Sfware A Manual for the Standalone Utilities Copyright 1990-92 by Norman Walsh All Rights Reserved Version 1.1 Notice: This document is written and maintained by Small Planet Software. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, photocopied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means except those provided for by the shareware license agreement of the accompanying software. Copyright 1991-92 by Small Planet Software All Rights Reserved Although every reasonable precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, no warranty of any kind is made with regard to the use of this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No patent or copyright liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein or the use of the accompanying software. Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Tom Bruhns and Philippe Weil for their invaluable assistance. They were my primary gunea pigs as the product went through alpha and early beta testing. Without their patience and helpful comments, neither this software nor this manual would be what they are today. All trademarks used within this document are the trademarks of their respective owners. NO WARRANTY THESE PROGRAMS ARE DISTRIBUTED FREELY. THESE PROGRAMS IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAMS IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAMS PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION. IN NO EVENT WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAMS (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAMS TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Every reasonable effort has been made to assure the quality and completeness of these programs. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, or if you believe that you have found a bug, please contact the author at the address given at the end of this document. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Conventions Used in This Manual 3. Configuring Sfware and Using Command Files 4. SFLOAD: Downloading Fonts 5. SFFX: Special Effects 6. SFCMPR: Compressing Fonts 7. SFROTATE: Rotating Fonts 8. SFSHOW: Showing Fonts 9. SFVIEW: Viewing Fonts 10. SFINFO: Displaying Softfont Information 11. SFDIR: Softfont Directory Listings 12. The Bold Effect 13. The Fixed Spacing Effect 14. The Fill Effect 15. The Halftone Effect 16. The Horizontal Fade/Mist Effect 17. The Hollow Effect 18. The Invert Effect 19. The Mirror Effect 20. The Mist Effect 21. The Outline Effect 22. The Proportional Spacing Effect 23. The Resize Effect 24. The Reverse Effect 25. The Shadow Effect 26. The Shade Effect 27. The Slant Effect 28. The Stripe Effect 29. The Three-D Drop Shadow Effect 30. The Tilt Effect 31. The Hollow Three-D Drop Shadow Effect 32. The Filled Three-D Drop Shadow Effect 33. The Vertical Fade/Mist Effect 34. Patterns 35. Sfware Registration 36. Contacting the Author 37. Glossary 1. Introduction The Sfware softfont utilities from Small Planet Software are MS-DOS programs distributed under a shareware license agreement. These utilities provide extensive font manipulation capabilities for HP LaserJet softfonts. The Sfware utilities allow you to download, rotate, compress, expand, view, and perform special effects on softfonts. The effects provided include bold, fill, convert to fixed spacing, halftone, hollow, invert, mirror, outline, convert to proportional spacing, resize, reverse, shade, shadow, slant, stripe, three-d, hollow-three-d, and filled-three-d. The effects can be tailored and customized for any font with various parameters and shading patterns. All of these features are provided by a set of standalone utilities. The utilities have a standardized interface to make learning how to use them as painless as possible. Additionally, the features are available through an integrated menu interface. The menu interface is provided by the SfShell program. SfShell is described in another manual---this manual documents the standalone utilities. 1.1. Getting Started Sfware is ``shareware,'' and the author encourages archive maintainers to post Sfware for downloading; you may have received your copy from almost anywhere and almost anyone. Please make sure that you have a complete distribution before you try to install Sfware. 1.1.1. Hardware Requirements In order to use Sfware, you will need a PC, PS/2, or close compatible with 150KB or so of free memory. A hard disk is recommended, but not required. A LaserJet+ or compatible printer is not actually required, but Sfware is probably a little pointless without one! Note: the original LaserJet printer does not have the ability to use softfonts; the Sfware utilities cannot help you use fonts with the original LaserJet printer. If you want to use the SfShell program, you will need 300-400KB of free memory and either a hard disk, a ram disk, or sufficient expanded memory for swapping. You cannot use a removable (floppy) drive for swapping. The shell is not required for any of the features available in Sfware, but it does provide a user-interface for the Sfware utilities that is less intimidating than the command line. If you are running a version of DOS prior to 3.30, read the configuration section carefully since you may have to do a little more work to get Sfware installed. 1.1.2. Software Requirements In addition to Sfware, you must have at least one HP LaserJet softfont file. 1.1.3. Packing List Sfware is distributed in four archive files. The archives are named SFWverP1, SFWverP2, SFWverD1, and SFWverD2. In each file, the ver is replaced by the Sfware version number. Every archive contains a file called PACKING.xx that lists the files that should be present in the archive.Please make sure that you have complete archives before you proceed to install Sfware. The ``P'' archives contain the Sfware programs and both are required in order to install Sfware. The ``D'' archives contain documentation. The ``D1'' archive documents the SfShell interface, the ``D2'' archive documents the individual utilities. Please refer to the file PRINTDOC in SFWverP1 for instructions describing how to print the documentation. 1.2. Installation 1.2.1. Making Backups Like any software package, it is always advisable to make backup copies of the distribution diskettes or distribution archives. This is especially important if you use an ``on the fly'' compression program to compress executable files (e.g. PkLite). Sfware cannot be registered after it has been compressed---you will need the original programs in order to register Sfware. There is no compelling reason not to compress the programs after you have registered them. 1.2.2. Hard Drive Installation Create a subdirectory on your hard drive for the Sfware utilities; it does not matter what drive you install onto or what you name the directory.For the purpose of this manual, the directory D:\SF is assumed. Copy all of the files from the distribution diskette (or from the distribution archive) into the Sfware directory. 1.2.3. Floppy Disk Installation Copy all of the files from the distribution diskette (or from the distribution archive) onto a floppy disk. This manual assumes that Sfware has been installed in the directory D:\SF but it is not necessary to install Sfware onto a hard disk. Due to space limitations on floppy disks, it may not be possible to place all of the files on a single diskette. If is the case, it is recommended that you put SFSHELL.EXE and SFSHELL.HLP, on one floppy and all of the other utilities on a second floppy. If you do not plan to use the shell, you will not need the SfShell files on a diskette. If you use a floppy-only system, you will only be able to use the SfShell program if you have sufficient expanded memory (EMS) for SfShell to use a swapping space when it runs the other utility programs.SfShell requires either sufficient EMS or a non-removable disk for swapping. Splitting the Sfware utilities across two floppies does not present any real technical difficulties (aside from the location of swapping space) but you should read the Configuration chapter carefully to make sure that you have set things up properly. In particular, you will need to tell SfShell where the utility programs are located. 1.3. Initial Configuration Before you can use Sfware, you must run SfConfig to establish an initial configuration.Please follow the `quick start' instructions in the READ.ME file or read the Configuration chapter before trying to run Sfware. 2. Conventions Used in This Manual The standalone utilities have a steeper learning curve than the SfShell interface.However, if you are comfortable with command line utilities in general, the Sfware utilities should not be too difficult to master. The advantages of mastering the learning curve are that the Sfware utilities have a few more options when used from the command line than they do from within the shell and the command line utilities allow you to work with groups of files efficiently. In terms of getting something done, all of the command line utilities are run in the same general way. Basically, you type: UTILITY some-parameters some-options wherever you type DOS commands (This is generally the DOS prompt, but many user-friendly interfaces to DOS exist and if you are using one of them, you can type these commands wherever you would type any general DOS command (like DIR or WP).) . The sections that follow will describe the conventions used in this manual for describing what some-parameters and some-options are and how to enter them. 2.1. Typographic convensions 2.1.1. typewriter Typewriter type is used within this manual to denote explicit words or commands or filenames that you type exactly the way they appear in this manual. In this manual, FRUIT means you type ``F'' ``R'' ``U'' ``I'' ``T'' , whereas a fruit (italics are described below) might mean apple, or pear, or any specific fruit. 2.1.2. italics Italics are used to name a general ``class'' of things. If a command in this manual contains a word in italics, you should replace that word with a concrete example of ``one of those things'' when you type the command. For example, a fontname in this manual means any valid, existing softfont; you should type the name of an existing font file. Occasionally, italics are used for emphasis (as they are in general typography) but it will be clear from the context when that is the case. 2.1.3. [[ brackets ]] The stylized square brackets denote optional parameters. You should only type what appears within the brackets when you want to use the associated optional feature. 2.2. Semantic convensions 2.2.1. Parameter Parameters are additional input, given on the command line, that you are required to enter. You cannot omit any parameters. 2.2.2. Option Options are additional input, given on the command line, that you are not required to enter. You can omit any or all options. 2.2.3. filemask A filemask is any valid DOS filename that may contain wildcard characters.The wildcard characters are interpreted exactly the way that DOS interprets them.Consult your DOS reference if you are unsure about what constitutes a valid filename or how you can use wildcard characters to select groups of files. 2.2.4. filename A filename is any valid DOS filename. A filename must name a single specific file, it cannot contain wildcard characters. 2.2.5. fontmask A fontmask is exactly like a filemask except that it must name one or more softfont files. The files whose names match a fontmask should contain LaserJet softfonts. 2.2.6. fontname A fontname is exactly like a filename except that it must name a LaserJet softfont. 2.2.7. outname or outmask An outname or outmask is any valid DOS filename or filemask. The file(s) specified for an outname or outmask will be created if they do not exist. In most cases, existing files with the same name will be replaced if they exist (the replace option determines whether or not confirmation is required before replacing an existing file). When an outmask is used to decide what the name of each output file should be, the Sfware utilities perform the same filename resolution stratagy that DOS uses. First, any uses of `*' within the outmask are resolved to a string of `?'s. Then each character from the input filename is compared against the character at the same position in the outmask. If the outmask contains a `?' at that position, the character from the input filename is used for that position in the output filename. Otherwise the character from the outmask is used in the output filename. 