CompuServe Messages

Fountain (or IntelliFont on AmigaDOS 3.x systems) is a program that manages and installs the CG (outline) fonts. The outline fonts are quite different from the Amiga's bitmap fonts. Bitmap fonts use a pre-mapped matrix of on/off bits that define the shape of the characters. With a bitmap font like TOPAZ, each 8 point character is an 8-bits high & 8-bits wide 'block' reguardless of what the character looks like. A bitmap font in the 'Fonts' drawer (like Garnet) will consist of: – a directory entry with the font's name, – a data file for each point size, named after the point size, – a file '.font' that contains a list of all the points for the matching font The outline font system defines what a character's shape is in detail, then maps the shape to a matix (scaling the font to the requested size). To do this requires a larger font engine than used by bitmap fonts, and more information about the font. (Many users create a drawer called 'CGFonts' for holding the CG Fonts. We'll assume this for the examples.) On the Amiga the 'Agfa CompuGraphic' outline fonts require: – bullet.library, in LIBS: – '_bullet' directory in CGFonts drawer. – the files: hq3.fnt, hqupdt.tyq, if.fnt, if.uc, & plugin.types in '_bullet" directory. – '_bullet_Outlines' directory in CGFonts drawer. (Used for storing the actual CG font. – a '.font' and '.otag' file in the CGFonts drawer for each installed CGfont. Using Fountain, you can select a *directory* containing the 'source' files where Fountain can find the CGfonts to be added to the system. Fountain will display all the CGFonts that it finds. Fountain will also allow you to select the font direct where you want the CGFonts installed to (incase you have multiple font directorys). Normally, Fountain generates some default point sizes for the CGFont that is being installed, but Fountain has options for adding more sizes or deleting them. Preset font sizes are not required for programs that allow the user to enter any point size — the system will generate the new size on the fly (but won't save the new size to the font directorys). Fountain can also generate a bitmapped version of a font from a CGFont if you need a bitmapped version. – Ron. (People who say cats always land on their feet… just don't know how to throw them right.)