Amiga ISO Collection/AmigaUtilCD2.iso/Misc/SC-TS25B.LZX/Typesmith/ReadMe.Now

Text File | 1995-10-02 | 22.3 KB | 514 lines

TYPESMITH 2.5b RELEASE NOTES
============================


UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION OF TYPESMITH
----------------------------------------------
In the installer, choose to install TypeSmith in the same directory as your
current TypeSmith drawer. (Select the directory containing your TypeSmith
drawer, not the TypeSmith drawer itself.)


WELCOME
-------
Welcome to TypeSmith 2.5b! This addendum supplements the User Manual and
should be read before using the program. The new features and changes to
the existing features are documented in the online help system. Refer to
it for more information.


TECHNICAL SUPPORT
-----------------
Soft-Logik has changed its technical support policies since the manual was
written. Free technical support is available by mail and email. There is
a fee for support via telephone. Please refer to the accompaning technical
support brochure for details.


CHANGES FROM 2.5a TO 2.5b
-------------------------
- Fixed the problem with exporting TrueType fonts on systems with 68000
  processors.
- Exporting a font in TrueType Windows format now limits the maximum
  number of coordinate pairs to 450, the limit for Windows.
- Exporting an Intellifont with hints on will no longer save hints when
  the number of points exceeds 512 to avoid problems.
- Fixed the kerning problem when saving TrueType fonts.
- Fixed the window title update problem with the set_fontname command.
- You can now use numbers in all font names.
- Fixed the resolution argument problem with the print_overview command.
- Progress bars are no longer shown for ARexx commands.
- Fixed two obscure bugs with loading RFF fonts.
- Fixed loading of DMF and PFB fonts with empty moveto-closepath pairs.
- Added five new ARexx commands: get_family, get_fontid, getfontname,
  get_fullname, get_weight.


CHANGES FROM 2.5 TO 2.5a
------------------------
- Fixed all known problems with printing. Note that you cannot use the
  Workbench's PostScript driver due to problems with it. If you have a
  PostScript printer, you must use its Hewlett-Packard emulation.
- Improved the Convert macro.
- Several minor changes that you probably won't notice.
- New Startup requester. :)


TRUETYPE AND IFF RFF COMPATIBLE (new in 2.5!)
-------------------------------
TypeSmith can now load, save, convert and edit Windows and Macintosh
TrueType fonts! It can even create TrueType Instructions (similar to
hints). There are two new commands:

  - Project/Import TrueType Outline Font
  - Project/Export TrueType Outline Font

Macintosh TrueType fonts must be in MacBinary format.

The Export TrueType command opens a requester which is documented in the
online help system.

This version of TypeSmith also introduces the new IFF RFF font format. This
format supports all the features of all supported font formats, and is the
ideal format to use when you're designing a font*. Always export your work
in RFF format and only save in another format when you're ready to create
your final version. Continually loading and saving in Compugraphic and
TrueType formats is slow and can lead to a loss in quality. IFF RFF loading
and saving is very fast and has no loss in quality. There are two new
commands:

  - Project/Import IFF RFF Outline Font
  - Project/Export IFF RFF Outline Font

*Important! The IFF RFF saver module only saves characters with standard
character names. If you edit the character names or load a font with non-
standard character names, do not save it in IFF RFF format.

Note that the new Convert ARexx script allows you to convert an entire
directory of fonts at once. See Supplied ARexx Macros below for more
information.


PRINT PREVIEW (new in 2.5!)
-------------
There are three ways to print previews of characters from TypeSmith 2.5:
The Project/Print Preview command from the main menus will print a preview
of the current character at a size you specify. The same command from the
Type Preview panel's menu will print a preview of the current type preview
string. Both of these commands have been improved in 2.5 to print at the
correct point sizes.

New in 2.5 is an identical command in the Overview panel's menu. This
command will print a full page preview of the entire character set. This is
a very useful feature. For best results, you should have the CG Triumvirate
font in your Fonts:_bullet_outlines directory, because it is used for the
character labels. The new command is:

  - Project/Print Preview (Overview panel)

TypeSmith uses AmigaDOS's Preferences printing system. Note that you should
not use TypeSmith's Print Preview commands with AmigaDOS's PostScript
printer driver. This driver has a number of problems. If you have a
PostScript printer, it is probably Hewlett-Packard compatible, so you
should select the HP LaserJet driver instead.


WORKING WITH LARGE FONTS (new in 2.5!)
------------------------
Some fonts were designed in large em-squares, notably the Image Club
collection formerly sold by Soft-Logik. These could not be properly loaded
into TypeSmith 2.0. Version 2.5 scales fonts with large em-squares to fit
into TypeSmith's em-square, so these fonts are now fully editable in
TypeSmith. Reducing the size of the em-square is of little importance, so
this will not result in a loss of quality.


REDUCE FONT COMPLEXITY (new in 2.5!)
----------------------
There are some fonts that are just too complex to be printed from
PageStream or to be used with the Compugraphic Intellifont engine in
PageStream, ProPage and Workbench. As well, if you load a font from
Compugraphic or TrueType format, extra points must be added because the
curves are stored in a very different format.

