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World_Of_Computer_Software-02-387-Vol-3of3.iso
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F-DESIGN.DOC
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1992-09-02
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┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ T H E P R I N T E R F O N T S D E S I G N E R │
│ version 2.0a │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────┐
│ COPYRIGHT MESSAGE : │
└─────────────────────┘
PROGRAM WRITTEN BY STEWART BAMFORD IN 1992.
THIS PROGRAM IS PUBLIC DOMAIN AND CAN BE FREELY COPIED BUT NOT FOR ANY
COMMERCIAL GAIN. THIS PROGRAM MUST ALSO REMAIN UNALTERED AND BOTH THE
DOCUMENTATION AND PROGRAM FILES MUST BE DISTRIBUTED TOGETHER.
┌───────────────────────┐
│ PROGRAM DESCRIPTION : │
└───────────────────────┘
THIS PROGRAM WAS WRITTEN WHEN I BECAME FED UP WITH THE LIMITED FONTS
AVAILABLE ON THE PANASONIC KXP1081 (ONE OF THE MOST COMMON DOT MATRIX
PRINTERS AROUND) AND COULD NOT BE BOTHERED TO WORK OUT ALL THAT AWKWARD
BINARY INFORMATION FOR EVERY CHARACTER.
THE PROGRAM REQUIRES A CGA DISPLAY AND IS CONTROLLED VIA KEYBOARD OR
MOUSE IN A GRAPHICAL WAY. FONT DATA IS TRANSFERRED TO THE PRINTER VIA
THE FINST.EXE PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
-----------------------------------SCREEN 1-----------------------------------
┌────────────────┐
│ INSTRUCTIONS : │
└────────────────┘
When the program is started, you will be presented with a title screen,
press any key and you will be shown the key functions for the program.
Another press of a key will take you to the designer screen.
The main part of the designer screen is taken up by the grid that is
used to design the actual characters. Above the grid is the number of the
character you are currently editing and the character that this represents.
To move to up and down to other characters, press the PageUp/PageDown keys.
Pressing the G key will take you directly to a character. Obviously the
characters go from 1 to 255.
Editing the characters can be done in two ways. Moving the cursor keys
will move the stars outside of the grid, indicating which element of the
matrix you are currently positioned on. Pressing the space key toggles the
point on and off. The other method is mouse control. A Microsoft or Mouse
Systems mouse will work. Move the mouse pointer and left.b=on, right.b=off.
-----------------------------------SCREEN 2-----------------------------------
┌──────────────────┐
│ N O T I C E 1 : │
└──────────────────┘
FOR THE PANASONIC KXP1081 ONLY :
DO NOT DESIGN MORE THAN 40 CHARACTERS IN A SINGLE SET. THE MEMORY IN
THE PANASONIC PRINTER IS ONLY DESIGNED TO HANDLE A MAXIMUM OF 40 CHARS.
TRYING TO DOWNLOAD MORE THAN 40 CHARACTERS USUALLY RESULTS IN THE PRINTER
THROWING A FIT, AND WASTING A GREAT DEAL OF PAPER, ALTHOUGH NO LASTING
DAMAGE IS CAUSED. OTHER RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY FOR OTHER PRINTERS.
┌──────────────────┐
│ N O T I C E 2 : │
└──────────────────┘
REMEMBER THAT AS STATED IN THE USER MANUAL, THAT YOU SHOULD :
"AVOID USING THE SAME PIN IN TWO ADJACENT COLUMNS; THE PIN IN THE
SECOND COLUMN OF THE PAIR WILL NOT BE FIRED."
-----------------------------------SCREEN 3-----------------------------------
┌─────────────────┐
│ KEY FUNCTIONS : │
└─────────────────┘
ARROW KEYS = MOVE AROUND GRID
PAGE UP = MOVE UP 1 CHARACTER
PAGE DOWN = MOVE DOWN 1 CHARACTER
INS = INVERT CHARACTER
DEL = DELETE CHARACTER
SPACE = TOGGLE POINT
F8 = DELETE ALL CHARACTERS
F9 = LOAD CHARACTER SET
F10 = SAVE CHARACTER SET
Q = QUIT
G = GOTO
C = COPY FROM CHARACTER
X = FLIP ON X-AXIS
Y = FLIP ON Y-AXIS
LEFT MOUSE BUT. = TURN ON POINT
RIGHT MOUSE BUT. = TURN OFF POINT
-----------------------------------SCREEN 4-----------------------------------
┌─────────────────┐
│ FURTHER INFO. : │
└─────────────────┘
Please remember that this program was designed to be used on the
Panasonic KX-P1081 and may not work on any other printers.
VERSION 2 IS NOW MORE LIKELY TO WORK ON MORE PRINTERS, SEE LAST PAGE.
If it does not work on your printer, then contact me with details on how your printer
downloads fonts, and maybe I will bring out a multi printer version !
The sort of information I will need is as follows :
-----------------------------------SCREEN 5-----------------------------------
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Printer Name : Panasonic KX-P1081 │
│ │
│ Setting Code : 27, 121, location, data1, data2, ...... data9 │
│ ESC + "y" + location + data1 + data2 + ....... data9 │
│ │
│ Release Code : 27, 122, loc │
│ ESC + "z" + loc │
│ │
│ Maximum download : 40 characters │
│ │
│ Comments : Do not use two adjacent pins │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Send as much info as you can, a copy of the relevant page(s) of the
instruction/user manual would be best, copyright permitting of course !
-----------------------------------SCREEN 6-----------------------------------
┌───────────────┐
│ USING FONTS : │
└───────────────┘
Once you have your font(s) ready, you will want to use them on your
printer. To do this, use the program "FINST.EXE" that should accompany
this program.
SYNTAX : FINST «FILENAME OF FONT» [/q]
The /q option puts the program into quiet mode, not reporting errors
or displaying any screen messages (better for autoexec.bat)
-----------------------------------SCREEN 7-----------------------------------
┌──────────────┐
│ THE AUTHOR : │
└──────────────┘
Send any printer details/bug reports/ideas/disks/money (contributions
would be nice) etc. to:
STEWART BAMFORD
16 CRANMERE AVENUE
RUSHMERE
NORTHAMPTON
NORTHANTS
NN1 5SF
---------------------------------- EXTENSION --------------------------------
┌──────────────┐
│ NEW VERSION :│
└──────────────┘
This version is version 2 and has had several alterations made. The
main program now has much better mouse control. Old files are still
totally compatible. The main changes come in the form of font installation.
A new program called PRINTERS.EXE should have been included and it is used
to define printer descriptions in the FINST.DAT file.
The following data is needed for each printer :
NAME : Used for font installation Example : PANA KXP1081
START : Bytes preceeding data Example : 27 121 (999)
STOP : Bytes following data Example : (999)
RELEASE : Soft font release code Example : 27 122 (999)
To enter control codes (up to 10 per field) enter the
number followed by enter and 999 ends. This allows other
printers to be used with the programs.
When using the FINST.EXE program, the following syntax is used :
FINST [font name] [/r] [/q] printer-name
i.e. FINST SAMPLE.FNT PANA KXP1081 ; LOADS FONT
FINST SAMPLE.FNT /q PANA KXP1081 ; LOADS FONT QUIETLY
FINST /r PANA KXP1081 ; RELEASES SOFT FONT
FINST /r /q PANA KXP1081 ; RELEASES SOFT FONT QUIETLY
To start the whole suite of progs, type MENU at the dos prompt.
------------------------------- * E N D * -----------------------------------