The Metafontbook

The Metafontbook
by Donald Ervin Knuth

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About Book

Book Description
METAFONT is a system for the design of symbols and alphabetic characters suited to raster-based devices that print or display text. The construction of a typeface is an art form and this manual is written for people who wish to advance the quality of mathematical typesetting.

The METAFONTbook enables readers, with only minimal computer science or word processing experience, to master the basic as well as the more advanced features of METAFONT programming. With this manual, readers will learn how to write a program using METAFONT that can customize a type design that already exists, create an entire alphabet from scratch, and create logos or special symbols.

From the Back Cover

METAFONT, created by author Donald E. Knuth, is a computer language that allows you to produce professional quality typefaces using mathematical type design. The METAFONTbook, a users guide and reference manual, enables readers with only minimal computer science or word processing experience to master the basic as well as the more advanced areas of METAFONT programming.

Readers will learn how to write a program for each letter or symbol of a typeface. Using METAFONT, it is possible to customize a type design that already exists, or even to create an entire alphabet from scratch. It is particularly easy to create logos or special symbols. Advanced users will enjoy the freedom and artistry that METAFONT allows in creating original typefaces.

HIGHLIGHTS

Introduces concepts informally early in the text; in later chapters, these concepts are filled in with more detailed explanations.
Program exercises are found throughout the text with answers in an appendix.
Exercises and concepts of greater difficulty are marked with margin symbols. In this way, both beginning and experienced users of METAFONT can benefit.
The book is a companion text to Knuth's The TeXbook, since TeX can be used to typeset with fonts created using METAFONT.

Knuth's familiar wit, and illustrations specially drawn by Duane Bibby, add a light touch to an unusually readable software manual.

The METAFONTbook is the third in a five-volume series on Computers and Typesetting, all authored by Knuth.

0201134454B04062001

About the Author

Donald E. Knuth is known throughout the world for his pioneering work on algorithms and programming techniques, for his invention of the Tex and Metafont systems for computer typesetting, and for his prolific and influential writing. Professor Emeritus of The Art of Computer Programming at Stanford University, he currently devotes full time to the completion of these fascicles and the seven volumes to which they belong.

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