[comp.sys.dec] LN03 Font Files

tschoole@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Tony L. Schooler) (06/07/89)

This is the second time I have posted this, so I will try to make this more
interesting.  Here goes...

I NEED HELP REAL BAD!!!!!!

(Hope this gets noticed...)

I am cross posting this to alt.sources, comp.fonts, comp.laser-printers,
comp.periphs.printers, comp.sources.d, comp.sources.wanted, comp.sys.dec.micro,
comp.sys.dec, comp.text.desktop, comp.text, and comp.unix.ultrix by hand (one
at a time, the hard way)!

I am writing a new DVI printer driver with TPIC support for use with TeX /
LaTeX text processing system.  This driver is designed to work with Digital's
LN03 and LN03 Plus laser printer.  The TPIC support will only work on the LN03
Plus printer since I will be using the Tektronics emulation mode to do all my
line drawing.

So, what's stopping me, you ask?

I need to know how to make an LN03 font file!  The programmers manual does not
tell you how to do this.  It has the information on how to load the font files,
select the font files, what to do if the font files have the same font ID, 
everything BUT how to create an LN03 font file.  I have looked at another DVI
printer driver for the LN03 printer and came to the conclusion that the writers
really don't know how to make a font load file (I saw the comment in the
program stating that they did not know what was going on but I didn't beleave
it, after all it works) and must of copied the procedure from some other
program.

I have looked at octal dumps, program listings and LN03 manuals until my eyes
have poped out of my head!  The only things I have been able to learn is that
each character in the font is separted by newlines (\n) and the data is in
uncompressed sixel format (in some order that I cannot determine).  

Can anyone point me in the right direction, send me the required information,
and/or example code (I'm not picky)?  I cannot complete this project without
this information.


Thanking you in advance.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     | Anthony Lamar Schooler
From tschoole@blackbird.afit.af.mil  |
                                     | Why me?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

thomas@mipsbx.nac.dec.com (Matt Thomas) (06/07/89)

> I am writing a new DVI printer driver with TPIC support for use with TeX /
> LaTeX text processing system.  This driver is designed to work with Digital's
> LN03 and LN03 Plus laser printer.  The TPIC support will only work on the LN03
> Plus printer since I will be using the Tektronics emulation mode to do all my
> line drawing.
 
> So, what's stopping me, you ask?
 
> I need to know how to make an LN03 font file!

Why not take one of the existing LN03 DVI filters and extend it to include TPIC
support?  What is actually required for TPIC support?  Since I have my own LN03
filter (LN03DVI), it may be easy for me to extend LN03DVI to support the features
that TPIC requires.

Send me mail if you're interested...


-- 
Matt Thomas                     Internet:   thomas@decwrl.dec.com
DECnet-Ultrix Development       UUCP:       ...!decwrl!thomas
Digital Equipment Corporation   Disclaimer: This message reflects my own
Littleton, MA                               warped views, etc.