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Gold Medal Software Volume 2 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso
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TT2BMAP.DOC
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1993-12-02
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TT2BMAP
(c) 1993 by Alexander Walter
WHAT IS IT?
TT2BMAP will convert a TrueType scalable soft font into a LaserJet
bitmap font format so that older application programs which don't
support TrueType can still use the latest fonts.
Also, once the font is converted to the LaserJet bitmap font format, it
can be converted to the DeskJet bitmap soft font format. Ordinarily, the
Windows 3.1 drivers for the DeskJet print TrueType fonts as full page
graphics, which is s l o w. Utilizing a downloaded bitmap soft font
could speed up printing a similar page using this font when outside
Windows.
REQUIREMENTS
TT2BMAP requires simply a graphics display, VGA/EGA/CGA/AT&T or Herc. If
you use a Hercules adaptor, run the MSHERC.COM TSR program before
running TT2BMAP.
TT2BMAP also requires access to a print file written by any Windows 3.1
program which supports TrueType fonts. An example of such a program is
Windows Write, which comes free with Windows 3.1. Instructions on how to
generate the print file are included below.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
TT2BMAP is offered as shareware. Please support the shareware concept by
sending a check or money order for $20 to:
Alexander Walter
182 ILER Dr.
Middletown, NJ. 07748
(800) 262-0827 USA only
(908) 949-0507 or (908) 671-5080 otherwise
If you register with an additional $10 (for a total of $30), you will
receive by mail a copy of FONTEDIT, which is an editor of HP LaserJet
bitmapped soft fonts (a version is available for DeskJet fonts, too). A
brief description of my FONTEDIT program is as follows:
View & edit any HP LaserJet bit-mapped soft font. Requires
VGA/EGA/CGA/Herc or AT&T video. Mouse optional. Handles portrait or
landscape, fixed or proportional, and can convert between them.
Handles up to 110 pt (VGA), 80 pt (EGA), 88 pt (Herc & AT&T), or 44
pt (CGA). Sculpt individual pixels, or use the many built-in special
effects and area shapes. Can import characters from black & white
.PCX, .TIF, or from other soft fonts. Many features.
For your convenience, credit card orders for FONTEDIT (not TT2BMAP yet)
are accepted and processed by the Public Software Library (PsL). To order
FONTEDIT (PsL product code #10940) with your Visa,MasterCard, AmEx, or
Discover, contact the PsL at:
voice: (800) 242-4775
(713) 524-6394 overseas
fax: (713) 524-6398
CompuServe: 71355,470
Internet: 71355.470@compuserve.com
Credit card orders will be shipped in one to two business days. A shipping
and handling charge will be added to credit card orders:
* For normal delivery via US Mail: $4.00 S&H
* For expedited delivery via overnight
mail, Internet e-mail, CompuServe,
Genie, or America On-Line: $14.00 S&H
When calling PsL, ask for FONTEDIT, product code #10940. The PsL numbers
are for credit card orders only. For technical support, or to save money
on shipping & handling, contact Alexander Walter directly by mail or toll-
free at (800) 262-0827.
HOW DOES TT2BMAP WORK?
When a Windows 3.1 program prints a file containing TrueType fonts, the
Windows LaserJet printer driver creates bitmap soft font renditions of
the TrueType fonts in the point sizes used in your document, then
downloads those bitmap soft fonts to the LaserJet. Only those characters
in your print file are included in the downloaded font.
If the print job is redirected to a disk file instead of to the printer,
the resulting print file will contain bitmapped soft fonts, plus a lot
of other extraneous stuff.
TT2BMAP works by reading the print file on disk, finding all the soft
fonts within it, and writing them to separate files you specify on your
disk.
HOW TO GENERATE THE PRINT FILE
Step 1: Make sure you have one of the LaserJet II or III family of laser
printer drivers installed, and connected to "FILE".