2.3. How parameters and options are used Parameters and options come in two flavors: those with associated values and those without. Parameters (or options) without associated values are either present or absent; that provides all that is required to interpret the option. The /w option on the DOS DIR command is an example of a parameter without an associated value. If the /w option is present, it means print a wide directory listing; if it's absent, don't print a wide directory listing. Many Sfware utilities have parameters (or options) without associated values. Parameters (or options) that do have associated values have the general form: /parameter-name:value In this case, parameters (or options) are introduced by a forward slash and separated from the value by a colon. Spaces are not allowed anywhere in the parameter-name or the value. In the descriptions of parameters and options that have values associated with them, the sample value given in the description tries to indicate what kind of value is expected. These fall into four general categories:filenames or fontnames, numbers, patterns, and ranges. Filenames and fontnames are described above, patterns are described in the pattern chapter, and ranges are described in the range chapter. Numbers are indicated by # or % in the command description. Numbers indicated by % should be in the range 0-100. Parameters and options can be abbreviated to their shortest unambiguous name.For example, the /device:filename option can be abbreviated to /d:filename if no other option begins with ``d''. (It could also be abbreviated to /de, /dev, etc.) 2.4. Common Options There are a handful of options that almost all of the Sfware utilities share.These options and their meanings are described below. Every utility indicates whether or not it accepts these options without repeating the description each time. This convention, in conjunction with the conventions mentioned above, makes the process of describing each utility much easier and directs the reader more precisely to the information that is specific to each utility. 2.4.1. /@: The /@ option specifies an input filename. The input file contains Sfware commands.The format of the input file is discussed in the configuration chapter. 2.4.2. /!: The /!option specifies a message filename. If a message filename is given, the Sfware utilities will write warning and error messages to this file.It is used primarily by the SfShell program to capture error and completion messages. 2.4.3. /$ The /$ option displays registration information for the Sfware utilities. If you are using an unregistered program, this information will be displayed automatically.Please register your shareware! 2.4.4. /replace If the /replace option is used, existing files will be replaced without warning.Not surprisingly, this option is only available on utilities that create files. If the /replace option is not used, then the utility may or may not replace files without warning depending on the setting of the ``replace'' option in the configuration file. Please consult the chapter on configuration files for more information about the replace configuration variable. 2.4.5. /verbose All of the Sfware utilities print regular progress messages. The /verbose option causes many utilities to print more detailed progress messages. 2.4.6. /quiet The /quiet option suppresses some informative messages. For example, the /quiet option will suppress the %-complete messages in SfLoad. 2.4.7. Technically Speaking Many chapters end with a ``technically speaking'' section. This section describes, more technically, what Sfware does. You don't have to read it unless you want to. If you find the material in the technically speaking sections intimidating, just ignore it. On the other hand, if you find that something is not performing exactly the way that you thought it was supposed to, this section may help you figure out why Sfware is doing something other than what you expected. The ``real'' technically speaking section of this chapter concerns the ``switch character'' used to introduce command-line options and parameters. Because it was easy to implement, Sfware can be told to accept either the forward slash (``/'') or the hyphen (``-'') as the switch character. This is controlled by the ``SwitchChar'' configuration parameter. If you use the hyphen as the switch character, you cannot enter any filename that contains a hyphen because the hyphen will be interpreted as the start of another option. However, you can switch between switch characters on the command-line. If you enter /- when the foward slash is the switch character, the hyphen becomes the switch character and, conversely, if you enter -/ when the hyphen is the switch character, the forward slash becomes the switch character. 3. Configuring Sfware and Using Command Files In order to make Sfware easier to use, all of the programs read a configuration file each time they are executed. This configuration file gives you the flexibility to assign default values to many of the options and parameters of each program. 3.1. Name of the configuration file All of the utilities can share the same configuration file. However, rather than hardcoding the name of the configuration file, Sfware relies on the existance of a DOS environment variable to determine the name of the configuration file. Each Sfware utility expects the DOS environment variable SFCFG to name the complete drive, path, and filename of a suitable configuration file. For example, if you make a configuration file called SF.CFG and you put it in the D:\SF directory, the DOS command SET SFCFG=D:\SF\SF.CFG would be appropriate. If the DOS environment variable SFCFG is undefined, each of the utilities looks for a configuration file with the same name as its executable file and the extension .CFG. For example, SFFX.EXE looks for SFFX.CFG. 3.1.1. Special note for DOS 2.xx users In versions of DOS prior to version 3.xx, it was not possible for a program to find out the name or directory of its executable file. If SFCFG is undefined, the utilities will look in the current directory for configuration files. It is especially important to define SFCFG if you are not using DOS 3.xx or later. 3.2. Using SfConfig Frequently, the most difficult part of installing new software is the task of configuring it to work correctly in your system. This may be true of Sfware as well. In an effort to make the initial configuration as painless as possible, Sfware comes with the SfConfig program. SfConfig should be run after the SFCFG environment variable, discussed above, has been set. SfConfig will create a configuration file initialized with appropriate defaults and allow you to select, interactively, the laser printer that you use, the print device that you use, and name of your softfont directory.These are the most site-specific configuration options. SfConfig can be run again to change any one of these values; it will not change anything else in the configuration file that you have changed manually since the first time that you used SfConfig. The following three settings can be made from within SfConfig: 3.2.1. Laser Printer The Laser printer selection helps Sfware decide if font compression should be enabled. Later versions of Sfware may make more use of this option. 3.2.2. Printer Output The most common selection for printer output is LPT1. However, you can select LPT1-4, PRN, or any valid file or device for printer output. 3.2.3. Font Directory Most users keep all of their softfonts in one directory. If this is the case, you can tell Sfware always to look for fonts in that directory regardless of what directory you are currently in. This becomes the default font directory. However, even if you do select a default font directory, you can still override it and use any directory you want by selecting a new directory with ``F4'' in SfShell or by specifying a fontdir on the command line. 3.3. Format of the configuration file The configuration file is a plain ASCII text file, and it should be edited with a program that will not insert extra formatting characters when the file is saved (I recommend Multi-Edit by American Cybernetics). Each line of the configuration file is divided into three parts as follows: programid parameter=value The programid is seperated from the parameter by one or more spaces and the parameter is separated from the value by an equal sign (=). The programid is optional but the parameter and the value are required (actually, the value can technically be empty or blank but that is exactly the same as not defining it at all). Individual Sfware programs use the combination of programid and parameter as a key to lookup the default value of each parameter. Any configuration line that does not contain a programid automatically matches all programid's for that parameter. Case is insignificant in the programid and parameter. A simple example should make everything clearer. Given the following configuration file: PROG APPLE=1 PROG ORANGE=2 APPLE=3 OTHER ORANGE=4 The value of PROG APPLE is 1, PROG ORANGE is 2, ANYTHING-ELSE APPLE is 3, OTHER ORANGE is 4, and ANYTHING-ELSE ORANGE is undefined (blank, or non-existant). Each possible configuration parameter is described in the sections that follow.The section header lists only the parameter if the programid is the name of the utility program that uses it. For configuration parameters that make special use of the programid, both parts are listed. The parameters are listed in alphabetical order by parameter. 3.4. Compress Usage: program COMPRESS=YES or NO Used by: SfFx, SfRotate The Sfware utilities that write new softfont files use this flag to determine if the softfonts should be written in PCL4/5 compressed format or in the older, non-compressed format. Compression can produce very dramatic decreases in the amount of disk space required for a softfont.However, the compressed fonts are only recognized by LaserJet printers that are PCL4 compatible. The LaserJet Series II is not PCL4 compatible.Note, however, that the Sfware utilities provide for decompression ``on the fly'' in most cases. Please consult the section about downloading fonts for more information. 3.5. Device Usage: program DEVICE=filename Used by: SfLoad, SfShow Names the output device for Sfware utilities that interact directly with the printer. The most common value is LPT1, but any DOS file or device name may be used. 3.6. Esc Usage: program ESC=YES or NO Used by: SfDir Controls how SfDir displays font information. If ESC is YES, escape sequences are displayed by default. Otherwise a readable, text description is displayed by default. 3.7. FontDir Usage: program FONTDIR=directory Used by: SfShell, SfCmpr, SfFx, SfLoad, SfRotate, SfShow Names the DOS subdirectory where HP LaserJet softfonts are located. This is the default input and output directory for Sfware utilities that read or write softfont files. 3.8. FontExtn Usage: program FONTEXTN=ext Used by: SfShell, SfCmpr, SfFx, SfLoad, SfRotate, SfShow Names the default filename extension for softfont files. If you specify either an input softfont name or an output softfont name that does not include an extension, the Sfware utilities will append this extension to the filename. Note: it is possible to specify that a file should not have any extension by ending the filename with a period. 3.9. GraphBack Usage: program GRAPHBACK=number Used by: SfShell, SfView Controls the background color in graphics mode. The following colors can be used (they must be selected by number): 0=black, 1=blue, 2=green, 3=cyan, 4=red, 5=magenta, 6=brown, 7=light gray, 8=dark gray, 9=light blue, 10=light green, 11=light cyan, 12=light red, 13=light magenta, 14=yellow, and 15=white. 3.10. GraphCard Usage: program GRAPHCARD=cardname Used by: SfShell, SfView Tells SfShell what kind of graphics card you are using. By default, SfShell tries to determine what kind of graphics card you have and adjust accordingly.However, if it makes the wrong choice, you can force SfShell to select one of the following: CGA, MCGA, VGA, EGA, EGA64, EGAMONO, IBM8514, ATT, HERC, and PC3270. A complete list of available graphics resolutions for each card/mode is available under the section on ``GraphMode''. 3.11. GraphForg Usage: program GRAPHFORG=number Used by: SfShell, SfView Controls the foreground color in graphics mode. 3.12. GraphGrid Usage: program GRAPHGRID=number Used by: SfShell, SfView Controls the color of the gridlines in the graphics display. 