Interactive using of METAFONT with X11

Support knowledgebase (bg_x_metafont)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Versions since 6.1

Symptom:

You want to use METAFONT like described in The METAFONTbook Chapter 5. There you get the following error message:
This is METAFONT, Version 2.7182 (Web2C 7.3.1)
**\relax

*drawdot (35,70); showit;

mf: Window support for X was not compiled into this binary.
mf: To do so, rerun configure --with-x, recompile, and reinstall.
mf: (Or perhaps you just failed to specify the mode.)

*

Cause:

The program mf defaults to a non windowing binary. It was compiled without X11 just like the error message says.

Solution:

For interactive usage with X11 support you have to use the program mfw instead of mf.
Keywords: METAFONT, MF, X11, TEX

Categories: TeX

SDB-bg_x_metafont, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 19. Jun 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 19. Jun 2000 by bg (sdb_gen 1.40.0)