TypeSmith 2.5 can reduce the complexity of characters by removing excess
points from the paths. A new command has been added to the main Edit menu
to reduce the complexity of a single character, and to the Overview panel's
Edit menu to reduce the complexity of an entire font or range of
characters. The new commands are:

  - Edit/Reduce Points
  - Character/Reduce Points (Overview panel)

You can use the command more than once to reduce the complexity further
until the results are satisfactory.


CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO SET PATH DIRECTIONS? (new in 2.5!)
--------------------------------------------
Sometimes when you convert a font from one format to another, its counters
will be filled in because of the differences between winding number fill
and even/odd fill. You can use the Clockwise and Counterclockwise commands
to fix these problems, but this can be tedious. TypeSmith 2.5 can do this
for you, for a single character or for an entire font or range of
characters. The new commands are:

  - Edit/Correct Path Directions
  - Character/Correct Path Directions (Overview panel)


RENAME CHARACTERS (new in 2.5!)
-----------------
Most fonts use the standard character names as detailed in chapter 6 of the
manual, but sometimes you will find a font that has different character
names and which can't be used with some programs. Characters should be
renamed if the font doesn't use the standard character set. TypeSmith 2.5
lets you rename any of the 256 characters, except character 0 which is not
defined. Select the character name from the Character Names scrolling list
in the Set Font Metrics requester. Double click on it or choose the Edit
Name gadget to open a requester in which you can change the name of the
character.


IMPROVED POSTSCRIPT HINTS (new in 2.5!)
-------------------------
TypeSmith can create professional hints to improve the appearance of fonts.
Compugraphic, PostScript and TrueType formats support hints (TrueType hints
are called instructions). The hinting algorithms have been improved since
the release of TypeSmith 2.0 so that both character and font level hints
are created. New in TypeSmith 2.5 is global hint control for PostScript
fonts. This gives you control over the "blue zones". The new Hint Options
gadget in the Save As PostScript Type 1 requester opens the Global Hint
Control requester to allow you to set the ten blue zone values.

If you don't want to be bothered with blue zones, you can ignore this
feature and TypeSmith will use its default values.


CUSTOM vs TYPESMITH ENCODING (improved in 2.5!)
----------------------------
When you import a PostScript Type 1 font and are prompted to choose between
custom and TypeSmith encoding, you should normally choose TypeSmith
encoding. Loading a font with custom encoding can put the characters in
unexpected positions. Loading a font with TypeSmith encoding will put the
characters in the correctly-named positions. The main exception to this
rule is when loading a symbol or pi (dingbats) font. In this case, the
named positions are irrelevant and you should maintain the original
encoding system by choosing custom encoding.

When you export a PostScript Type 1 font, you should normally use TypeSmith
encoding (by not choosing Adobe Standard Encoding you will be choosing
TypeSmith encoding). This will ensure the full character set is saved. If
you choose Adobe Standard Encoding, characters not in the Adobe set will be
lost because its character set is smaller than TypeSmith's. If you plan to
convert the font with Gold Disk's Font Manager after exporting as
PostScript Type 1, you should choose Adobe Standard Encoding.

New in 2.5: You can now export an AFM file in Adobe Standard Encoding
(ASE). Previous versions of TypeSmith only allowed you to specify the
encoding for the PFB outline. Hold down a Shift key while choosing the
Export » AFM PostScript Type 1 Metric command to export in ASE instead of
TypeSmith Encoding. The AFM file created will also list seac characters as
compositions. Don't worry about this feature if you don't know what it
means.

This is only important if you want to create an ASE AFM for an existing
PFB file with seac characters.


HOTLINKS (changed in 2.5)
--------
The HotLinks data sharing concept has changed with the release of
PageStream 3, so the Subscribe command has been removed because it is no
longer required. If you use PageStream3, refer to its manual for more
information on HotLinks.


COMPOSITIONS (improved in 2.5!)
------------
Sample composition tables have been included in the CompTables drawer.
Note that when you load a composition table, you must adjust the offset of
the composition accent parts to fit the design and size of your
characters. The included tables are:

- Blank.comp: no compositions. Load this table when you want to dissolve
  all the compositions in a font.
- Intellifont.comp: this table contains the standard compositions for
  Compugraphic Intellifonts.
- TypeSmith.comp: this table contains the standard compositions for
  PostScript and Soft-Logik fonts.

New in 2.5: The Edit Compositions requester has new Previous and Next
gadgets. When you open this requester, it will show the compositions for
the character in the active window. You can use these gadgets to change
characters without closing the requester and changing the character in the
window. Note that using these gadgets will not change the character
displayed in the window, and that if you check the Preview gadget, that a
preview cannot be shown for characters other than the one in the window.
These gadgets merely provide a handy way to change the compositions for
many characters.


AUTOTRACING
-----------
The intent of having an autotracer in TypeSmith is to allow you to sketch
your characters on paper, scan them into IFF ILBM format, and then trace
them in TypeSmith. You should not trace a small bitmap font, such as a 24
point AmigaDOS font, because there is not enough data to trace. Use high
resolution scans for best results.

