AFM to .metric
17 messages in this thread
I understand that there's some sort of utility that's at use at gold disk
to convert AFM files to ProPage .metric files. First off, does this run on
an Amiga? or does it run on a Mac? or PC? Is this something that GD only
uses in house, or are there plans to release it for sale? A package to
convert Mac fonts to Amiga fonts complete with .metric files (for the Mac
postscript fonts) would be a really nice thing to have as there are many PD
or shareware Mac fonts out there that'd be nice to be able to convert to
Amiga/ProPage.
Dear Mike,
Yes, we do have a utility that we use internally on the Amiga to
convert .AFMs to .METRICs. The long-term plans for this utility have not
been decided yet. There have been internal votes for its release.
There is also a shareware utility disk available (not by us) that
is supposed to convert .AFMs to .METRICs and convert screen fonts, too. The
authors name is Gordon Feyck(sp?).
Darren Jerrard Gold Disk Technical Support.
Darren (or Tom):
Can you tell me where I can locate this shareware disk? The only font
conversions I was aware of were only for the bitmapped fonts.
-Mike Schiller
In sunny Fort Lauderdale
That's a hard one. There is a BBS in Calgary that has it (AMUG), the phone
number escapes me, but you can probably find it in a Final List, or in a
mag.
Tom Gandey Gold Disk, Inc. Technical Support
Tom:
Any chance of you downloading it, and uploading it here?
-Mike Schiller
In sunny Fort Lauderdale
That's a possibility. If you don't see it up here within two weeks, drop
me some E-Mail and that'll give me the kick I need to get it up. Right now
we're in the process of moving, so you'll have to bear with me, I'm calling
from home today to catch up on messages.
Anything you guys can do to help with Adobe Fonts in ProPage would be
greatly appreciated. The Compugraphic fonts are nice but are too slow in
coming out! I have been collecting (BUYING) Adobe fonts for my Mac+ and
would REALLY like to be able to use them with my Amiga somehow.
Unfortunately, you need IBM Adobe Type 1's to use with this program, along
with the Mac NFNT files. Sorry. But now the good news: 36 New FAMILIES
of CGFonts will be out as early as next week.
At what price? something like the 99.00 intro fee would be nice, as IMHO
the regular price of the first CGFONTS disk was way too high! Also, does
that program also make the screen fonts, or do you need a different program
to convert the screen fonts? Has GD ever thought of bundleing all their
DTP products (PPage, PDraw, Templates, Clipart, CGFonts) all into one
package? Now that PDraw uses a different clip format than v1.0 will there
be an upgrade to PPage users, or possibly PPage 2.0 soon? Or maybe a
utility to take a PD2.0 clip and make it into a PD1.0 clip file? Sorry
about shooting all these questions your way, it's just that I think that
ProPage is a better product than PageStream, and I'd like to see it expand
so that it can be more readily accepted into mainstream (read that Mac &
PC) DTP markets.
I really don't think the .clip format has changed. You can still import
1.0 stuff into 2.0, maybe the 2.0 stuff is sort of an extended format. As
far as "deals", I don't really know what is going on, your best bet it to
call Anne Halferty here (Customer Service) 416 602-GOLD.
Type 1 fonts are no problem… I have a Mac+ I have been using for DTP (so
far)and have plenty of them. I also have Fontographer 3.0 and can make my
own Type 1 or 3 fonts. Now if I could just use them with ProPage on my
Amiga. Thats good news about the C.G. Fonts… But I hate to buy C.G.fonts
when I have already bought the same Adobe fonts. What was that old saying
about "Device Independence"??? As long as your device is a Mac or IBM I
guess.
Tom:
I've also been talking with Larry Jordan (I think that's his name, but I
could be wrong) from Bitstream about the possibility of them porting their
font line over to the Amiga, and ProPage format in particular, Does GD have
any interest in helping get this going?
-Mike Schiller
In sunny Fort Lauderdale
Mike keep me posted on this. It will be interesting to see how it develops.
Mike, Re: Bitstream Fonts. Yum! Yum! Sounds great. I will talk to the
resident font expert at work about this possibility. It would also help
tremendously if Larry Jordan sent us a proposal (FAX). He can send it to
the ATTN of PHIL HOTTE. Our FAX # is (416) 828-7754 just in case you were
wondering.
Tom– Here's another vote for GD and Bitstream working on fonts for the
Amiga. I used the CG fonts with PPage and an HP LaserJet for awhile but
then got a Pacific Data PS cartridge, mainly for the speed and the extra
features postscript allows.
The cartridge comes with Bitstream fonts and even to my non-artistic eyes,
the Bitstream fonts look quite a bit nicer than the CG fonts. I've seen
other comments by people with more experience in looking at fonts, that the
Bitstream fonts look nicer than the Adobe fonts.
Anything you and Bitstream can do to get the Bitstream fonts for the Amiga
would be greatly appreciated. I've got a copy of the Bitstream catalog and
know exactly what my first order would be the moment it became possible to
use them.
Tom
Since HP uses CG fonts internally (I believe), it should only be a matter
of time before there is a driver which can use these fonts with Amiga CG
fonts on screen
Tom:
Sorry, the last message got cut off short, I hit the wrong button at the
wrong time.
What I was saying was that I thought that it might be nice if Gold Disk
would perhaps contact Bitstream, as they seemed interested in breaking into
the Amiga market for fonts (after I complained to them about the lack of
Amiga fonts). Let me know what the brass at GD think about this idea.
Thanks…
-Mike Schiller
In sunny Fort Lauderdale