3.13. GraphMode Usage: program GRAPHMODE=number Used by: SfShell, SfView Controls the graphics mode number for the selected graphics card. It is impossible for SfShell to know if you have selected a reasonable graphics mode. The results of using an incorrect or invalid graphics mode are undefined (and unpredictable!). The following table lists all of the graphics cards and the modes associated with them. In general, it is not necessary to specify a graphics mode since the highest resolution mode is selected by default: Card | Mode | Resolution | Palette -------------------------------------------------------------------- CGA | 0 | 320x200 | 0 CGA | 1 | 320x200 | 1 CGA | 2 | 320x200 | 2 CGA | 3 | 640x200 | 3 CGA | 4 | 640x200 (default) | 2 colr MCGA | 0 | 320x200 | 0 MCGA | 1 | 320x200 | 1 MCGA | 2 | 320x200 | 2 MCGA | 3 | 320x200 | 3 MCGA | 4 | 320x200 | 2 colr MCGA | 5 | 640x480 (default) | 2 colr EGA | 0 | 640x200 | 16 colr EGA | 1 | 640x350 (default) | 16 colr EGA64 | 0 | 640x200 | 16 colr EGA64 | 1 | 640x350 (default) | 4 colr EGAMONO | 3 | 640x350 (default) | 2 colr HERC | 0 | 720x348 (default) | 2 colr ATT | 0 | 320x200 | 0 ATT | 1 | 320x200 | 1 ATT | 2 | 320x200 | 2 ATT | 3 | 320x200 | 3 ATT | 4 | 640x200 | 2 colr ATT | 5 | 640x400 (default) | 2 colr VGA | 0 | 640x200 | 16 colr VGA | 1 | 640x350 | 16 colr VGA | 2 | 640x480 (default) | 16 colr PC3270 | 0 | 720x350 (default) | 2 colr IBM8514 | 0 | 640x480 | 256 colr IBM8514 | 1 | 1024x768 (default) | 256 colr -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.14. Numbers Usage: program NUMBERS=base Used by: SfShow The numbers parameter is used by SfShow to select the numeric base of the numbers printed around the reference grid. Valid options are hex, oct, dec, and none for hexadecimal (base 16), octal (base 8), decimal (base 10) and no reference numbers respectively. The default value is hex. 3.15. Pattern name Usage: PATTERN name=pattern-string Used by: SfShell, SfFx The pattern programid introduces named patterns. Any pattern that you plan to use more than once or that is very complex should probably be saved in the configuration file. There is a whole chapter devoted to patterns and pattern strings. Please consult that chapter for more information about patterns. The pattern created in the pattern chapter could be saved in the configuration file with the name zig-zag by placing the following line in the configuration file: PATTERN ZIG-ZAG=0;34;85;136 3.16. Quiet Usage: program QUIET=YES or NO Used by: SfDir Controls the degree of verboseness of messages from SfDir. In the future, other utilities may use this flag for the same purpose. 3.17. RefSet Usage: program REFSET=symbol-set Used by: SfShow If the reference set is defined, the reference character for each position in the font will be printed in the upper right hand corner of each cell on SfShow's grid. For example, setting sfshow refset=8u would make SfShow print the reference characters with the 8U symbol set.You must select a symbol set that is available in your laser printer's line-printer font. If you don't want reference characters to be printed, use sfshow refset=none. 3.18. Replace Usage: program REPLACE=YES or NO Used by: SfCmpr, SfFx, SfLoad, SfRotate, SfShow Each of the Sfware programs that can create new files use this flag to determine if existing files should be destroyed without warning. If you set this flag to YES, you can shoot yourself in the foot; if you leave it NO, the Sfware utilities will always make sure the safety is on! 3.19. Sentence Usage: program SENTENCE=string Used by: SfShell, SfView, SfShow Identifies the sentence to be displayed on graphical font preview screens and printed on the reference page. The default sentence is: The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. I said (very loudly), ``THE QUICK RED FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY BROWN DOG!'' How many times?0, 1, 2, or 3456789 times. 3.20. SwitchChar Usage: program SWITCHCHAR=char Used by: SfShell, SfCmpr, SfFx, SfLoad, SfRotate, SfShow, SfView, SfInfo Identifies the switch character. It must be set to either ``/'' or ``-''.Under MS-DOS, ``/'' is recommended. For more information about the uses of the switch character, consult the ``technically speaking'' note at the end of the Conventions chapter. 3.21. Style name Usage: STYLE name=number Used by: SfShell, SfShow, SfFx The ``style'' of a softfont is one of the font parameters that is used to distinguish between two otherwise identical softfonts. The values defined by HP are ``upright,'' ``italic'' and ``oblique.'' Using SfFx to create variations on a font can potentially create two fonts that are indistinguishable from each other. For example, ``hollowing'' a softfont does not change any of its font characteristics. The STYLE parameter tells the SfFx what style value to use in the font header for each effect. In this way, the printer will always be able to tell the old and new fonts apart. The name of the style must be one of the following: Bold, Fix, Fill, Fill3d, HalfTone, Hollow, Hollow3d, Invert, Mirror, OutLine, Prop, Resize, Reverse, Shade, Shadow, Stripe, Threed, and Tilt. The style value can be any number between 0 and 255.If the effect changes some other characteristic of the font, it is not necessary to change the style; this is indicated with a style value of 0. 3.22. Typefaces Usage: program TYPEFACES=filename Used by: SfShell, SfInfo, SfShow, SfDir The typefaces parameter names the file that lists typeface names. Every softfont has a typeface number. A name is associated with each typeface number; this is the name displayed by SfShell in the typeface column, and by SfInfo, SfShow and SfDir. Because the number of typefaces is growing and is subject to change, you can supply an additional typeface list that identifies any and all typeface numbers. Sfware is distributed with the file TYPEFACES.LST that contains all of the Hewlett Packard typeface names defined as of PCL5. If you have an old or non-standard softfont, this name may not accurately reflect the style of the characters contained in the font. The typefaces file is a plain text file. Each line should begin with a typeface number (typeface numbers 0 through 511 are valid as of PCL5; earlier printers only recognize typefaces numbered 0 through 255). The rest of the line is the typeface name. Lines that begin with a semicolon are ignored. The typeface numbers must be entered, one per line, in ascending order. 3.23. Sample File This is a sample configuration file. This sample does not contain all of the possible configuration variables because many require defaults that are system-specific (graphics cards, program filenames, etc.) and many repetitious lines have been deleted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Device = LPT1 FontDir = . FontExtn = SFP Replace = No Compress = No ; SfShow Sentence=The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. ; SfShell CommandFile=SFSHELL.CMD SfShell SwapFile=SFSHELL.\$\$\$ SfShell MsgFile=SFSHELL.MSG SfShell ExecOutput=Window ; SfShell FontListSize = 35 SfShell ActionListSize = 35 ; ; The Pattern and Style lines are for SfFx ; Pattern DarkSaw = 255/127/62/28/8/128/193/227/247 Pattern LightSaw = 128/65/34/20/8/0/0/0 Pattern NarrowBackslash = 136/68/34/17 Pattern TightSaw = \$6B/\$DD/\$B6/\$6B/\$DD/\$B6 Pattern DecoSlash = \$D2/\$69/\$B4/\$5A/\$2D/\$96/\$4B/\$A5 Pattern Cross = \$11/\$BB/\$EE/\$BB ; ; Styles defined by HP: ; ; 0 = Upright ; 1 = Italic ; 2 = Oblique ; Style Fill = 5 Style Halftone = 15 Style Hollow = 3 Style Invert = 14 Style Mirror = 13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.24. Command Files The standalone utilities, whether they are run from the command line directly or invoked automatically by SfShell, accept all of their input on the command line. Since this imposes a severe limit on the amount of input that can be provided, the utilities also accept input from a command file. SfShell creates a command file automatically to communicate with the standalone utilities and you can use them outside of SfShell, but understanding what they are and how they work is not important to using Sfware.Feel free to skip this section. The standalone utilities accept the name of the command file on the /@:filename option. If a command file is used, the utility will read commands from the file as if they were typed as parameters. The format of the command file is simple: each line should begin with an asterisk followed by the name of the utility followed by a space. The rest of each line is interpreted exactly as if it were typed on the command line. Because each line identifies which utility it is for, the same command file can be passed to several utilites. Each utility will only use the lines that are intended for it. For example, the command file below downloads several fonts: *sfload tr* /expand *sfload tr* /expand /landscape *sfload logo.sfp /expand If this command file is saved as AUTOLOAD.CMD, I would tell SfLoad to execute it by entering: SFLOAD /@:AUTOLOAD.CMD In general, this ability is of little use beyond downloading fonts (every morning, for example). However, the SfShell program makes extensive use of this feature to pass parameters to child processes when it executes the individual utilities to perform actions for the user. 4. SFLOAD: Downloading Fonts The SfLoad program downloads fonts to the LaserJet printer. Downloading fonts ``teaches'' the LaserJet printer how to print a particular font. 4.1. Usage SFLOAD fontmask [[options]] 4.2. Options 4.2.1. /image Downloading a softfont as an image has two advantages: first, it is the fastest method and second, it should work for softfont formats that the Sfware utilities are not otherwise equipped to handle. For example, if a new laserjet printer, the Series IV perhaps, is developed with a new kind of softfont, downloading will continue to work with that new printer as long as you select the image option. The image option is the default. If the image option is so great, why would I use anything else? Good question.There are two possible reasons. First, softfonts, especially large softfonts, take up a lot of disk space. The LaserJet IIP, III, and IIIP printers all support softfont compression (which provides substantial disk space savings for large softfonts). However, the LaserJet Series II printer does not support compression. If you have a LaserJet Series II printer and you always use Sfware to download your softfonts, you can still take advantage of the substantial space savings of softfont compression: compress all of your softfonts on disk and expand them when they are downloaded. You can't use the image option if you want to expand them when they are downloaded. In a similar manner, softfonts can be rotated as they are downloaded if your laser printer does not support auto-rotation of fonts. 4.2.2. /expand When the expand option is used, softfonts that are in PCL4 compressed format are expanded as they are being downloaded to the printer. This allows you to keep compressed softfonts on disk even if your printer does not support softfont compression. 4.2.3. /compress When the compress option is used, softfonts are compressed using the PCL4 compression format as they are being downloaded to the printer. I can't think of a single good reason to use this option. It is provided only to satisfy the author's compulsive desire to provide the greatest possible flexibility. 4.2.4. /portrait The portrait option rotates the softfont to portrait orientation before downloading it.This option has no effect if the font is already portrait. 4.2.5. /landscape The landscape option rotates the softfont to landscape orientation before downloading it. This option has no effect if the font is already landscape. Note:downloading both orientations does not imply that you will be able to use both orientations on the same page. The LaserJet Series II printer, for example, cannot print both portrait and landscape fonts on the same page. 4.2.6. /temp The temp option specifies that downloaded fonts should be made temporary.SfLoad usually makes fonts permanent. Note: temporary fonts are automatically deleted every time a printer reset command is used so this option is of limited usefullness. 4.2.7. /id:# The id option sets the starting font-id number. The default font-id is zero.Every font must have a unique id number; if more than one font matches the fontmask, the first font will have the specified id and every subsequent font will have an id number one greater than it's predecessor. 4.2.8. /device:filename The /device option specifies the output device. The output device is most frequently LPT1. SfLoad uses the specified filename (which may name a device) as the destination for downloaded fonts. 4.2.9. Other Options The SfShow program accepts the /@, /!, /replace, /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. 