[scribus] Font oddities

[jwminer at accessvt.com]

J.J. Jordan wrote:

> One odd thing is that all I have are .pfa files for these fonts. I
> thought Type 1 fonts came with a .pfb file (outlines) and a .pfm
> file
> (metrics). I don't know what a .pfa file is. I could Google on it,
> but
> it's late and I need to go to bed.

A .pfa file is a PostScript Type III font. Back when Adobe kept its
proprietary Type 1 font format specs tightly held, it also issued a
Type III specification. Other type foundries were limited to
producing Type III PostScript fonts. Type 1 is more efficient and
Type III fonts tend to be larger. Type III fonts cannot be hinted.
They can have decorative elements like shadings that Type 1 fonts
cannot. Once Adobe released the Type 1 standard, Type III fonts fell
out of favor.

A .pfm file is a Windows font metrics file. What are needed for Type
1 fonts are a .pfb (outlines) and an .afm file (metrics, glyph
names, kerning information). I don't know whether Linux uses a
Windows pfm file at all. I think Linux can fake an afm file, but for
the best quality you need the .afm that goes with the font.
--Judy M.
   USA

Registered Linux User #397786
Being productive with VectorLinux 6.0 SOHO