bdftopcf

bdftopcf is a command-line utility used in the X Window System to convert bitmap font data from the BDF (Bitmap Distribution Format) into the PCF (Portable Compiled Format). It reads a BDF font description, including glyph bitmaps, metrics, and encoding, and produces a PCF font file that can be loaded by X servers. PCF is a binary font format optimized for efficient rendering in X11, while BDF is a human-readable text format often edited by hand.

bdftopcf is part of the traditional X.Org font utilities and is commonly found in packages containing X11 font tools. It is used when legacy bitmap fonts need to run on an X server that requires PCF or when converting fonts for distribution in environments that rely on PCF.

Typical usage involves providing a BDF file as input and directing the resulting PCF to an output file. A common invocation is to pipe the input or specify an output destination, for example by redirecting standard output to a file. The exact command-line options can vary by version, but the primary function remains the same: convert BDF fonts to PCF.

Limitations and context: PCF supports a subset of font features compared with modern outline formats, and the conversion is mainly relevant for legacy bitmap fonts used with older X servers. In contemporary systems, bitmap fonts are often superseded by scalable or color fonts, but bdftopcf remains a historical and practical tool for maintaining or deploying older X environments.