5. SFFX: Special Effects Because they are many and varied, each special effect is described in its own chapter (later in this document). All of the effects are produced by the SfFx program. All of the effects are created in the same general way; basically you enter: SFFX fontmask outmask effect-name effect-parameters effect-options The font masks select which font(s) will be used as the source and destination fonts.The effect-name indicates which effect to perform. The SfFx program accepts the /@, /!, /replace, /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. Every effect with the exception of the proportional and fixed spacing effects also accepts the /range parameter. An online summary of the parameters and options of each effect is available by typing SFFX HELP effect. You can also type SFFX HELP /RANGE and SFFX HELP /PATTERN. In the following chapters, where each effect is discussed, there are no examples of the effects because it was necessary to limit the number of fonts used in this document. This reflects a limitation in some LaserJet printers that prohibits printing more than sixteen different fonts on a given page. A second document called EXAMPLES.PCL is included in the Sfware distribution.This file contains examples of some of the effects that are possible.The corresponding document EXAMPL16.PCL is provided for those printers that cannot print more than sixteen fonts per page. Technically, every character within a softfont is defined within a rectangle.The rectangle is subdivided into squares like a sheet of graph paper.Inside the rectangle, some of the squares are black and some are white. Because the squares are very small, the effect of printing them on a sheet of paper is that they form the lines and curves that make up each charcter. In the descriptions of effects that follow, it is sometimes necessary to describe the way that ``squares'' within the rectangle are manipulated. The region of the grid that defines the character (the black dots on the ``graph paper'') is referred to as either the black area or the foreground, and the other ``squares'' are referred to as the white area or the background. 5.1. Ranges Because the range option is available on almost every effect, it is described once here rather than repeating it for every effect. The range option is available on all of the effects except proportional and fixed spacing. Specifying a range limits an effect to certain, specific characters. For example, you could limit the range of an effect to all of the uppercase letters. The range command comes in three flavors: 5.1.1. /range:c-c This is the ``letter-to-letter'' syntax, i.e. /range:a-z limits the scope to the lowercase alphabet, /range:A-E limits it to the uppercase letters A, B, C, D, and E. 5.1.2. /range:nn-nn This is the ``ascii value-to-ascii value'' syntax, i.e. /range:33-47 limits the scope to the punctuation symbols between ``!'' and ``/'', inclusive. In this syntax, the ascii value must be padded with zeros to make it at least two digits long. For example, the range ``/range:0-9'' is in letter-to-letter form and limits the scope to the decimal digits, ascii values 48 to 57, inclusive. The range ``/range:00-09'' limits the scope to the control characters NUL to HT (tab). 5.1.3. Mixed forms The forms can be mixed, /range:00-@ limits the scope of the effect to the first sixty-five ascii values, the null character (ascii 0) to @ or 00 to 64. The range effect is limited to a specific, contiguous subset of the ASCII character set. That is, you can specify any single range but you cannot specify an ``exception range'' (e.g. do all the characters except the lowercase letters) or two or more discontiguous ranges (e.g. do all the upper case letters and all the lower case letters). 5.2. Technically Speaking Most fonts do not contain a real blank space character. The LaserJet printer moves over by the default HMI everytime it encounters a character that does not exist in the current font; most fonts rely on the fact that the default HMI is exactly one space wide. This can create an unpleasant, choppy appearance if a special effect (e.g. halftoning) is applied that modifies the white background of each character. The SfFx program accepts the special option ``/_'' to correct this problem.The ``/_'' option forces SfFx to create a physical blank space character if the font does not already contain one. 6. SFCMPR: Compressing Fonts Compression, available in the LaserJet IIP and subsequent printers, allows you to keep softfonts in a compressed format on disk. For fonts with large point sizes, this can achieve a very significant space savings. 6.1. Usage SFCMPR fontmask [[options]] 6.2. Options 6.2.1. outmask If an outmask is not specified, the input fontname will be used (i.e.by default, SfCmpr replaces the input font with a compressed or expanded version of the same font). 6.2.2. /expand The /expand option expands compressed fonts. If the input font is not compressed, this option has no effect. If neither /expand nor /compress are specified, /compress is assumed. 6.2.3. /compress The /compress option compresses fonts. If the input font is already compressed, this option has no effect. If neither /expand nor /compress are specified, /compress is assumed. Only PCL4 compatible LaserJet printers can use fonts in compressed format. 6.2.4. Other Options The SfCmpr program accepts the /@, /!, /replace, /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. 7. SFROTATE: Rotating Fonts Softfonts come in two orientations: portrait and landscape. Newer LaserJet printers are capable of ``automagic'' internal font rotation but older LaserJets and some compatibles do not have this ability. Sfware provides the ability to convert from one orientation to the other. The SfRotate program can convert from one orientation to the other. 7.1. Usage SFROTATE fontmask [[outmask]] [[options]] 7.2. Options 7.2.1. outmask If an outmask is not specified, the input fontname will be used (i.e.by default, SfRotate replaces the input font with a rotated version of the same font). 7.2.2. Other Options The SfRotate program accepts the /@, /!, /replace, /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. 8. SFSHOW: Showing Fonts Showing a font with SfShow creates a reference page that displays every character in the font. The reference page includes all of the font characteristics, the font selection sequence and a chart of all of the characters in the font. 8.0.1. What's to Show? Every softfont can contain up to 256 different characters numbered from 0 to 255. Most fonts don't define all 256 different characters. The character chart is a grid that has ``spaces'' for each of the possible characters.If there are some character positions in the font that are not used, the spaces for those characters will be blank in the chart. For small fonts, the character chart is a 16x16 grid on a single page.If the font is larger than about 36pt (or has some very tall or very wide characters), the characters may be too large to fit into the spaces in a 16x16 grid. In this case, multiple reference pages may be printed for the font. When multiple reference pages are required, SfShow attempts to use the minimum number of pages. 8.1. Usage SFSHOW fontmask [[options]] 8.2. Options 8.2.1. Downloading Options In order to create a reference page, SfShow must first download the softfont.The following options control how each font is downloaded---they have precisely the same meaning as the SfLoad options with the same names:/image, /compress, /expand, /portrait, and /landscape. 8.2.2. /id:# The /id option allows you to specify the font-id number that should be used for the temporary font downloaded in order to print the reference page.Since temporary fonts are deleted automatically whenever a printer reset is performed, it is not generally necessary to use this option.The default value for this parameter is 16384. 8.2.3. /gridoff The /gridoff option supresses grid lines on the reference page. 8.2.4. /device:filename The /device option specifies the output device. The output device is most frequently LPT1. SfShow prints to the specified filename. 8.2.5. /refset:set For decorative or special purpose fonts, it may be helpful to have an additional reference character printed (in plain ASCII) next to each symbol in the chart. The /refset option allows you to specify the character set to use for reference marks on the printout. If reference marks are used, the reference character for each position in the font will be printed in the upper right hand corner of each cell on the grid. For example, using the /refset:8u option would make SfShow print the reference characters with the 8U symbol set. You must select a symbol set that is available in your laser printer's lineprinter font.If you do not want reference characters to be printed, use /refset:none. 8.2.6. /numbers:base The /numbers option allows you to specify the numeric base of the reference numbers printed around the grid. Valid options are hex, oct, dec, and none for hexadecimal (base 16), octal (base 8), decimal (base 10) and no reference numbers respectively. The numbers configuration variable (discussed in the configuration chapter) is provided to specify a default number base. 8.2.7. Other Options The SfShow program accepts the /@, /!, /replace, /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. 8.3. Technically Speaking When multiple reference pages are required, SfShow attempts to use the minimum number of pages, however, there are a few ``hidden'' constraints on how it selects the first character for each page. In particular, it will not skip characters on any single page (i.e. if the font defines ABCEFG but not D, SfShow will not print ABCEFG on a reference page without an intervening blank space where the D would be if it was defined. It wouldn't be difficult to provide this option but it would make numbering the grid much more difficult (read ``impossible''). 9. SFVIEW: Viewing Fonts Viewing a font is the on-line equivalent of printing a reference page.SfView displays every character in the font on a grid similar to the printed output of SfShow. It can also display a sentence in the font.A graphics adapter is required to view fonts. The following adapters are supported at this time: CGA, MCGA, VGA, EGA, EGA (Mono), PC3270, IBM 8514, AT&T, and Hercules. 9.1. Usage SFVIEW fontfile [[options]] Unlike the other Sfware utilities, SfView is interactive. When you run SfView, a something like the following will be displayed: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Grid Display Picture Cannot be Shown in this Version of the Manual It is a Graphics Image -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 9.1.SfView grid display 9.2. Options The SfView program accepts the /$ option. 9.3. Running SfView The keys described below allow you to change the range of characters displayed, the quality of the display, and the format of the display. 9.3.1. ``Esc'' You can leave at any time by pressing ``Esc'' . 9.3.2. ``PgUp'' / ``PgDn'' Pressing ``PgDn'' moves the range of characters displayed forward by one ``screenfull.'' If ASCII 255 is currently in the display, pressing ``PgDn'' has no effect. Pressing ``PgUp'' moves the range of characters displayed backward by one screenfull. If ASCII 0 is currently in the display, pressing ``PgUp'' has no effect. 9.3.3. ``Alt'' + ``A'' If you are displaying the font in a graphics mode that has the same number of pixels-per-inch both horizontally and vertically across the display, the ``Alt'' + ``A'' key combination is not available. If the number of pixels-per-inch horizontally and vertically is not the same, (i.e.the display has a non-square aspect ratio) it is impossible to display the characters without some distortion because the softfont is defined with the same number of pixels-per-inch both horizontally and vertically. There are two kinds of distortion: stretch-distortion and ``reduced resolution'' distortion.If every pixel of each character is displayed, the letters will be stretch-distorted by the fact that the pixels are ``closer together'' on the screen in one direction than the other. Alternatively, some rows or columns of pixels can be removed to avoid stretch distortion; characters drawn this way suffer from distortion because they are printed at a reduced resolution. The ``Alt'' + ``A'' key-combination alternates between these two types of distortion. 