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1996-12-16
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FontView
Version
3.0
Steve Banham
Copyright 1996, All Rights Reserved
Generated with Heddley v1.1
Heddley v1.1 (C) Edd Dumbill 1994
- Page 1 -
1. FontView v3.0 ©1996 Steve Banham
FontView v3.0
- Distribution information.
- FontView description.
- Installation/requirements.
- Running from the Cli.
- Running from the Workbench.
- How To Use FontView.
- Development History.
- Program Credits.
- Registration Info.
- Contacting the Author.
2. Legal Information
Legal Information
FontView is NOT Public Domain, the main program and all
associated files remain copyright ©1996 Steve Banham. If you find FontView
useful, and would like to continue using it then please read the
section on registration.
The user takes full responsiblity for ANY problem which may
occur through using FontView. Whilst the program has been extensively tested
and the author has not found any dangerous problems, if anything
untoward happens through using it then I, the author, take NO
reponsibility whatsoever.
Whilst, I am keen to find/eliminate any bugs in FontView and add
new features, my continued interest in updating this program will be
influenced by the number of registrations received. In other words, if
people don't do the right thing and send the small amount requested then my
interest in the program will dwindle accordingly.
The program may not be used in any commercial venture without
prior written consent from the author. It may be included in PD or
shareware libraries (eg, Aminet, Fred Fish) which charge only a nominal fee
for disk copying.
All files must accompany any distribution of FontView.
3. What Is FontView?
What Is It?
This program enables the user to view all aspects of either bitmap or
compugraphic fonts. The interface displays a sample of the selected font,
which can be modified in real time, allowing different styles to be applied to
it.
In addition to a visual display, the user can open an information window
which contains every detail about the selected font.
The standard FONTS: directory can be changed so that fonts can be viewed
from anywhere. [Warning: This function does not work if you use a font cache
program such as MCP]. Your FONTS: directory will be reset to the normal
place once you quit the program.
- Page 2 -
3. What Is FontView?
Another feature of FontView is that you can make it jump to different
public screens, allowing you to view fonts under all sorts of different screen
modes. This makes it much easier to see whether a font will suit your needs
eliminating the need to reconfigure the application you wish to use the font
with.
4. Installation
Installation
FontView requires Workbench 2.04+ (v37) in order to run. If you
are running anything lower than this then the program will simply fail to
run.
You also need reqtools.library v38.1248 correctly installed
for FontView to work. As long as it is installed, just copy FontView to
the destination of your choice. You must use at least v38.1248 - there
seems to be a bug of some kind with earlier versions of reqtools' font
requester.
No special assigns are required for FontView to work, although it does
need to access two commands from your system. You need to ensure that the
'assign' command is in your C: directory, and that FixFonts program is in the
SYS:System/ drawer. This allows FontView to update all the #?.font files in
the FONTS: directory. You can actually place the Fixfonts program anywhere you
like as long as you change the tooltype FIXFONTS to reflect this.
5. Cli Usage
Running From Cli/Shell
The following arguments can be supplied to FontView from the Cli.
These are:
PUBSCREEN : The Name of a Public Screen to open on - defaults to
workbench.
FIXFONTS : The full path (dir and filename) to the fixfonts program
which can be launched with FontView to update the font
files when you add or delete a fontsize.
eg:
Shell> FontView PUBSCREEN=DOPUS.1 FIXFONTS=RAM:Fixfonts
This will force FontView to startup on the Public Screen called
DOPUS.1 (DirectoryOpus's default screen name). And to use the
program 'RAM:Fixfonts' if the user presses the fixfonts gadget.
6. Workbench Usage
Running From Workbench
FontView currently only supports one Tooltype, this is:
PUBSCREEN = The screen which FontView will initially open it's
window on - defaults to workbench.
FIXFONTS = The full path (dir and filename) to the fixfonts
program which can be launched with FontView to
update the .font files.
- Page 3 -
6. Program Operation
7. Program Operation
Program Operation
FontView can be run from either CLI or Workbench . Once run, a
window will open containing various gadgets.
Gadgets - Program gadget descriptions.
Information - Font information definitions.
