[ILUG] (La)TeX/METAFONT/dvips(1) mode, DPI, and `bbding'

[Brian Foster]

hi!

  this is a spur-of-the-moment question, asked in case
 anyone happens to know; i.e., I have not searched the
 'Net nor checked the obvious resource; I have worked-
 around the problem, and am now just curious.

  I normally use the Dante/TUG TeXLive!2003 distribution
 of (La)TeX, configured for “epscszz”, some 720 DPI Epson
 printer.  my printer, also an Epson (different model) is
 capable of 720 DPI, but 2880 DPI is supported (and works
 with CUPS).  several years ago, I concluded the best
 output was produced by overriding the default 720 DPI
 with an explicit 2880 DPI.  my nominal method of running
 LaTeX+dvips(1) is (simplified):

     texi2dvi FILE.tex  &&  dvips -D2880 FILE.dvi

 this has worked fine for ages (and looks really nice),
 albeit I presume it can be improved (but do not know how).

  today, I wanted to re-typeset an older document which
 happened to use the “bbding” font package (dingbats).
 there seems to be something strange about that font
 package?:

     + dvips -Pcmz -Pamz -Ppdf -G1 -D2880 FILE.dvi
     This is dvips(k) 5.94a Copyright 2003 Radical Eye Software (www.radicaleye.com)
     ' TeX output 2005.08.21:1921' -> FILE.ps
     kpathsea: Running mktexpk --mfmode / --bdpi 2880 --mag 1+576/2880 --dpi 3456 bbd
ing10
     mktexpk: Mismatched mode epscszz and resolution 2880; ignoring mode.
     mktexpk: Can't guess mode for 2880 dpi devices.
     mktexpk: Use a config file, or update me.
     kpathsea: Appending font creation commands to missfont.log.
     dvips: Font bbding10 not found,  using cmr10 instead.
     dvips: Design size mismatch in font bbding10
     dvips: Checksum mismatch in font bbding10

 needless to say, the output is fscked.

  anyone happen to know what is so special about
 that font package?  this setup has worked great
 with everything else I've used.  the workaround
 is to drop back to the default (-D720), but I'd
 like to understand(/fix?) whatever is happening.

 ( the TeX/METAFONT fonts system/configuration is
  a total mystery to me. )

cheers!
	-blf-
-- 
Experienced (20+ yrs) kernel/software Eng: | Brian Foster   Montpellier,
 • Unix, embedded, &tc;  • Linux;  • doc;  | blf at utvinternet.ie   FRANCE
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