(web2c.info)Initial Metafont

Modes

mf invocation

Metafont

5.2 Initial Metafont
====================

`inimf' is the "initial" form of Metafont, which does lengthy
initializations avoided by the "virgin" (`vir') form, so as to be
capable of dumping `.base' files (Note: Memory dumps).  For a
detailed comparison of virgin and initial forms, see Note: Initial and
virgin.  In past releases, a separate program `inimf' was installed
to invoke the initial form, but this is no longer the case.

  For a list of options and other information, see Note: mf
invocation.

  The only memory dump file commonly used with Metafont is the default
`plain.base', also known as `mf.base' (again, Note: Memory dumps).
It is created by default during installation, but you can also do so by
hand if necessary (e.g., if a Metafont update is issued):
     mf -ini '\input plain; input modes; dump'
  (The quotes prevent interpretation of the backslashes from the shell.)
Then install the resulting `plain.base' in `$(basedir)'
(`/usr/local/share/texmf/web2c' by default), and link `mf.base' to it.

  For an explanation of the additional `modes.mf' file, see Note:
Modes.  This file has no counterpart in TeX or MetaPost.

  In the past, it was sometimes useful to create a base file
`cmmf.base' (a.k.a. `cm.base'), with the Computer Modern macros also
included in the base file.  Nowadays, however, the additional time
required to read `cmbase.mf' is exceedingly small, usually not enough
to be worth the administrative hassle of updating the `cmmf.base' file
when you install a new version of `modes.mf'.  People actually working
on a typeface may still find it worthwhile to create their own base
file, of course.

Dirfile and infopages generated Sat Dec 3 02:07:54 2005