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-
-
- Fastgraph (tm) Font Factory for Windows
- Version 1.3
-
-
- By Tim Kilgore (Member STAR)
- Copyright 1994, All Rights Reserved
-
-
-
- Product Description -
-
- Fastgraph Font Factory is a Microsoft Windows 3.1 application designed to
- all you to export TrueType fonts for use with Ted Gruber Software's
- Fastgraph/Fonts. If you are not using Fastgraph/Fonts, then this
- application will be of very limited use to you.
-
-
- Disclaimer -
-
- BY USING FASTGRAPH FONT FACTORY (FGFF.EXE) AND ALL RELATED TEXT AND DATA
- FILES, YOU AGREE NOT TO HOLD THE AUTHOR (TIM KILGORE) RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY
- DAMAGES, REAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, CAUSED THROUGH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS
- PRODUCT. YOUR USE OF THIS PROGRAM INDICATES YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THESE
- TERMS.
-
-
- Installation -
-
- Create a directory and copy all of the distribution files into the new
- sub directory. From the Windows Program Manager, select a destination
- group (or a create a new group) and press ALT-F. Select NEW (Item) and
- use the BROWSE function to locate and add FGFF.EXE. Don't forget to add
- something to the description field; 'Font Factory' is fine.
-
-
- Differences Between Versions -
-
- Version 1.1 fixed several annoying display problems that occurred when
- using small font displays (i.e. 800*600 small font). While FGF was
- tested at all video modes, the author was using an out-dated video driver
- and thus introduced display problems into the program. Version 1.1
- was made available only to registered users.
-
- Version 1.2 introduces dynamic resizing of the two view panels. You
- now are no longer limited to a small text alignment view window.
- Maximize FGFF, and you'll see <g>.
-
- | Version 1.3 improved dynamix resizing so that the preview window now uses
- | all available space on the main window. Text rotation was added in this
- | version and the two text rocker controls have been replaced by a single,
- | multi-directional text rocker. A standard Windows help file was also
- | added to the program.
-
-
- Limitations of the SHAREWARE version -
-
- The shareware version of Fastgraph Font Factory will only allow you to
- load fonts starting with an A, B, or C. If you want more than the ABC's,
- see REGISTRATION INFORMATION, below.
-
-
- Program Operation -
-
- Fastgraph Font Factory (hereafter refered to as FGFF) is easy to use.
-
- FONT INFO This window graphically displays the current font,
- marking the font cell top, the font's baseline, and
- the length of the longest descender. Also displayed
- is the face name and the current pitch being used.
- This Window is strictly informative.
-
- OUTPUT PREVIEW The preview window has two scroll bars and looks like
- a standard MAKEPCX.PCX file. This window allows you
- to examine every cell and make sure that the text is
- aligned properly.
-
- HINT: This preview window has a special scrolling
- feature. Move the mouse over the control, press and
- hold the right mouse button. Now move the pointer.
- The pointer should change into a hand and the image
- will scroll as you move the mouse pointer. Note that
- you can move the point off of the control, allowing
- you to scroll great distances quickly.
-
- Why can't FGFF align the text automatically? Well, it
- does. It determines the length of the largest
- descender and adjusts all of the text upwards by the
- correct number of pixels. The problem is that
- Fastgraph only needs characters with ASCII values
- ranging from 32 to 127 while FGFF can only get
- information about ALL characters in a type face. It
- is not uncommon for unused characters to have the longest
- descenders and as a result you may be able to use the
- TEXT SHIFT controls (see below) to adjust the text
- downwards by several pixels.
-
- SELECT FONT This allows you to select a new font to work with.
-
- ITALIC This check box allows you to toggle italics ON and
- OFF.
-
- BOLD Using this check box will toggle bold ON and OFF.
-
- | TEXT ROCKER Using this button allows you to adjust both the x-axis
- | and y-axis of text placement by +/- 1 pixel per click.
- | The control is multi-directional and can shift text on
- | both the x and y axis by clicking in the corners of
- | the text rocker. You can also reset the text shift by
- | clicking directly in the center of this control. The
- | text shift value will be reset whenever a new font is
- | selected.
-
- SNUG FIT True Type fonts can actually extend to the left of the
- placement point. As a result, FGFF examines each
- character and adjusts the placement point IF the font
- extends to the left of the placement point.
-
- Other characters start several pixels to the right of
- the placement point. By default, FGFF does adjust the
- placement of these characters.