There are four extra gadgets in the main window which allow you to select
the font style which will be displayed in the sample. As of v3.0 this works
in real-time. As soon as you select a style, the font sample will be updated
to reflect the changes. Try them to see what they do. Be aware that not all
fonts allow all the styles. You may find that with some fonts although
certain styles have been selected the actual displayed font does not have
these characteristics. This is perfectly normal and not a bug.
Some functions are duplicated in the pull down menus for convenience.
Change dir - does the same thing as the 'Directory Button'.
Select Font - is identical to the 'Select Font Button'.
The program is reasonably simple, play around and you'll soon
discover how it works.
8. Gadgets
Gadgets
Select Font Button - Brings up a font requester from which you can
choose a font and it's size. The font name
will be visible in the window.
Directory Button - Brings up a directory requester which can be used
to select a new path to assign FONTS: too. This
allows the font requester to be used to access
fonts from anywhere. When the program is ended it
resets the FONTS: assign to: 'SYS:Fonts/'.
Font Information - Brings up a seperate window which contains all of
the selected fonts particulars. This button
toggles the information window on and off. If you
change screens this window will always start off
closed.
Move To New Screen - Opens a screen requester which contains all the
available Public Screens. Select one and then
FontView will move to that screen. I have noticed
that some screens (CygnusEd) show up as a Public
Screen, but you can only move to them if they are
configured to allow visitors. CygnusED has a menu
option to do this.
Fix Fonts - Runs the Fix Fonts program to update the #?.font
files. Useful when you remove or add a particular
size of font to/from your Hard Drive. The #?.font
files will be updated to reflect your changes.
** Remember that this function operates on the FONTS:
directory so make sure you set the directory
assign to the directory you intend to update.
- Page 4 -
8. Gadgets
Registered Users - Brings up a list of FontView's Registered Users
About - Information about the program.
Quit - Quit program.
9. Font Information
Font Information
Height : The height of the font (number of pixels/lines).
Width : The nominal width of each character. If the font
is normal (non proportional) this is the width
between the first pixels of two characters. If a
proportional font is used a special array of
different width for each character may be used.
Low (Char) : A font can consist of up to 256 characters, but
usually the font is much smaller. You can for
example have a font which only consists of
capital letters (A, B, C, .. Y, Z). This field
tells us and the system which is the first character.
High (Char) : The last character in this font.
B(ase)Line : The number of pixels down the baseline is from the
top of the characters. You may not use a base line
which is greater than the nominal height - 1
(tf_YSize-1), or the system may crash!
(Bold)Smear : When you change the style to bold by calling the
SetSoftStyle() function a copy of the font is
placed on top of itself and a bit to the right.
The further to the right, the bolder characters.
This value represents the number of pixels to the
right the characters should be moved. This value
is usually set to 1, but large fonts usually need
larger values.
Modulo : The graphics (character data) for the characters
are organized into lines. First comes the top line
of all characters, then the second line and so
on... This value represents the number of bytes
needed for each line.
Tall : The font is specially designed for high resolution
screens with no interlace. (Each pixel is only half
as wide as it is tall.)
Wide : The font is specially designed for low resolution
screens which are interlaced. (Each pixel is only half
as tall as it is wide.)
Reverse : The font should be printed in the opposite direction
(right to left).
Design : If you have designed the font for the size specified in
the "tf_ YSize" field this flag should be set. If a
program has constructed this size of the font the flag
should not be set. (The graphical quality of a
Constructed font is usually not as good as a font which
has been designed for this size.)
Type : The fonts can either be 'Fixed Width' or 'Proportional'.
- Page 5 -
9. Font Information
Proportional fonts are ones where the width of each
character will vary depending on how wide the character
is itself. The box containing an "i" will (usually) not
be as wide as a "w" for example.
Users : Several programs may use the same font
simultaneously, and this value represents the
current number of users. Each time the font
is opened by a program this value is increased,
and each time someone closes the font this value
is decreased. Although FontView is technically using
the font, it won't show up in the number of users.
Location : Tells us whether the Font is located on Disk or in Rom.
10. Development History
History
- Changes/Notes.
# Bugfix.
* New Feature.
v1.0 - Based on an Arexx program which I wrote a while ago.
- Now completely coded in C.
- First Public Release.
v1.01 * Added intuition menus.
