Re: [groff] Fonts, PDF images, groff vs. heirloom troff

[Pierre-Jean Fichet]

Richard Morse <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi! I’m working on a project where I want to use troff to create
> PDFs. I want to use some particular OpenType features (in particular,
> a bunch of smart kerning and character substitutions), but I also want
> to embed PDF images into the final PDF.
> What I’ve discovered is that GNUs groff does not seem to handle
> fonts in any useful way, but Heirloom troff can’t manage PDF images.

Heirloom Troff probably offers the most detailed management of OpenType
fonts. For it, you can transfer your PDF images to EPS (with convert,
from imagemagick for example), and then embed the EPS file. There's a
macro for that in the heirloom package.

Using groff would require you to transfer the font in a format groff
undestands, exporting each OpenType feature you want to use in its own
font. I can't help much more with groff, though.

> Is there some other option available that can do both of these?

Neatroff do both of these. It suports OpenType fonts, but does not offer
as much control as Heirloom Troff does. For instance, the .ff request
allows you to select an OpenType feature, and .fmap to map a troff
character to a glyph in a font. You will have to create a font definition
file from your font, though (see the script in neatroff_make). And you
can embed your pdf directly, with the .PDF macro, part of tmac.eps.
Neatroff is described here: http://litcave.rudi.ir/
It can be installed with: https://github.com/aligrudi/neatroff_make


That being said, I would personaly advise you to use the troff version
you are comfortable with, because all the above mentionned will require some
(probably long) set up.

Kind Regards,
Pierre-Jean.