barry@primerd.prime.com (03/24/89)
I use PowerPoint 2.01 on a Mac II with the Apple 13" color monitor.
I've noticed that when I view at 66% (a good size to use on the Mac
II) text I enter in 24 point Helvetica "wiggles" as I type it, is
written to the screen VERY slowly, and looks pretty poor on the
screen. If I use the same font size on a Mac SE where 50% view is
more natural (or use 50% view on the Mac II), text is written to the
screen much faster, doesn't wiggle, and looks normal.
I assume that the behavior I've described above is due to fact that a
66% reduction of a 24 point requires a 16-point font; since I've got
14 and 18 sizes installed, PowerPoint is generating the 16 point
characters on the fly by scaling the 18 or 14 point characters. On
the SE, a 50% reduction requires 12-point, which is an installed
size.
I assume that crisp, fast screen output will be produced if I install
16-point Helvetica. The problem is finding the appropriate size(s).
I downloaded the Adobe Helvetica screen fonts from SUMEX, but
discovered that it provides 14 and 18 point, but not 16 point.
It looks like I could use FontSizer to generate my own 16-point size
(FontSizer uses PostScript font definition stored in LaserWriter to
extract the information needed to generate bit-mapped screen fonts)?
Does anyone know of a less expensive (preferably free) utility that
can generate a 16 point font from either the 14 or 18 point
instances? FontSizer costs about $100, which is a bit much to fix
just this problem.
While investigating my options in solving this problem, I came
across the ScaleFonts CDEV, a freeware program, located in the SUMEX
directory info-mac/cdev/scalefonts.hqx. ScaleFonts enables the user
to make font scaling generally on, generally off, or application
selectable (the normal default). I put ScaleFonts in my System
Folder, rebooted, turned off scaling, started PowerPoint and found
that my font scaling problem had disappeared! The 24 point text at
66% view was now written at normal speed and appeared clean. The
spacing between the characters was a bit wider than usual, but this
was not a problem. The non-scaled text was much easier to read and
edit; since character sizing information was taken from the real 24
point font, the printed form was not affected.
Anyone experiencing similar problems with PowerPoint or other
applications should check out ScaleFonts. Note that I've just
started using it, so I've yet to discover any problems. If I do,
I'll post a follow up.
If anyone knows of an inexpensive way of generating new sizes of
screen fonts, please respond by mail. If justified, I'll post a
summary.
Barry
Nothing in this posting reflects an official position of Prime Computer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry Wolman | barry@s66.prime.com
Principal Technical Consultant | 492 Old Connecticut Path
Prime Computer | Framingham, MA 01701
| 508/626-1700, ext. 4187
------------------------------------------------------------------------