# Bugfix: If the font requester had not been used and the
program was quit then a guru would occur. Simply because,
the program was trying to free a buffer for a non-existing
requester structure.
v1.02 - Minor changes to the GUI. Tidied up some of the string
gadget locations.
- Cleaned up intuition loops. All similar controls use the
same function instead of one for each.
v2.0 * Requires Kickstart v37+.
* Complete re-write. Now has font sensitive interface.
* Everything is now using proper gadtools.library calls.
- Font styles adjustable from main window.
* Added Change FONTS: dir option.
- Automatically senses the screen font in use and presents
data on it when the program begins.
- Font requester remembers last selected font.
- Various slight changes to displayed data.
v2.1 * Added Public Screen switching.
* Added Pull-Down menus.
# Bugfix: On some systems the requesters would refuse to
open on anything other than the Workbench Screen. This has
been fixed.
# Bugfix: Crashed on quiting if 'Use Screen' was selected
and nothing was entered. Disabled 'Use Screen' until
the listview has been used.
# Bugfix: Although FontView's initial data was the screen
font of the public screen on which it opened, the sample
displayer would only show topaz 8.
# Bugfix: If the Public Screen could not be located/used
- Page 6 -
10. Development History
then the workbench was used but not brought to the front.
* Added a requester to notify if a screen could not be used.
- Slight change to 'About' requester - gadget text.
v2.2 # Bugfix: Some of the earlier bug fixes had created
problems of their own hopefully they are all gone.
- Re-worked the entire interface display.
- If no screen is selected from the requester, then the main
window will still close and refresh itself. This helps
avoid some of the updating problems it was having.
# Bugfix: A previous fix had stopped the font requester from
using the last selected font as a default - and if it was
canceled.
v2.3 * Added new font info items. Modulo, Baseline, BoldSmear,
TallDot, WideDot, RevPath, Designed.
* Redesigned interface from scratch to accommodate new
info items.
- Standardized some of the requester titles.
- Changed documentation to Amigaguide format.
v2.4 * Moved font information to a seperate window which can be
turned on or off. I found the info was only of interest on
occasions.
* The main window now has a zoom gadget which allows the
program to be iconified quite nicely. The menu functions
and hotkeys still work whilst the minimized window is
selected.
- Changed menu layout slightly.
# Bugfix: Previous version had to close and reopen the main
window if no screen was selected in the requester. This is
no longer necessary.
v2.5 * Added Fix Fonts function.
- Moved all gui info to one source file - less work.
- Stretched Font and Dir name gadgets - to allow for
longer names.
# Bugfix: The assign routine wasn't working perfectly.
changed to running the external Assign command. The
assign routine in earlier versions can cause some real
problems in a multi-tasking environment. Make sure the
assign command is in your c: directory.
- Made FontView shareware. Added appropriate requesters.
- Changed Menu Item 'About' to ? instead of A as per g/lines.
* All windows now have zoom gadgets to make them easier to
get out of the way if so required.
v2.5a - Added failure requesters for incorrect kickstart and
reqtools versions. Now when run on anything less than Wb2.0
the program will give a 'Requires Kickstart v37+' requester
instead of just quiting silently, and a 'Requires reqtools.
library v38+'.
- Slight changes to some requesters.
- There seems to be a problem with earlier releases of v38
reqtools and the font requester. I have been unable to
track this down, but using at least v38.1248 fixes
the problem.
v2.5b - Minor update due to my mail addresses changing.
v2.5c # Bugfix: FontView double-locked the workbench screen but
didn't release both locks when it quit. This resulted
in other programs being unable to close and re-open
- Page 7 -
10. Development History
the workbench screen because intuition thought something
was still open there. :( Now fixed... :)
v2.6 - Release date: 21 August 1995.
* Added Tooltype support.
- Re-wrote some of the documentation.
* Added PUBSCREEN tooltype - initial opening screen.
- Unregistered screen now opens after main window.
- Changed version string format.
v2.7 - Release date: 01 May 1996.
- Minor changes to the gui.
* Registered Users display list added.
* FIXFONTS tooltype added.
* Expanded help for Cli arguments. Press ? at prompt.
- My Fidonet address and postal address changed.
v2.8 - Release date: Internal version only.
- Major changes to Fontview guide, using Heddley.