9.3.4. ``Alt'' + ``S'' Sometimes it is more useful to look at a font in the context of a sentence than it is to look at each individual character. This allows you to see how the characters interact with each other on the ``printed page.''The ``Alt'' + ``S'' key-combination alternates between the grid display and the sentence display. The sentence display looks like this: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Sentence Display Picture Cannot be Shown in this Version of the Manual It is a Graphics Image -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 9.2.SfView sentence display 9.3.5. ``Other'' Pressing any other key changes the range of characters displayed to begin with the key you pressed. 10. SFINFO: Displaying Softfont Information If you have difficulty printing a particular font, SfInfo can help pinpoint the source of the problem. SfInfo displays the contents of the softfont header and the header of each character in the font. In addition, SfInfo examines the font looking for possible printer incompatibilities.New printers have a much more relaxed opinion about what constitutes a valid font. A font that works on a LaserJet III may not work on a Series II; SfInfo will be able to tell you why. 10.1. Usage SFINFO fontmask [[options]] 10.1.1. Other Options The SfInfo program accepts the /$ option. 10.2. Running SfInfo Running SfInfo displays a panel something like the following: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SfShell vers 1.1 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Softfont Information �컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � � � Font name: CG Times Font filename: D:\FONTS\TRR14TXC.SFP � � � � Orientation : Portrait [ 0] All distances are in PCL dots � � Symbol Set : 0Q, Name unknown 旼컴컴� � � � � Spacing : Proportional [ 1] � � � � Baseline=30 � � Pitch : 25.00cpi [ 48, 0] � � � � _ � � Height : 10.00pt [166,171] � x � � � � Xheight=19.00 � � Style : Upright [ 0] 쳐컴컴� � � � � � � Stroke weight: Medium [ 0] �-----� � � Uline=8 � � Typeface : Times Roman [ 5] 읕컴컴� � Cell height=40 � � PCL5 Typeface: Times Roman [4101] 쳐컫컴� � � � Cell width=43 � � � � Font selection : (0Q(s1p25h1v0s0b5T � � PCL5 selection : (0Q(s1p25h1v0s0b4101T � � � � � � � � F1=Help F4=Char Info F5=Addnl Desc F6=Warnings Esc=Exit � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같 �177컆b같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같� -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 10.1.SfInfo Main Panel 10.2.1. ``Esc'' You can leave at any time by pressing ``Esc'' . 10.2.2. ``F4'' Pressing ``F4'' displays character information for the font. The dimensions of the largest character in the font are summarized and a scrolling list of the characters in the font is displayed. The additional info panel looks like this: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------  SfShell vers 1.1 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴칼 Character Information �컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � � � Widest bounding box on any character: 39 ("W") � � Tallest bounding box on any character: 38 ("j") � � Tallest ascender on any character: 30 (Ctrl-D) � � Deepest descender on any character: 10 ("<") � � Largest combined cell: 39x40 (max width X max height) � � � � 旼컴컴컴컴컴쩡컴컫컴컴쩡컴컴컫컴컴컴쩡컴컴컫컴컴컴쩡컴컴컫컴컴컴커 � � � Character � Cl � Or � Left � Top � Wd � Ht � dX � Data � � � 냐컴컴컴컴컴탠컴컵컴컴탠컴컴컵컴컴컴탠컴컴컵컴컴컴탠컴컴컵컴컴컴캐 � � � Ctrl-@ � 2 � P � 2 � 28 � 21 � 29 � 100 � 40  � � � Ctrl-A � 1 � P � 1 � 28 � 26 � 29 � 112 � 116 � � � � Ctrl-B � 1 � P � 2 � 29 � 26 � 31 � 120 � 124 � � � � Ctrl-C � 1 � P � 0 � 28 � 27 � 29 � 112 � 116 � � � � Ctrl-D � 2 � P � 1 � 30 � 25 � 34 � 112 � 124  � � � Ctrl-E � 2 � P � 1 � 28 � 28 � 29 � 120 � 26 � � � 냐컴컴컴컴컴좔컴컨컴컴좔컴컴컨컴컴컴좔컴컴컨컴컴컴좔컴컴컨컴컴컴캐 � � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴�  for More �� � � � � F1=Help Arrows=Move Esc=Exit � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같 �177컆b같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같� -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 10.2.Additional Character Information Panel The scrolling list of characters displays the class, orientation, leftoffset, top-offset, width, height, delta-X, and data sizes of every character in the font. These are technical measurements in the softfont and can be ignored by most users. The left-offset, top-offset, width, and height fields are PCL coordinate system dots.The delta-X field is in 1/4 dot units. The data size is in bytes.For compressed fonts (class 2 characters), this is the data size of the compressed character, not the expanded character. 10.2.3. ``F5'' Pressing ``F5'' displays any additional information present in the font header. The most common use of this area is font copyright information.The special effects program in Sfware uses this area to describe what effects have been performed on the font. Not all fonts have additional information in the header. 10.2.4. ``F6'' When the font is scanned, it is frequently possible to recognize that it is not valid for some printers. The LaserJet III printer (and, presumably, printers that follow it) have a very relaxed set of guidelines as to what constitutes a valid font. Older printers, the LaserJet Series II in particular, have very stringent requirements. SfInfo recognizes these incompatabilities and will display a warning message for each problem that it finds. If the problem can easily be corrected, the appropriate action is described. 11. SFDIR: Softfont Directory Listings The SfDir program provides a useful alternative to the standard DOS DIR command for softfonts. SfDir prints the font characteristics of each softfont that matches the fontmask. 11.1. Example Directory of D:\FONTS\*.* AR010AAA ESP Port 10J Fix 12.00cpi 9.96pt Up Medium Courier CMR10 SFP Port 0U Pro 9.96pt Up Medium Times Roman NB010AAA USP Port 0U Pro 9.96pt Up Medium Spartan TRB1CTXC SFL Land 0Q Pro 12.00pt Up Bold Times Roman TRR0OUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 6.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR0WUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 8.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR14TXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 10.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR1CTXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 12.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR1KTXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 14.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR1KUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 14.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR1KXXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 14.00pt Up Medium Times Roman TRR20TXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 18.00pt Up Medium Times Roman UNB1CTXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 12.00pt Up Bold Univers UNJ1CTXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 12.00pt It Bold Univers UNR0OUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 6.00pt Up Medium Univers UNR0WUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 8.00pt Up Medium Univers UNR14USC SFP Port 0U Pro 10.00pt Up Medium Univers UNR1CTXC SFP Port 0Q Pro 12.00pt Up Medium Univers UNR1KUSC SFP Port 0U Pro 14.00pt Up Medium Univers VGA20 SFP Port 10U Fix 20.00cpi 1.68pt Up Medium Courier VGA20SH SFP Port 10U Fix 20.00cpi 1.68pt 14 Medium Courier 21 Font(s) 288505 bytes 11.2. Usage SFDIR fontmask [[options]] 11.3. Options 11.3.1. /esc If SfDir is run with the /esc option, it prints the LaserJet escape sequence required to select each font instead of a textual description of the font characteristics. In the escape sequence, a raised dot is used to represent the ESC character (ASCII 27d). 11.3.2. /noesc With the /noesc option, SfDir prints a textual description of the font characteristics for each font that matches the fontmask. This is generally the default. 11.3.3. Other Options The SfDir program accepts the /quiet, /verbose, and /$ options. 12. The Bold Effect Emboldening a font makes it appear darker on the page. Adding a large amount of boldness to a font will cause it to blur and become difficult to read. In professional typography, the characters in a bold version of a font have different shapes and proportions. This is beyond the ability of Sfware. A normal font made bolder with Sfware will not look the same (and probably will not look as good) as a real bold version of the original font. 12.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask BOLD [[options]] 12.2. Options 12.2.1. /bold The /bold parameter controls how much darker the characters are made to appear.The larger the number, the darker the characters will be. For best results, the amount of boldness should be small with respect to the size of the font. It's difficult to define ``small'' in this context; one-tenth of the point size of the font (or less) is probably a good estimate. Experiment and see what looks most pleasing to the eye. 12.2.2. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 12.3. Technically Speaking The bold effect locates ``edge'' pixels (that is, pixels that are on a border of the character) by scanning horizontally across each row of pixels. Every time a pixel position is found that is currently off and adjacent to, but not surrounded by, pixels that are on, the pixel is turned on. This has the effect of adding pixels to the border of the character. The appropriate font and character parameters are updated so that the original character shape (now surrounded by a border) prints in the same position as the original. In other words, the left offset is incremented by one, the baseline is incremented by one, and the character bounding box is expanded. If an amount of boldness greater than one is specified, the above algorithm is iterated to produce the correct amount of boldness. 13. The Fixed Spacing Effect Fixed spacing uses the same width for each character in the font. This is the opposite of proportional spacing in which each character is given a width appropriate to its appearance. In a fixed spaced font, all characters have the same width. The fixed spacing effect creates a fixed spaced font from a proportionally spaced font. This can be useful if you need to line up columns of characters, for example, although it's generally better to use a font specifically designed for fixed spacing. 13.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask FIX [[options]] 13.2. Options There are no options for this effect. 13.3. Technically Speaking In the fixed spaced version of the font, all characters have the maximum cell width. Bitmaps that are narrower than the maximum cell width are adjusted to print as if they were centered in a box as wide as the maximum cell width. 14. The Fill Effect Filling a font creates outlined characters filled with a user-specified pattern. 14.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask FILL /pattern:pattern [[options]] 14.2. Parameters 14.2.1. /pattern Patterns can be specified directly or by using names defined in the configuration file.The Patterns chapter describes how to create patterns; the Configuration chapter describes how to save and name patterns. 14.3. Options 14.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 14.4. Technically Speaking Patterns are described in more technical detail in the Patterns chapter. 15. The Halftone Effect Halftoning a font can produce a wide variety of results. It is one of the most general effects in SfFx's repertoire. In brief, it allows you to specify the fill patterns for both the foreground and the background of two different regions of each character. This can create, for example, half-inverted characters. 15.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask HALFTONE /start:# /stop:# /blackbot:pattern /whitebot:pattern [[options]] 15.2. Parameters Every character is divided into two areas, a selected area and a non-selected area.Within each area, two shading patterns are applied--one to the currently black portion of the character cell (the character itself) and one to the white portion of the character cell ( everything else). Please refer to the Patterns chapter elsewhere in this manual for more information about patterns. 15.2.1. /start The /start parameter specifies where the selected area begins. This value should be expressed as a percentage from the top of the tallest character in the font. For example, specifing 25 begins the selected area 1/4 of the way down from the top of the character, similarly, 50 selects a position halfway down the character and 67 selects a position 67% of the way down from the top of the character. 