What is PFM?

Printer Font Metrics (PFM) is the binary companion to PFB fonts for Windows, containing font metric data for printing.

What is PFB?

PostScript Type 1 Binary (PFB) is a compact binary printer font format, more efficient than ASCII PFA for professional printing.

When Should You Use PFM vs PFB?

PFM vs PFB: Key Differences

• •The core technical difference: PFM relies on lossless compression whereas PFB uses lossless compression.
• •Both formats share lossless compression, so quality behavior is similar across the two — file size differences come from algorithm efficiency rather than compression philosophy.
• •Transparency: N/A
• •Storage footprint: Very small, binary format for PFM vs 15-80KB per font, smaller than PFA for PFB.
• •Primary audience: PFM is built for windows postscript printing, font pairing scenarios, while PFB focuses on professional printing, legacy typesetting — pick the format that matches your output requirement.

Advantages of PFM

• ✓PFM applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for Windows PostScript printing, font pairing.
• ✓PFM enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓PFM guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find PFM support built into virtually every tool that handles Windows PostScript printing, font pairing — no plugins or converters needed.

Advantages of PFB

• ✓PFB uses lossless compression tailored for Professional printing, legacy typesetting.
• ✓PFB is supported natively on virtually every device, browser, and operating system.
• ✓PFB files are bit-for-bit perfect, preserving every pixel and sample for professional work.
• ✓PFB integrates seamlessly with all major creative tools and workflows.

Common Use Cases for PFM to PFB Conversion

• Icon sets
• Logo design
• Data visualization
• Presentation design
• Video subtitles
• Game UI typography

Industry Applications

Best Practices for PFM to PFB Conversion

• →Before converting PFM to PFB, review the font license — some licenses restrict format conversion
• →Check hinting data after conversion: PFB may handle TrueType hinting differently than PFM
• →Verify that all character sets (Latin, Cyrillic, CJK, etc.) survived the conversion intact
• →Test the converted font in both a browser and a desktop application
• →Keep the original font file in case the conversion alters spacing metrics

Troubleshooting PFM to PFB Conversion

• !PFB font doesn't render correctly → check if PFB supports all glyphs present in PFM
• !Licensing restrictions after PFM to PFB conversion → verify the font license allows format conversion
• !Hinting data lost converting PFM to PFB → some font formats like PFB may not preserve TrueType hinting
• !Special characters missing from converted PFB → font subsetting may have removed unused glyphs

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