- Slight change to registration - no special CPU versions.
v3.0 - Release date: 16 Dec 1996
* Complete re-write.
* Interface redesigned from scratch.
* Font sample now included in main window.
* Font sample updates in real-time. You can change the font,
and it's style and the display will automatically update.
- Updated address details, including EMail.
- Re-written guide file to reflect program changes.
11. Program Credits
Credits
FontView v3.0 was created using the following software packages:
SAS/C v6.3 © SAS Institute.
GadToolsBox v2.0c © Jan Van Den Baard.
Reqtools.library v38 © Nico Francois.
Cygnus Ed v3.5 © CygnusSoft Software.
DirectoryOpus v5.5 © Jon Potter & GPSoftware
Heddley v1.1 © Edd Dumbill
Thanks To:
Jon Potter The font sample display was based in part on code from
Directory Opus 5.5 (c) 1996 Jonathan Potter & GPSoftware
Max Gunsberger for his requests/suggestions/bug reports.
Richard McElvenny for uploading the distribution to Aminet.
Registered Users:
Max Gunsberger
Arthur Sawilejskij
Fred Mauloni
Nigel Schodel
Robert Rae Strickland
Klaus Becker Jnr
Petra Struck
Anthony Flanagan
Richard McElvenny
James Abram
JoAn K. Sells
Jon Potter
- Page 8 -
11. Program Credits
12. Registration
Registration
As mentioned elsewhere in these documents, if you wish to continue using
FontView then please consider registering. Although, nothing is disabled in
the unregistered release , a small donation would be greatly appreciated. If
only to get rid of the annoying requester... :)
If you wish to continue using FontView, then $AUD5 (Australian Dollars)
is the suggested amount, although I will accept larger figures of course.
:) Those that send the $5 will receive a personalised version of
FontView, without the reminder requester's.
Those that wish can also have FontView compiled to suit their CPU. By all
accounts, using a version compiled for the faster machines does speed
up program operation somewhat. I am in no position to verify this, but I
will send a 68000 version as well just in case any problems occur.
NOTE: I've given this some thought, and it just isn't worthwhile providing
different versions of the program for various CPUs. If FontView was a
rendering package then there would be some benefit to custom compiled code,
but realistically, the program should perform it's job more than adequately
with standard code. Let me know if you really disagree. :)
Registered users can receive updates of FontView by simply sending
a floppy disk and return postage. I will send the most current version
of FontView as soon as possible. If I am working on a significant update
I will retain the disk and send it when the update is finished.
Send all relevant details to me along with your money. I will not
be responsible for chasing you if you don't tell me your address. Be warned,
I will pocket your money and leave it up to you to get in touch.
For those with internet access, feel free to register via EMail, I will
send your registered version back to your EMail address within a day or so.
This is by far the quickest method. Also the cheapest method for registered
users to get updates (no disk or postage required).
Thanks for trying FontView and I hope the program meets your needs...
13. Contacting The Author
Author
Send all bug reports, comments, registrations etc to:
Steve Banham Phone : 61-65-849984
PO Box 964, Fax : 61-65-833255
Port Macquarie,
NSW, 2444 EMail : sbanham@nor.com.au
Australia.
- Page 9 -
13. Contacting The Author
14. INDEX of sections
Cli Usage .......................................................... 2. 28
Contacting The Author .............................................. 8. 43
Development History ................................................ 5. 14
Font Information ................................................... 4. 5
FontView v3.0 ©1996 Steve Banham ................................... 1. 0
Gadgets ............................................................ 3. 28
Installation ....................................................... 2. 5
Legal Information .................................................. 1. 17
Program Credits .................................................... 7. 29
Program Operation .................................................. 2. 66
Registration ....................................................... 8. 0
What Is FontView? .................................................. 1. 47
Workbench Usage .................................................... 2. 52
15. INDEX of keywords
................................................................. 1. 7
CLI .............................................................. 3. 7
Gadgets ...................................................... 3. 10
Information ...................................................... 3. 11
Workbench ........................................................ 3. 7
author ............................................................. 1. 31
FIXFONTS ........................................................... 2. 27
information ........................................................ 3. 47
registration ....................................................... 1. 27
registrations ...................................................... 1. 37
Steve Banham ....................................................... 1. 25