15.2.2. /stop By analogy with /start, this option specifies where the select region ends.The /stop value should be larger than the starting value. The area between the start position and the stop position is the ``selected region'' of the character. 15.2.3. /blackbot The /blackbot pattern replaces the foreground (black) area of the selected region.The /blackbot parameter can be abbreviated to /bbot. 15.2.4. /whitebot The /whitebot pattern replaces the background (white) area of the selected region.The /whitebot parameter can be abbreviated to /wbot. 15.3. Options 15.3.1. /blacktop The /blacktop pattern replaces the black areas of the non-selected region.Please refer the the Patterns chapter elsewhere in this manual. The /blacktop option can be abbreviated to /btop. 15.3.2. /whitetop The /whitetop pattern replaces the white area (everything in the cell that isn't black) of the non-selected region. The /whitetop parameter can be abbreviated to /wtop. 15.3.3. /_ The /_ option forces a ``space'' character to exist. It may be particularly useful with this effect. For more information, consult the technically speaking section of the SfFx chapter. 15.3.4. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 15.4. Technically Speaking This effect forms the heart of several effects in SfFx. For example, the ``shade'' effect is nothing more than the halftone effect applied to a selected region from 0% to 100% of the character! If you understand the concept of a pattern (discussed in the Patterns chapter), it shouldn't be too difficult to understand the halftone effect. Note:in any effect that changes the background pattern, it may be necessary to turn off ``kerning'' within the word processor or other program that you use to print the font. Normally, causing two characters to overlap by a small amount (for example a capital ``T'' followed by a lowercase ``o'') is not noticable because they only overlap in the ``white'' background. However, after you have changed the background to a pattern other than plain white, the effect of overlapping two characters by even a small amount may be undesirable. 16. The Horizontal Fade/Mist Effect Fading a font with this effect ``smudges'' out the leading or trailing edge of each character. 16.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask HFADE /to:% [[options]] 16.2. Parameters 16.2.1. /to The /to parameter determines what percentage of the character is faded out.A fade factor of 100% applies the fade all the way across each character so that a 100% black saturation is achieved in the last column of pixels. Fade factors below 100% apply the fade more rapidly so that a 100% black saturation is achieved before the edge of the character.Conversly, fade factors above 100% draw the fade out so that it never reaches saturation. 16.3. Options 16.3.1. /back By default, a horizontal fade begins with 0% black on the left edge of the character and proceeds towards 100% on the right edge (at a rate determined by ``fade percent.'' See above). If backwards fading is selected, the fade proceeds from right to left instead of left to right. 16.3.2. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 16.4. Technically Speaking The fade effect examines each pixel in the bitmap and decides randomly if the pixel should be turned off. In any given column, 100*ColumnNumber*(FadePercent/100)/CharacterWidth percent of the pixels are turned off. 17. The Hollow Effect Hollowing a font produces an unfilled outline of each character. 17.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask HOLLOW [[options]] 17.2. Options 17.2.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 17.3. Technically Speaking The hollow effect and the outline effect are very closely related. The only difference is the placement of the outline. In the hollow effect, the existing perimeter of each character is left in place and the interior is ``scooped out''. For the outline effect, the entire character is erased and a new perimeter is added just around the character.In effect, an outlined character is a hollowed bold character (see the technically speaking section of the bold effect for more details). It should also be noted that the hollow and fill effects are closely related.A hollowed character is a filled character with a pattern of 0. 18. The Invert Effect Inverting a character creates a ``reverse video'' effect. However, the choice of patterns in this effect can dramatically change the result. 18.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask INVERT [[options]] 18.2. Options Both of the options for this effect are patterns. See the Patterns chapter elsewhere in this manual for more information. 18.2.1. /black This pattern replaces all of the black areas of the character. 18.2.2. /white This pattern replaces all of the white areas of the character. 18.2.3. /_ The /_ option forces a ``space'' character to exist. It may be particularly useful with this effect. For more information, consult the technically speaking section of the SfFx chapter. 18.2.4. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 18.3. Technically Speaking Since the black and white patterns default to black and white, respectively, in practice, if neither the black nor the white pattern is specified, inverting has no effect. See the technically speaking section of the halftone effect for more information. 19. The Mirror Effect Mirroring a font creates characters that are upside down. 19.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask MIRROR [[options]] 19.2. Options 19.2.1. /adj The /adj parameter changes the relative position of the (virtual) mirror across which each character is rotated. A value of zero specifies that the mirror is on the baseline, values larger than zero move the mirror above the baseline, smaller values move it below. 19.2.2. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 19.3. Technically Speaking If you plan to use a font and its mirror to create a special display effect (by placing one above the other), you may find that the descenders on the original font overlap the ``descenders'' (now ascenders!)on the mirrored font. This is where it is helpful to change the mirror baseline adjustment. By making the adjustment roughly equal to the number of pixels in the descenders of the original font, you can move the mirrored font ``down'' a little so that the mirrored descenders don't overlap the descenders on the original font. 20. The Mist Effect Misting a font ``smudges'' each character. 20.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask MIST /mist:% [[options]] 20.2. Parameters 20.2.1. /mist The mist percent determines what percentage of the character is misted (faded) out.Larger mist percentages remove more pixels than smaller ones. A 100% (or larger) mist percent removes all trace of the character. 20.3. Options 20.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 20.4. Technically Speaking This effect is identical to the horizontal and vertical fade effects with the exception that the fade percentage is calculated once and does not vary for each row or column in the bitmap. 21. The Outline Effect Outlining a font produces an unfilled outline of each character. 21.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask OUTLINE [[options]] 21.2. Options 21.2.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 21.3. Technically Speaking See the technical discussion of the hollow effect for more information. 22. The Proportional Spacing Effect Proportional spacing is the opposite of fixed spacing. In a proportionally spaced font, each character is only as wide as its printed image, plus a small border. The proportional spacing effect creates a proportionally spaced version of a fixed spaced font. 22.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask PROP 22.2. Options There are no options for this effect. 22.3. Technically Speaking In the proportionally spaced version of the font, all characters are four dots wider than the natural width of the bitmaps required to print each character (two dots on each side). Note: in many fonts, conversion from proportional spacing to fixed and back to proportional will yield a proportionally spaced font that is not as attractive as the original font since conversion to fixed spacing effectively destroys any special spacing information. For example, in many fonts the tail of a lower case letters like ``j'' and ``g'' are allowed to ``hang back'' below the character that precedes them. When a font is converted from fixed spacing to proportional spacing, there is no way to insert this kind of aesthetic hint automatically. 23. The Resize Effect Resizing a font creates characters that are larger or smaller than the same characters in the original font. The characters can be scaled uniformly (creating more or less accurate renditions of the original characters with the same proportions) or non-uniformly (creating elongated or widened characters). 23.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask RESIZE /width:% /height:% [[options]] 23.2. Parameters 23.2.1. /width The /width parameter specifies the width of each resized character as a percentage of its original size. Values less than 100 make the characters narrower, while values larger than 100 make them wider. 23.2.2. /height Like the width, the new height specifies the height of each resized character as a percentage of its original height. 23.3. Options 23.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 23.4. Technically Speaking In practice, this effect has few uses. Unlike more modern font scaling technology (which relies on mathematical descriptions of each character) SfFx has only the bitmap description of each character to work with.As a result, gross changes in the size of a character create ``jagged'' edges and very poor quality letters. Making fonts larger generally works better than making them smaller. As a rule of thumb, you probably won't like the results if you try to resize a font by more than a factor of two. If you hold one dimension constant (100%), it may be possible to stretch or compress the other dimension by a larger factor without significant loss of detail. 24. The Reverse Effect Reversing a font creates backwards characters. 24.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask REVERSE [[options]] 24.2. Options 24.2.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 24.3. Technically Speaking The reverse effect simply rotates each bitmap through its center. The left offset and delta-x values of each character are adjusted to keep the correct amount of space ``in front of'' and ``behind'' each character. 25. The Shadow Effect Shadowing attempts to produce the effect that you would get if all you could see on the page were the shadows from an embossed image of the original character. It's a bit difficult to describe, but it is one of my favorite effects. 25.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask SHADOW /x:# /x:# [[options]] 25.2. Parameters 25.2.1. /X The /x parameter controls the width (in dots) of the shadow to the right or left of the original character. Positive values create a shadow on the right hand side of the character, while negative values create a shadow on the left. This value should be small relative to the total width of the character. 25.2.2. /Y By analogy with the /X parameter, the /y parameter controls the height of the shadow above or below the character. Positive values create shadows below the character, negative values above. This value should be small relative to the total height of the character. 25.3. Options 25.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 25.4. Technically Speaking The effect is produced by moving a copy of the character over and down by the specified amounts and then removing all dots that fall within the original character (including all of the original character). For small offsets, this works fine; however when the offsets become larger than the widths of the strokes that make up the chacter, the effect falls apart. 26. The Shade Effect Shading a font replaces all off the ``black'' areas of a font with the specified shading pattern. This effect changes dramatically depending on the pattern that you select. 26.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask SHADE /pattern:pattern [[options]] 26.2. Parameters 26.2.1. /pattern All of the black areas of each character are replaced by the specified pattern.Please refer to the chapter on patterns elsewhere in this manual for more information about patterns. 26.3. Options 26.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 26.4. Technically Speaking Patterns are described in more technical detail in the pattern chapter. 