3423YKN@CMUVM.BITNET (03/07/91)
I'm trying to figure out how to use Postscript fonts with Pagestream 2.1. I'm confused about the various types of postscript files. I've FTP'd some PD fonts from cica.cica.indiana.edu,Heidleberg and Middlton They both appear to be missing the necessary AFM file (they have PFM and PFB along with what appear to be windows bitmaps) Is there a way to use these? Does anyone know of a good source of PD or Shareware PS fonts? Will any of these provide respectable output to a 24pin printer? Thanks, Dan Bracken 3423ykn@cmuvm.bitnet
ifarqhar@sunb.mqcc.mq.oz.au (Ian Farquhar) (03/08/91)
In article <91065.2301403423YKN@CMUVM.BITNET> 3423YKN@CMUVM.BITNET writes: >I'm trying to figure out how to use Postscript fonts with Pagestream 2.1. >I'm confused about the various types of postscript files. Okay, here's a quick rundown on Postscript fonts. There are two main types of Postscript fonts: Type 1 fonts (encrypted and hinted), and Type 3 fonts. TYPE 1 ------ Type One fonts were, for some years, one of the more interesting computer secrets. As of last year, Adobe released their specification in what is now called the "Black Book", or more correctly "Adobe Type 1 Font Format". This one hundred page book describes the full format. Now, all Postscript fonts are basically Postscript programs, with a procedure for each character that is rendered into a bitmap in the font cache. As such, Postscript fonts can do extremely clever things, one of which is hinting. Hinting is a system, developed largely by Adobe, where the font outline is subtly modified to produce better results on low-resolution printers (ie. less than 1000 dpi.) The Type one format can be easily identified, as it starts with: %!FontType1-1.0 Then, a few lines on there is a sequence that runs: currentfile eexec 347698754a7787cd768787ef776987698a9887bc9798798787 and then a while lot of hexadecimal stings, ending in: 347698754a7787cd768787ef776987698a9887bc9798798787 cleartomark The material in hex is actually a hex representation of encrypted postscript code. When decrypted by eexec, it contains some interesting postscript routines (many of which concern hinting), and then some lines like this: /A 187 RD -------------------- ND ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ <- This is 186 binary bytes describing, in a compressed and (again) encrypted form, the actual character outline. Type one fonts are actually much simpler than type 3, as they follow a very standard format, and this simple programs like AFM can parse them and use them without needing a full Postscript implementation hanging around. TYPE 3 ------ Type three fonts are pure postscript, and really do not need to follow any particular format. As they are simply postscript, people (eg. early Bitstream) sometimes build encrypted parts into them to, so they can easily be mistaken for Type 1 fonts. However, most have on the first line: %!PS-Adobe-2.0 Font Or something very similar. >I've FTP'd some PD fonts from cica.cica.indiana.edu,Heidleberg and Middlton A good source. You might also try suna.mqcc.mq.oz.au, somewhere under /pub/ps. There is a big lzh file with about 25 fonts in it. >They both appear to be missing the necessary AFM file (they have PFM and PFB >along with what appear to be windows bitmaps) Is there a way to use these? AFM stands for Adobe Font Metric, and is mostly width tables and character information that tells the application all about the font. Kerning tables and so forth are derived from that. Without the AFM file, it is usually extremely difficult to get a font installed in a program. For some time now I have been toying with the idea of an automatic AFM generator written in Postscript, but have never got around to writing it. It could only produce the most basic of AFM files anyway. If you want information on font file formats and managing fonts under Postscript, fetch the technical note #5040 from the Adobe mail server (ps-file-server@adobe.com). >Will any of these provide respectable output to a 24pin printer? Probably not. No hinting in most PD fonts, you see. -- Ian Farquhar Phone : + 61 2 805-9400 Office of Computing Services Fax : + 61 2 805-7433 Macquarie University NSW 2109 Also : + 61 2 805-7420 Australia EMail : ifarqhar@suna.mqcc.mq.oz.au
ptoper@obelix (Andy Nagy) (03/09/91)
In article <1311@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz>, ifarqhar@sunb.mqcc.mq.oz.au (Ian Farquhar) writes: [good stuff about Adobe fonts deleted] > > If you want information on font file formats and managing fonts under > Postscript, fetch the technical note #5040 from the Adobe mail server > (ps-file-server@adobe.com). > > Ian Farquhar Phone : + 61 2 805-9400 > Office of Computing Services Fax : + 61 2 805-7433 > Macquarie University NSW 2109 Also : + 61 2 805-7420 > Australia EMail : ifarqhar@suna.mqcc.mq.oz.au What is the Internet address for adobe.com? Our site can't find it. Thanks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andy Nagy (ptoper@asterix.gaul.csd.uwo.ca) The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada "Dee do do do, dee da da da, thats all I want to say to you" -- The Police