t1unmac

t1unmac [options] infile [outfile]

infile
    The Macintosh Type 1 font file to be converted.

outfile
    (Optional) The name for the output PFB or PFA file. If not provided, t1unmac typically derives a name from the input file or prints to standard output with --stdout.

-h, --help
    Displays a help message and exits.

-v, --version
    Prints version information and exits.

-b, --binary
    Outputs the font in PFB (binary) format. This is usually the default behavior.

-a, --ascii
    Outputs the font in PFA (ASCII) format.

-o, --output=FILE
    Explicitly specifies the output file name.

-s, --stdout
    Writes the output font data to standard output.

-q, --quiet
    Suppresses informational messages and warnings during processing.

-D, --decode-only
    Decodes the MacBinary wrapper only, without attempting to parse or validate the Type 1 font data within.

-i, --ignore-errors
    Continues processing even if errors are encountered in the input font data.

t1unmac is a utility designed to convert Macintosh-specific Type 1 font files into a standard, platform-independent Type 1 format, typically PFB (Printer Font Binary) or PFA (Printer Font ASCII). Macintosh Type 1 fonts often embed their data within resource forks or MacBinary wrappers, making them inaccessible or unusable on non-Macintosh operating systems like Linux or Windows.

This command extracts the PostScript font data from these Mac-specific containers, allowing them to be used with TeX distributions, Ghostscript, or other applications that consume standard Type 1 font formats. It effectively "unmacifies" the font, making it universally compatible and ready for use in environments that expect standard Type 1 font files.

t1unmac is specifically designed for Type 1 PostScript fonts. It will not work with other font formats like TrueType (.ttf), OpenType (.otf), or Type 3 fonts. The input file must be a valid Macintosh Type 1 font, potentially encased in a MacBinary wrapper or resource fork structure, for successful conversion.

When outfile is not specified and --stdout is not used, t1unmac typically creates an output file by appending .pfb (for binary output) or .pfa (for ASCII output) to the input file name. For example, an input file named MyFont.dfont might be converted to MyFont.pfb.

t1unmac is part of the lcdf-typetools suite, developed by Eddie Kohler. This collection of utilities was created to provide robust tools for manipulating and converting Type 1 fonts, primarily to support TeX distributions and ensure cross-platform compatibility for font usage. Its development addressed the challenge of using Macintosh-specific font formats on non-Apple systems, a common issue in the early days of desktop publishing and digital typography.

t1ascii(1), t1binary(1), t1test(1), pfb2pfa(1), fontforge(1)