[comp.fonts] Mac fonts to PostScript

marshall@mozart.ces.cwru.edu ( ) (03/13/90)

	I would like to be able to convert Macintosh bitmapped fonts to
PostScript (tm) bitmapped fonts (NOT PostScript outlint fonts). So far,
so good. I'd like to do it on my MS-DOS machine. That is, transfer the
Mac font files over with something like kermit, and then write a program
to hack the font files up. 

	Questions: 1) Has anyone done this? 2) Failing that, where can I get 
DETAILED information about the format of those font files? I'm confident
I can write the program to do this if someone can tell me where to get the
information...

	Another unrelated question: what's the most recent version of Nelson
Beebe's DVIxxx dvi translators?

	Thanks for all the help.

   -- Martin

Warning: this computer frequently posts without my information or consent. 
Anything you are reading here should be construed as opinions only of my 
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rsilverman@eagle.wesleyan.edu (03/18/90)

In article <1990Mar12.211828.17652@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, marshall@mozart.ces.cwru.edu ( ) writes:
> 	I would like to be able to convert Macintosh bitmapped fonts to
> PostScript (tm) bitmapped fonts (NOT PostScript outlint fonts). So far,
> so good. I'd like to do it on my MS-DOS machine. That is, transfer the
> Mac font files over with something like kermit, and then write a program
> to hack the font files up. 
> 

Martin,

The Mac will in fact do the conversion for you, if you want.  If you print a
job containing non-outline fonts to disk, you will find the PostScript bitmap
font definitions in the file.

If you really want to do it on the PC, then there are a few things involved. 
First off, font "suitcase" files are resource files.  Most file transfer
programs only transfer the data fork of a file, so you'll need to find a way to
transfer the resource fork verbatim.  Then you'll need to refer to Inside
Macintosh I, the chapter on the Resource Manager.  That will give you a
detailed description of the organization of resource files.  Mac programmers
don't generally deal with that directly, since the Resource Manager provides
easy access to resources by name and ID.  Then, you'll need to look at the IM I
and IV Font Manager chapters, to learn about the organization of resources
defining fonts (FONT, FOND, NFNT).

Good luck,

                                                Richard Silverman

arpa:	rsilverman@eagle.wesleyan.edu           Systems Engineer
bitnet:	rsilverman@wesleyan.bitnet              AM Computer Products
CIS:	[72727,453]                             Southington, CT 06489