-
- Selecting the SNUG FIT check box will force FGFF to
- place all character snuggly against the character
- cell's left edge. This is useful if you intend to set
- a kerning value with MAKEFONT, but probably should be
- avoided otherwise as Windows generally does an
- excellent job of kerning the characters.
-
- 2X ZOOM This will zoom the OUTPUT PREVIEW window by a factor
- of 2. Keep in mind that is a bitmap zoom, and fonts
- are displayed as a part of the bitmap and will no
- longer have as smooth an appearance. (This will NOT
- effect the output files.)
-
- FILE The file menu (ALT-F) will allow you to save the
- current typeface to a BMP file by selecting the SAVE
- AS... option. Because FGFF currently does not support
- the PCX format, you'll have to use a 3rd party tool to
- convert the BMP to a PCX file.
-
- You can also copy the current typeface to the
- clipboard, which is the preferred method if you have
- PAINT SHOP PRO, HIJAK for Windows, or some other
- image conversion tool. When converting, be sure to
- reduce the number of colors to 16 and to disable
- dithering.
-
- Finally, the EXIT option on the file menu allows you
- to close FGFF.
-
- ABOUT Provides a little information about FGFF.
-
- SPLITTER-BAR This is an invisible display control. If you position
- the mouse cursor between the two display panels, the
- mouse cursor will change into a bar. You can now
- expand or shrink the size of the display panels.
-
-
- Using FGFF with Paint Shop Pro -
-
- Paint Shop Pro, a highly-rated shareware program by JASC, Inc, makes
- image conversion a snap. If you have Paint Shop Pro, here are the steps
- involved in creating a PCX file usable by MAKEFONT.EXE.
-
- 1. In FGFF, copy the image to the clipboard (CTRL-C).
- 2. Switch to or start Paint Shop Pro.
- 3. Select EDIT, Paste (SHIFT-INSERT)
- 4. Select COLORS, Decrease Color Depth, 16 colors.
- 5. Set the Palette to OPTIMIZED and set Reduction Method to
- NEAREST COLOR. Select OK. Paint Shop Pro will now convert the
- image.
- 6. Save the file as a type 5 PCX file.
-
- If you keep both FGFF and Paint Shop Pro open, you can toggle back and
- forth between the two applications (ALT-TAB).
-
-
- Shareware Packing List -
-
- Fastgraph Font Factory was distributed with the following files -
-
- FILE_ID DIZ 312 08-02-94
- ARTIST VBX 59,920 12-09-93
- CCBUTTON VBX 108,704 09-23-93
- PICSCRLL VBX 35,344 12-08-93
- SS3D3 VBX 32,560 09-22-93
- THREED VBX 64,544 04-28-93
- CMDIALOG VBX 18,688 04-28-93
- FGFF EXE 177,151 08-02-94
- ORDER FRM 1,012 06-28-94
- FGFF TXT 9,941 08-02-94
- COMMDLG DLL 89,248 03-23-92
- VSVBX LIC 411 03-10-94
- VSVBX VBX 78,864 05-12-94
-
-
- NOTE: FGFF requires VBRUN300.DLL, which was not included in this
- archive due to size considerations. If you do not have this file,
- most BBS systems make it available as VBRUN300.ZIP or VBRUN.ZIP.
- The latter file typically has several different versions (VBRUN100,
- VBRUN200, and VBRUN300) of the VBRUNxxx.DLL file.
-
- A copy of VBRUN300 is available on The Dust Devil, the TGS support
- BBS.
-
- VSVBX.LIC, an included text file, is REQUIRED for the proper
- operation of FGFF. Do NOT delete this file.
-
-
- Planned Improvements -
-
- | I'd like to add the ability to save directly to PCX format. Adding this
- | feature depends largely upon the amount of interest shown in the product.
-
-
- Registration Information -
-
- Fastgraph Font Factory is available for $15 + $2.50 for shipping and
- handling ($5.00 for shipping & handling if you live outside the US or
- Canada). A registered copy of program will be mailed to you on 3.5
- inch media. Upgrades to new versions will be available at no cost via
- downloadable update files which will be posted on TGS's DUST DEVIL BBS.
-
- Please send your check or money order along with return mailing
- information to -
-
- TIM KILGORE
- 2601 S. PROVIDENCE #40
- COLUMBIA, MO 65203
-
- | If possible, please print and use ORDER.FRM or print it directly from the
- | HELP file included with FGFF.
-
-
-
-