Microsoft KB Archive/95456

= Overview of Printer Font Metrics (PFM) Files =

Article ID: 95456

Article Last Modified on 2/12/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 95 Driver Development Kit (DDK)
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Driver Development Kit (DDK)
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Driver Development Kit

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This article was previously published under Q95456



SUMMARY
Printer font metrics (PFM) files are the generic way of presenting device fonts information to a printer driver. Device fonts are resident on the printer; they are not generated by Microsoft Windows. PFM files provide a device-independent method of representing device fonts so that Windows or a printer driver can represent device-font-metrics data.

Windows also supports printer-cartridge metrics (PCM) files. PCM files are a collection of PFM files.

There are three tools that can be used to create PFM files:
 * The PFM Editor, explained in Chapter 3 (page 25) of the Microsoft Windows DDK &quot;Printer and Fonts Kit.&quot; The PFM Editor creates PFM (or PCM) files that are compatible with Hewlett-Packard (HP) Printer Control Language (PCL) printers.
 * The PFM dialog box in UniTool, explained in Chapter 7 (page 104) of the Microsoft Windows DDK &quot;Minidriver Development Guide.&quot; The UniTool PFM dialog box creates PFM files that can be used with all minidrivers.
 * The PFM file generator explained in Chapter 5 (page 53) of the Microsoft Windows DDK &quot;Printer and Fonts Kit.&quot; The PFM file generator builds PFM files from recognized downloadable fonts. HP drivers use the PFM file generator.

