pfbtopfa

pfbtopfa [input_file]

input_file
    The path to the PFB (Printer Font Binary) file to be converted. If omitted, pfbtopfa reads from standard input.

pfbtopfa is a specialized utility provided as part of the CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) suite. Its primary function is to convert PostScript Type 1 font files from their binary PFB (Printer Font Binary) format to their ASCII-encoded PFA (Printer Font ASCII) format. The PFB format is a compact, binary representation commonly used for PostScript fonts, particularly prevalent on Windows operating systems. In contrast, the PFA format stores the exact same font data but in a human-readable ASCII text format. This conversion is crucial for environments, especially Unix and Linux systems, where plain text font files are often preferred for various reasons, including easier portability, embedding within PostScript documents (like those generated by LaTeX or certain DTP software), or for processing by other font manipulation tools that expect ASCII input. The command operates as a filter: by default, it reads the PFB font data from standard input and writes the converted PFA data to standard output, making it highly flexible for use in shell pipelines. It can also accept a PFB filename as an argument, reading directly from that file.

pfbtopfa is specifically designed for PostScript Type 1 fonts. It does not support other font formats like TrueType or OpenType. Error handling for malformed or corrupted PFB files might be basic, potentially resulting in incomplete or malformed PFA output.

To convert a PFB file named myfont.pfb to myfont.pfa:
pfbtopfa myfont.pfb > myfont.pfa

To convert from standard input (e.g., from a piped command) to standard output:
cat myfont.pfb | pfbtopfa > myfont.pfa

pfbtopfa is a core utility included as part of the CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) distribution. CUPS was originally developed by Easy Software Products and later acquired by Apple Inc. in 2007. This utility has been a stable component of CUPS for many years, providing essential font conversion capabilities, particularly important in print and document generation workflows.

cupsd(8), cups(7), gs(1), fontforge(1)