKTEX-GFTODVI(1) — brought to you by MiKTeX 25.12 and dated December 29, 2025. slay and read your proofs responsibly 💖✨🎀