[mod.computers.laser-printers] Xerox Fonts

laser-lovers@ucbvax.UUCP (12/04/85)

>	From: Tim Clark <cca!mcvax!cudac@seismo.CSS.GOV>
>	Date: Tue, 12 Nov 85 15:48:42 gmt
>	Subject: Format of Xerox 2700 font files (long)
>
>	4. The table of uncertain purpose
>	---------------------------------
>	256 bytes long
>	
>	  This follows immediately after the header block.
>	
>	The meaning of this table is unknown, it is entirely zero in most of the
>	fonts we have, and mostly zero in the remainder. My guess is the
>	information in here is one byte per character in the font, and somehow
>	qualifies the information for that character. I've set it to all zeros in
>	my work without ill effect.

I'd be very surprised if this wasn't the kerning table. This table would
usually be two bytes per character (ergo 256 bytes, representing a 16 bit
twos complement kern value.) I'm surprised this isn't in the character data
portion, but I have learned not to ask questions of Xerox's wisdom. The
kern table would be mostly 0 (always 0 for fixed width fonts), and I think
you would find letters like i and l would have entries in non-fixed ones.