t-benw@microsoft.UUCP (Benjamin Waldmin) (10/10/89)
Suppose you're building a font menu or a list box with all font sizes that are currently available in the currently selected font. Nowadays, one can just iterate from 1 to 127 points and call RealFont to see if the font of the font of the designated size really exists (and, of course, there would always be an option to let the user pick another size). But what happens when outline fonts come along? Does RealFont always return TRUE for any size of an outline font? If so, then what kind of menu/list box should one build--how many sizes should it include, and what point sizes should those be? Of course, one can always include 9, 10, 12, 18, and 24. But do we include 14? 36? 27? 48? Has anyone thought about this issue? Thanks, Ben Waldman Software Design Engineer, Microsoft Corp. uunet!microsoft!benw Disclaimer: The statements/opinions/questions above reflect my own views and not those of my employer.
halliday@havarti.cc.ubc.ca (Laura Halliday) (10/10/89)
In article <7994@microsoft.UUCP> benw@microsoft.UUCP (Benjamin Waldmin) writes: >(stuff deleted...) >But what happens when outline fonts come along? Does RealFont always >return TRUE for any size of an outline font? If so, then what kind >of menu/list box should one build--how many sizes should it include, and >what point sizes should those be? Of course, one can always include >9, 10, 12, 18, and 24. But do we include 14? 36? 27? 48? > >Has anyone thought about this issue? Fonts are generally used in sizes that form a geometric progression. For example, TeX fonts come in 10, 12, 14, 17, 21 and 25 point sizes (among others), so the common ratio of the progression is 1.2. Sizes have to be in geometric progression because human senses (sight included) measure things logarithmically. The solution? Have a suitable collection of sizes available on a menu, and have an escape (like PageMaker's `Type specs' dialog) available for very large and/or oddball sizes. This would map well onto MS Word, for instance - put the preset sizes in the `Font' menu, and let `Format Character...' be the oddball size escape... >Ben Waldman >Software Design Engineer, >Microsoft Corp. ...laura
han@Apple.COM (Byron Han) (10/10/89)
In article <7994@microsoft.UUCP> benw@microsoft.UUCP (Benjamin Waldmin) writes: >Suppose you're building a font menu or a list box with all font sizes that >are currently available in the currently selected font. > > <deleted> > >But what happens when outline fonts come along? Does RealFont always >return TRUE for any size of an outline font? If so, then what kind >of menu/list box should one build--how many sizes should it include, and >what point sizes should those be? I personally kind of like MacDraw II's method of handling font size menus. Have a set of font sizes when the application initially comes up which the user can modify by adding/deleting sizes. For an initial selection of fonts, in an application that does word processing you might be better off with a nice selection of body type sizes like font sizes from 7, 8, 9, ... 14, and maybe a few smaller display font sizes (14, 18, 24, 36). Being able to nudge up the font size (or nudge down) by 1 point increments in a word processor would be nice. (Students especially appreciate being able to stretch papers to the desired length.) Hope this helps - this is my personal opinion and not an official Apple statement. I believe that RealFont will always return TRUE with an outline font - (it would be logical for it to do so) however, I am not with the outline font team so I may be wrong. -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Disclaimer: Apple has no connection with my postings. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Byron Han, CommToolbox Scapegoat "How about *S-2 Overextended Edition?" Apple Computer, Inc. ----------------------------------------- 20525 Mariani Ave, MS27Y Internet: han@apple.COM Cupertino, CA 95014 UUCP:{sun,voder,nsc,decwrl}!apple!han ------------------------------------ GENIE:BYRONHAN CompuServe:72167,1664 ATTnet: 408-974-6450 Applelink:HAN1 HAN1@applelink.apple.COM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) (10/11/89)
In article <35525@apple.Apple.COM> han@Apple.COM (Byron Han) writes: > I believe that RealFont will always return TRUE with an outline font - > (it would be logical for it to do so) however, I am not with the > outline font team so I may be wrong. There is at least one concern that does still have to be tested, and that is whether the font FAMILY in question exists in Outline form. I believe that, if it does, RealFont will always return TRUE. __________________________________________________________________________ Just because I work for Apple Computer, Inc. doesn't mean that they believe what I believe or vice-versa. __________________________________________________________________________
joe@gistdev.UUCP (Joe Brownlee) (10/12/89)
In article <35525@apple.Apple.COM> han@Apple.COM (Byron Han) writes: >In article <7994@microsoft.UUCP> benw@microsoft.UUCP (Benjamin Waldmin) writes: >>But what happens when outline fonts come along? Does RealFont always >>return TRUE for any size of an outline font? If so, then what kind >>of menu/list box should one build--how many sizes should it include, and >>what point sizes should those be? > > [.....] Being able to nudge up the font size (or nudge down) >by 1 point increments in a word processor would be nice. [.....] Well, yes, it would be, but don't do this exclusively -- this is my one gripe with WriteNow 2.0. It gives you the "standard sizes" you expect like 9, 10, 12, 14, 18, etc., along with choices to go "Larger" or Smaller" by 1-point. That means if I want a size like 28 that isn't on this list, I have to go 24, Larger, Larger, Larger, Larger. I wish instead they gave you an "Other" choice where you could type the size. Both "nudge" and "Other" would be OK, but don't give us just "nudge". I suppose that (as you stated), the MacDraw II solution where the user defines the menu is best. Joe Brownlee | The best diplomat I know is a fully activated Global Information Systems | phaser bank. -- Montgomery Scott 1800 Woodfield Drive | Savoy, Illinois 61874 | Pay attention to what I say. Start a trend. (217) 352-1165 | UUCP: {uunet,pur-ee,convex}!gistdev!joe