PKTYPE(1)
NAME
pktype - verify and translate a packed font bitmap file to plain text
SYNOPSIS
pktype pk_file [ output_file ]
DESCRIPTION
This manual page is not meant to be exhaustive. The complete documentation for this version of TeX can be found in the info file or manual Web2C: A TeX implementation.
The  pktype  program translates a packed font file (pk) (output by, for
example, gftopk(1) to a file that humans can read. It also serves as  a
pk  file-validating program (i.e., if pktype can read it, it's correct)
and as an example of a pk-reading program for other software that wants
to read pk files.
The  pk_file  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 TeX or DVI-reading software. If no
output_file is specified, the plain  text  translation  is  written  to
standard output.
The  output file gives a compact encoding of the packed encoding, using
conventions described in the source code. Run lengths of  black  pixels
alternate  with parenthesized run lengths of white pixels, and brackets
are used to indicate when a row should be repeated.
ENVIRONMENT
pktype looks for pk_file using the environment  variable  PKFONTS.   If
that  is  not set, it uses the variable TEXPKS.  If that is not set, it
uses TEXFONTS.  If that is not set, it uses the system default.
See tex(1) for the details of the searching.
SEE ALSO
dvitype(1), gftopk(1), gftype(1).
Donald E. Knuth et al., Metafontware.
AUTHORS
- Tomas Rokicki wrote the program.  Donald E. Knuth originally ported  it
to Unix.  Pierre MacKay adapted it for compilation with Web2c.