27. The Slant Effect Slanting is a poor-man's version of italics. In practice, italic fonts are not just slanted versions of the upright characters. But slanting will suffice in a pinch and it does allow you to produce oblique characters (slanted backwards), which are occasionally useful. 27.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask SLANT /deg:# [[options]] 27.2. Parameters 27.2.1. /deg The /deg parameter specifies the amount of slant in degrees. A positive value causes the characters to slant toward the right. A negative value causes the characters to slant toward the left. 27.3. Options 27.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 27.4. Technically Speaking This effect is produced by calculating how far over each row of pixels must be moved in order to produce a slant of the requested angle.Using a little bit of trigonometry, it is easy to calculate how far over the top row must be moved. Each row below the top must be moved over some fraction of the total height of the character. Rows below the baseline must be moved in the opposite direction. Considering that this algorithm does nothing more than slide rows of dots back and forth, it should be easy to see that large slant values may produce jagged, non-contiguous characters. 28. The Stripe Effect Striping places alternating white and black horizontal lines across each character in the font. 28.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask STRIPE /black:# /white:# [[options]] 28.2. Parameters 28.2.1. /black Selects the width (in dots) of the black stripes. 28.2.2. /white Selects the width (in dots) of the white stripes. 28.3. Options 28.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 28.4. Technically Speaking In each character, the stripes are adjusted so that a black stripe begins at the baseline. This assures that the stripes will line up when characters are placed next to each other. Note: a similar effect with vertical stripes can be created with the shade effect using an appropriate pattern. 29. The Three-D Drop Shadow Effect Three-D drop shadows create a patterned shadow-image of each character that appears to be below the original. It is possible to change the apparent ``distance'' of the shadow by changing the offsets used to create it. 29.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask THREED /X:# /Y:# /pattern:pattern [[options]] 29.2. Parameters 29.2.1. /X The /x parameter controls the distance (in dots) of the shadow to the right or left of the original character. Positive values create a shadow on the right hand side of the character, negative values create a shadow on the left. 29.2.2. /Y By analogy with the /X parameter, the /y parameter controls the distance of the shadow above or below the character. Positive values create shadows below the character, negative values above. 29.2.3. Pattern The pattern specified is applied to the areas used in the shadow. 29.3. Options 29.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 29.4. Technically Speaking The original character is moved left or right and up or down by the distances specified. If necessary the character cell is enlarged to accommodate the new character. The character is then shaded with the specified pattern and the original character is painted back into the character cell at its original position. 30. The Tilt Effect Tilting creates characters that have a ``tilted'' baseline. Each character in the font can be rotated by an arbitrary angle. You cannot rotate a character by more than 90 degrees. The tilt effect in combination with rotating, mirroring, and reversing can produce a font that is effectively tilted by any angle. 30.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask TILT /deg:# [[options]] 30.2. Parameters 30.2.1. /deg The /deg parameter specifies the amount of tilt in degrees. A positive tilt value creates a font with a baseline that runs down and to the right.A negative value creates a font that runs up and to the right. 30.3. Options 30.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 30.4. Technically Speaking This effect is one of the most time consuming to run (on a 12pt font it may require evaluating three trigonometric functions, a square root, and several floating point and integer operations more than one and a half million times---and it's worse for bigger fonts). It creates a new character box large enough to hold the ``tilted'' original box and performs a trigonometric translation of every pixel into the new box. Although the effect makes some small changes to the top offset and left offset values for each character (in an attempt to correct for translation errors inherent in translating from one square grid system to another), the character dimensions are basically unchanged. This effect creates a rotated font, but you still need a sufficiently flexible typesetting program to set the rotated text. Simply creating a rotated font will not, for example, cause your run-of-the-mill word processor to print it on an angle! The horizontal spacing in a tilted font is sometimes imperfect. It is unclear why this is the case. Hopefully, a future version of Sfware will correct this problem. 31. The Hollow Three-D Drop Shadow Effect Hollow Three-D drop shadows are simply a combination of the three-d drop shadow effect and the hollow effect. It is a limitation of the algorithms used to create the three-d drop shadow effect that it is not possible to hollow a three-d character. This effect is provided to circumvent that limitation. 31.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask HOLLOW3D /X:# /Y:# [[options]] 31.2. Parameters 31.2.1. /X The /x parameter controls the distance (in dots) of the shadow to the right or left of the original character. Positive values create a shadow on the right hand side of the character, negative values create a shadow on the left. 31.2.2. /Y By analogy with the /X parameter, the /y parameter controls the distance of the shadow above or below the character. Positive values create shadows below the character, negative values above. 31.3. Options 31.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 31.4. Technically Speaking This option is exactly the same as the three-d drop shadow effect except that the shadow is always solid black and instead of painting the original character back into the cell, a hollowed version of the original character is painted back in. 32. The Filled Three-D Drop Shadow Effect Filled Three-D drop shadows are simply a combination of the three-d drop shadow effect and the fill effect. It is a limitation of the algorithms used to create the three-d drop shadow effect that it is not possible to create a filled three-d character. This effect is provided to circumvent that limitation. 32.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask FILL3D /X:# /Y:# /pattern:pattern [[options]] 32.2. Parameters 32.2.1. /X The /x parameter controls the distance (in dots) of the shadow to the right or left of the original character. Positive values create a shadow on the right hand side of the character, negative values create a shadow on the left. 32.2.2. /Y By analogy with the /X parameter, the /y parameter controls the distance of the shadow above or below the character. Positive values create shadows below the character, negative values above. 32.2.3. /pattern The pattern specified is applied to the original character. 32.3. Options 32.3.1. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 32.4. Technically Speaking This option is exactly the same as the three-d drop shadow effect except that the shadow is always solid black and instead of painting the original character back into the cell, a pattern-filled version of the original character is painted back in. 33. The Vertical Fade/Mist Effect Fading a font with this effect ``smudges'' out the top or bottom edge of each character. 33.1. Usage SFFX fontmask outmask VFADE /to:% [[options]] 33.2. Parameters 33.2.1. /to The /to parameter determines what percentage of the character is faded out.A fade factor of 100% applies the fade all the way down each character so that 100% black saturation is achieved in the last row of pixels.Fade factors below 100% apply the fade more rapidly so that a 100% black saturation is achieved before the bottom of the character.Conversely, fade factors above 100% draw the fade out so that it never reaches saturation. 33.3. Options 33.3.1. /back By default, a vertical fade begins with 0% black on the top row of the character and proceeds towards 100% on the bottom row (at a rate determined by ``fade percent.'' See above). If backwards fading is selected, the fade begins with 0% black on the bottom row of the character and proceeds towards 100% on the top row. 33.3.2. /range The range option limits the scope of the effect. Please refer to the SfFx chapter for more information. 33.4. Technically Speaking See the technically speaking section for the Horizontal Fade/Mist effect.The vertical fade algorithm is a natural analog of the horizontal fade algorithm. 34. Patterns 34.1. What are patterns? Patterns change the appearance of many effects. A pattern is a rectangular region of on-and-off dots that is repeated across and down to cover the region being filled. The pattern is specified as a series of numbers separated by commas and semicolons. The binary representation of the numbers separated by commas indicates the dots that are on and off in each row and semicolons separate rows. 34.2. How do I create one? Creating a new pattern is not difficult. The best way to begin is with a piece of graph paper and a pencil. Experiment until you have something that you like and then follow the directions below. For example, suppose that you wish to create a zig-zag pattern. Here is one possibility: +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | * | | | | * | | | | * | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | * | | | | * | | | | * | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | * | | | | * | | | | * | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | * | | | | * | | | | * | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 34.2.1. Isolate a ``generating region'' Isolate the smallest region that can be used to generate the pattern. This region, when repeated to the right and down, should create the entire pattern.In this case, the smallest acceptable region is this: +---+---+---+---+ | | | | | +---+---+---+---+ | | | * | | +---+---+---+---+ | | * | | * | +---+---+---+---+ | * | | | | +---+---+---+---+ Note:there is frequently more than one smallest region that will produce the pattern. I have intentionally chosen this region because it is not the upper-left hand corner. Usually the upper-left hand corner contains a generating region, but not always. 34.2.2. Round to 8-dots The region used to generate the pattern must be an even multiple of eight dots wide. Repeat the smallest region to the right until it is a multiple of eight dots wide. You must repeat the entire pattern (for example, if the region is 6 dots wide, you will have to repeat it until it is 24 dots wide). In this case the smallest region a multiple of eight dots wide is this: +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | * | | | | * | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | * | | * | | * | | * | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | * | | | | * | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 34.2.3. Use zeros and ones Redraw the pattern using zeros for ``off'' dots and ones for ``on'' dots.If the pattern is more than eight dots wide, write the zeros and ones of each row in groups of eight as you copy the pattern. In our example, the result is this: +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | = 00000000 +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | * | | | | * | | = 00100010 +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | * | | * | | * | | * | = 01010101 +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | * | | | | * | | | | = 10001000 +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ Treat each group of eight digits in each row like a binary number. Using a calculator or a conversion chart (there is a conversion chart in the online help facility for SfShell), change each eight digit binary number into a decimal number. If the rows have more than one group of eight digits, separate the resulting decimal numbers with commas. Our example becomes: 00000000 = 0 00100010 = 34 01010101 = 85 10001000 = 136 34.2.5. Rewrite Use the decimal numbers to create the pattern command. Optionally, you may wish to add the pattern to the configuration file (as described below).The decimal numbers for each row are separated by commas and the rows are separated by semicolons. The pattern we set out to create can be specified as follows: 0;34;85;136 Remember that you can use preview to look at the pattern before creating a font with it. This is a good way to check that you did the conversion correctly. 