From within the Windows Main Group, double click on the Control
Panel, and then double click on the Printers icon. If necessary, install
a printer for one of the LaserJet II or III family of laser printers
(i.e., IIp, III, IIIp, etc. are also OK). Select this printer as the
default and click on the "Connect" button. Connect this printer to
"FILE". Then click on the OK button. Your output using this printer will
now be redirected into a disk file. Windows 3.1 will ask you to supply
the actual filename when you print.
The LaserJet 4 printer driver and TT2BMAP can be used together with
*some* TrueType fonts in order to make a bitmapped font. If using the
LaserJet 4 driver with a TrueType font already resident in the LJ4 (such
as the fonts that come with Windows 3.1), the Windows driver will simply
send codes to access them. But, if the LJ4 driver is used with a 3rd
party TrueType font, it will construct a bitmapped version.
If you have a LJ4 printer, you can also tell Windows to print to disk
using the LJ II or III driver. The resulting bitmap will still be
compatable with the LJ4.
Step 2: Start up any Windows 3.1 program which supports TrueType fonts,
and format some sample text to the specific TrueType font and point size
you are interested in.
This step will necessarily be somewhat specific to whatever Windows
3.1 program you are using. Note that Windows will include in the bitmap
font only those letters which appear in your sample text. So, if there
are no "z" letters in the text, there will be no "z" letter in the font!
An example of a program which supports TrueType fonts is Windows
Write, which comes free with Windows 3.1 and can be found in the
Applications Group.
For your convenience, I have included here a file named "32-255.txt"
which contains all characters with ASCII values 32 through 255. This
includes all letters (upper & lower case), numerals, punctuation, and
special high-order characters. If your Windows 3.1 application program
supports importing from an ASCII text file, you can simply import this
file and format it to the desired TrueType font and point size. You can
include multiple copies of it in different fonts and point sizes;
TT2BMAP will be able to copy the resulting bitmap fonts to separate
files.
Note that Windows Write may have trouble representing high order
ASCII characters. If this is the case with your TrueType application,
you may not be able to generate a bitmap of any high order ASCII
characters.
**************** Getting rid of hollow boxes: *************************
* *
* If you see hollow boxes for some characters, this is caused by one *
* of two things: *
* *
* - Either the particular characters with boxes aren't defined in *
* the TrueType font. The resulting bitmapped font will also have *
* boxes for these characters. *
* *
* - Or that you are printing an ornate font at a large point size *
* and Windows is having trouble rendering the character. *
* *
* If the boxes are caused by the 2nd reason, you can fix this by *
* exiting Windows and editing the [TrueType] section of your *
* WIN.INI to add the line: *
* *
* OutlineThreshold=70 *
* *
* If you still get boxes, try another value bigger than 70. *
* *
*************************************************************************
Step 3: Print the file.
Prior to printing the file, if your Windows 3.1 application program
has a "Printer Options" menu choice, you may want to use it to make sure
that you will be printing using a LaserJet II (or later) driver. Also,
under the printing options, make sure that the option box to print
TrueType fonts as graphics is *disabled*.
Print the file, supplying a filename when prompted, then exit
Windows 3.1.
USING TT2BMAP
Now run TT2BMAP on the print file in order to extract the bitmap fonts
representing all the TrueType fonts and point sizes that you printed.
The name of the print file can be included on the command line, or you
can let TT2BMAP prompt you for it. Wildcards (*,?) are OK. After the
print file has been parsed, TT2BMAP will prompt you for a filename to
write each bitmap font. The new filename must be different that the
original print filename.
After each bitmap font has been written, you will be shown the PCL
commands needed to select it.
TT2BMAP will automatically try to fix occasional glitches in the bitmaps
that Windows writes. If you don't want TT2BMAP to do this, simply begin
TT2BMAP with the command line /nofix
REMINDER
Please remember to support the shareware concept by sending a check or
money order for $20 to the address given above. For just an extra $10 ($30
total) receive a LaserJet soft font editor. If you are a DeskJet user,
state so and I will throw in for free a utility to convert LaserJet
bitmapped soft fonts to DeskJet format.