wftopfa

wftopfa <input_woff_file> <output_pfa_file>

<input_woff_file>
    The path to the input WOFF font file from which the private data will be extracted.

<output_pfa_file>
    The path where the converted private data will be saved in FontForge-compatible PFA format.

wftopfa is a highly specialized utility typically distributed as part of the FontForge font editor suite. Its primary function is to extract and convert specific "top private" data blocks found within Web Open Font Format (WOFF) files into a format compatible with FontForge's internal representations, often a PostScript Font ASCII (PFA) format. This command is not a general-purpose font converter but rather a tool for advanced users, font developers, or designers who need to inspect, modify, or analyze the private, often vendor-specific, data embedded within WOFF fonts. It helps bridge the gap between the compact, web-optimized WOFF format and the detailed editing capabilities of FontForge, enabling granular control over complex font structures.

This command is very niche and not widely used by general Linux users. It requires the FontForge package to be installed on your system. Its primary purpose is for specific font development and analysis tasks, not for everyday font conversion. Due to its specialized nature, it may not have extensive command-line options beyond input and output files.

Users typically invoke wftopfa when they need to delve into the obscure parts of a WOFF font. This might include analyzing how a font was created, examining proprietary data embedded by the font designer or foundry, or attempting to repair or alter specific non-standard attributes of a WOFF file that are stored in its private blocks. It's an internal utility, often used by those who understand the intricacies of font file formats.

wftopfa was developed as part of the FontForge project, an open-source font editor. Its inclusion reflects FontForge's commitment to supporting various font formats, including WOFF, which gained prominence for web typography. This utility likely emerged as the WOFF format matured, requiring tools to handle its specific internal structures, particularly the private data blocks often used for metadata or custom extensions by font vendors.

fontforge(1), sfnttool(1), woff2tool(1), otfinfo(1), ttx(1)