34.3. Saving the pattern Alternatively, the patterns may be saved in the configuration file and selected by name. Read the Configuration chapter for more information. 34.4. Previewing Patterns It is possible to preview any pattern by running SfFx with the following options: SFFX /PREVIEW pattern One ``screenfull'' of the pattern will be displayed. 34.5. Technically Speaking The fact that patterns are used for so many effects makes it apparent that Sfware really needs a pattern editor and a better mechanism for storing patterns. These are planned additions but Sfware is already beginning to suffer from ``creeping featurism'' (in the author's opinion, at least) and it has been decided that these changes will just have to wait until the next release. However, in view of the fact that creating patterns by the above method is very tedious, a simple program (PATTERN.EXE) has been added to Sfware that eliminates most of the ``hard parts.'' Please consult the file PATTERN.DOC for more information. 35. Sfware Registration Registering shareware is an investment. Your registration will provide the support and encouragement required to continue the development of Sfware. The Sfware utilities represent an investment of more than two years of my time and effort. You get the results of this toil for a fraction of what a commercial package would cost. Plus, you get the benefits of a try-before-you-buy license agreement. If you continue to use the Sfware utilities, you are required to register them. Return the enclosed order form with your check or money order today! 35.1. Usage The SPS-Reg registration program requires key information that will be mailed to you when you register the Sfware utilities. You cannot make any use of the program until you mail in your registration. Sfware is provided under a lifetime registration policy. Your registration contributes directly to the future growth of Sfware. Every registration is good for all future versions of Sfware. Register once. Register now! 36. Contacting the Author 36.1. By Mail You can reach the author by mail at the following address: Norman Walsh #42I Southwood Apts Brittany Manor Dr Amherst, MA 01002 36.2. Electronically If you have access to electronic mail, the fastest way to reach the author is to send electronic mail to walsh@cs.umass.edu. In this case, electronic mail implies access to Internet domains (through BITNET or UUCP, for example). This is possible from CompuServe and from several of the large national BBS systems as well as many colleges and universities. 37. Glossary ASCII ASCII stands for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Text files are usually referred to as being ``plain ASCII'' if they contain no additional formatting information. The CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files on your boot disk are examples of a plain ASCII files. The spreadsheets, database files, or word processing documents produced by large application programs are generally not plain ASCII. baseline The baseline is an imaginary line upon which each character rests. Characters that appear next to each other are (usually) lined up so that their baselines are on the same level. Some characters extend below the baseline (``g'' and ``j'', for example) but most rest on it. bitmap A bitmap is an array of dots. If you imagine a sheet of graph paper with some squares colored in, a bitmap is a compact way of representing to the computer which squares are colored and which are not. In the context of softfonts, the dots are always black and white. In a bitmapped softfont, every character is represented as a pattern of dots in a bitmap. The dots are so small (300 dots-per-inch, usually) that they are indistinguishable on the printed page. bounding box Every character in a bitmapped softfont is represented as a pattern of dots in a rectangular grid. The bounding box is an imaginary box just large enough to hold the character. The box is as wide as the widest row of dots and as tall as the tallest column of dots. character A character is an individual symbol in a font. The letter ``A'' is a character.So is a period. All of the printed symbols that can appear in a font are characters. They can also be called glyphs. child process When one program directly runs another program (as when SfShell runs SfFx to perform a requested special effect), the program that is run (SfFx in this case) is called the child and the program that did the running (SfShell) is called the parent. command line When you type a command at the DOS prompt, you are entering information on ``the command line.'' Command line parameters and command line options are things that you type after the name of the command. For example, if you type ``edit letter.txt'', ``edit'' is the command and ``letter.txt'' is a command line parameter. decimal Decimal refers to the number base composed of ten symbols (0-9). Normal, ordinary math is performed in decimal (which can also be referred to as base 10). device A device is a special piece of hardware that exists (either physically or logically) and can send and/or receive data. Your printer is a device.So is your modem. Your computer also includes several logical devices (for example, the NUL device which is an infinite sink and a empty source--that means you can always write to it (it never fills up) and you can never read from it (you always get ``end-offile'')). download Downloading is the process of transferring information from one device to another.This transferral is called downloading when the transfer flows from a device of (relatively) more power to one of (relatively) less power.Sending new fonts to your printer so that it ``learns'' how to print characters in that font is called downloading. EMS EMS memory (also called LIM EMS) is expanded memory in your computer. EMS exists outside of normal DOS main memory. You must have a device driver to provide support for EMS. If it is available, Sfware uses EMS memory to store font and action lists as well as for swapping when SfShell runs the other utilities. file A file is a collection of information stored on your disk. All the data that you ever save to disk is saved in a file. You can write to files and read from files. filemask A filemask is a DOS filename which may include the ``wildcard'' characters * and ?. The wildcard characters in a filemask allow you to select a group of files. Please consult your DOS reference for more information about wildcard characters. font A font is a collection of symbols that have similar characteristics. The symbols in a font have a fixed typeface, size, weight, style and symbol set. For example, upright, bold Times Roman at 10pt is a font.Contrast with typeface. fontdir In the context of this manual, a fontdir is the filemask ( optionally including a path) that identifies LaserJet softfont files. For example, if you keep all of your softfonts in the directory d:\fonts then d:\fonts\A*.SFP is one example of a valid fontdir. The canonical font directory would be d:\fonts\*.*. glyph A glyph is a more general term for a symbol that can appear in a font.Usually we refer to individual symbols in a font as characters (because they are things like ``A'' and ``&''). However, since any arbitrary smear of ink can occur in a font, a more general term is sometimes used. hexadecimal Hexadecimal refers to the number base composed of sixteen symbols ( 09,A-F). Hexadecimal is frequently used in computing because 256 different values can be represented in only two digits. Hexadecimal is sometimes called base 16. HMI HMI is an abbreviation for horizontal motion index. This is the width of the space that the LaserJet printer leaves when an undefined character is printed. Many font designers take advantage of this behavior by defining the HMI to be exactly the width of a space and not defining a space character in the font. kerning Kerning refers to slight changes in the spacing between characters. Some letter combinations (``AV'' and ``To'', for example) appear farther apart than others because of the shapes of the individual letters. Many sophisticated word processors move these letter combinations closer together automatically (compare ``AV'' with ``AV'', for example). laserjet Laserjet is a trademarked name for laser printers made by Hewlett Packard.In this document, it simply means an HP LaserJet printer or a compatible laser printer from some other manufacturer. mask See filemask. memory, expanded See EMS. memory, extended Extended memory is memory above the 1 megabyte boundry in your computer.Sfware cannot directly use extended memory. Many programs exist which map extended memory as expanded memory. For more information about expanded memory, see EMS. memory, main Main memory is the DOS memory below 640K in your computer. This is the area where normal DOS programs run. The DOS chkdsk program, for example, reports the amount of main memory that is free. octal Octal refers to the number base composed of eight symbols (0-7). Octal is sometimes called base 8. pathname A pathname is a filename (please consult your DOS reference for more information about what constitutes a valid DOS filename) with its associated drive and path. For example, if tr100.sfp is the name of a file in the directory \fonts on drive d:, then d:\fonts\tr100.sfp is the pathname of tr100.sfp. scalable font A scalable font, unlike a bitmapped font, is defined mathematically and can be rendered at any requested size (within reason). Sfware can download and show scalable fonts but other manipulations (including on-screen previewing) are not possible (at this time). selection sequence Your laser printer can print many different fonts. Some of the fonts are built in, some may come from a cartridge and many can be downloaded.In order to tell the laser printer which font you want text to be printed in, you must send it a selection sequence. The selection sequence describes, in a well defined, precise manner, the typeface, symbol set, height, width, style, and degree of boldness that you want. softfont A softfont is a bitmapped or scalable description of a typeface or font.They can be downloaded to your printer and used just like any other printer font. Unlike built-in and cartridge fonts, softfonts use memory inside your printer. Downloading a lot of softfonts may reduce the printers ability to construct complex pages. symbol set The symbol set of a font describes the relative positions of individual characters within the font. Since there can only be 256 characters in any font, and there are well over 256 different characters used in professional document preparation, there needs to be some way to map characters into positions within the font. The symbol set serves this purpose.It identifies the ``map'' used to position characters within the font. typeface A typeface is generic term for a collection of symbols with a similar style.Times Roman and Helvetica are typefaces. Contrast with font. SfWare Order Form Name: ______________________________________ Phone: (____) ____-___________ Company: ___________________________________ Email: _______________________ Mailing Address: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________ State: ____ Zip: _________ Please pay by check or money order, do not send cash through the mail. Make all checks payable to Norman Walsh. Individual utilities: Quantity Price Total Each _____ SfFx (softfont special effects) _____ @ $25 _____ _____ SfCmpr (softfont compression) _____ @ $10 _____ _____ SfLoad (download softfonts) _____ @ $10 _____ _____ SfRotate (landscape/portrait conversion) _____ @ $10 _____ _____ SfShow (print summary page) _____ @ $10 _____ _____ SfView (preview font on screen) _____ @ $10 _____ _____ SfDir (directory replacement for fonts) _____ @ $ 5 _____ _____ SfInfo (complete font information) _____ @ $ 5 _____ Software bundles: _____ SfShell (menu interface shell) and _____ @ $60 _____ ALL utilities _____ All of the utilities (excluding SfShell) _____ @ $40 _____ _____ Any three utilities (excluding SfFx) _____ @ $20 _____ Please select individual utilities above. Subtotal: _____ Massachusetts residents, please add appropriate sales tax: _____ Total: _____ Complete this form and return it with your payment to: Norman Walsh #42I Southwood Apts Amherst, MA 01002