If you would like to experiment with the autotracer, use the Template/
Open IFF ILBM Template command to import the TraceTest.ILBM picture in the
TSart drawer. Try tracing this on each of the three settings. The Normal
setting gives a good result. Medium is also acceptable. Accurate should
only be used with caution; it takes a long time and produces an excessive
number of points.

If you try to trace the A_Serif.ILBM picture in TSart, you will see why
resolution is so important to get an accurate trace. This picture is not
sharp enough for autotracing to be useful.

If you trace a picture and it produces a very complex character, you can
use the new Edit/Reduce Points command to make it simpler.


FONTS
-----
A font named DemoFont is stored in the TSfonts drawer. It has only a few
characters but it demonstrates incorporating logos into a font. It is in
Soft-Logik DMF format with a FM file.


KERNING PAIRS
-------------
A sample AFM file with kerning pairs has been included to allow you to
easily experiment with the Load Kern feature in the Metrics requester. It
is called KernPairs.AFM and is stored in the TSfonts drawer.


CONVERT PRODRAW CLIP TO IFF DR2D
--------------------------------
We have included a program called Convert on your TypeSmith disk. Convert
reads Professional Draw Clip files and converts them to the standard IFF
DR2D structured format which TypeSmith can read. Gold Disk's Professional
Draw uses a proprietary format which cannot be imported directly into
TypeSmith.

Double-click on the Convert program icon to open its requester. Click on
the top "Set..." gadget which will open a file requester to select a file
to convert. Alternatively, enter a complete filename to convert in the top
text gadget.

Click on the bottom "Set..." gadget to set an output path. The Convert
program will create separate files for each clip in the Professional Draw
Clip file and will append the clip name plus DR2D to the original filename.

Example: the file "Objects" contains two clips, Box and Circle. Convert
will create two files called "Objects.Box.DR2D" and "Objects.Circle.DR2D".

All Professional Draw options are translated in the conversion except
gradient fills and dashed lines which are not used in a font editor.

Convert also has a batch mode. If you set the "Clip" text gadget to just a
path without specifying a ProDraw file, all the clips in that directory
will be converted when you choose the "Convert" gadget. Convert may also
be used from the shell.

Usage:   convert <filename> <destination directory>

Example: convert df0:drawing.clp ram:


STATUS PANEL PROMPTS
--------------------
You must have AmigaDOS 3.0 or higher in order to see prompts at the bottom
of your screen. This feature of TypeSmith requires AmigaDOS 3.0 in order to
get notification when the mouse is over a tool or gadget.

Soft-Logik Publishing highly recommends that you upgrade to AmigaDOS 3.1
in order to get maximum benefit from TypeSmith.


AMIGAGUIDE HELP SYSTEM
----------------------
TypeSmith 2.5 comes with an online help system. Just press the Help key at
any time to get help. TypeSmith uses the standard AmigaGuide help system.
Commodore has improved this system with the release of AmigaDOS 3.0, so the
appearance of the help files will vary depending on your operating system.

If you have AmigaDOS 3.0 or higher, pressing Help will open directly to
the correct Help screen if a requester is open, the pointer is over a tool
(the toolbox must be active), or if a menu command is highlighted. Note
that you cannot press Help while a requester is open and the text cursor
is in a text gadget. You must first move the cursor out of the text gadget
by clicking on the background of the requester before pressing Help.

If you have AmigaDOS 2.04 or 2.1, pressing Help will always open up to the
main Help contents screen.

AmigaDOS 2 users: AmigaGuide is included with TypeSmith and it can be
installed with TypeSmith so that you can also use the help system. AmigaDOS
3 comes with Multiview to read AmigaGuide help files such as those included
with TypeSmith.


NEW AREXX COMMANDS IN 2.5
-------------------------
- reduce_points, import_rff, import_ttf, export_rff, export_rff,
export_ttf, help, print_character, print_overview, print_string,
t_autotrace, t_edit, t_generate_char, t_get_point, t_get_pos,
t_get_character, t_new_bitmapfont,t_open_abf, t_open_amigafont,
t_open_iffilbm, t_open_slfont, t_clear, t_save_abf, t_save_amigafont,
t_save_iffilbm, t_save_slfont, t_set_charwidth, t_set_point, t_set_pos,
t_get_dimensions, t_set_dimensions, t_shift, correct_pathdirs


SUPPLIED AREXX MACROS
---------------------
The following ARexx scripts are provided with TypeSmith:
- Convert: this script allows you to convert one or more fonts in any one
  format to another format. It asks you to select a directory of fonts to
  convert, the format to convert to, and the directory in which to store
  the converted fonts. It will convert all fonts except bitmap screen fonts,
  and the converted fonts will be hinted.
- ARexxDemo.tsrx: this script demonstrates some of TypeSmith's ARexx
  commands. If you want to write your own ARexx scripts for TypeSmith,
  examine this script in a text editor while running the script in
  TypeSmith.
- MakeLibrary.tsrx: this script exports all or selected characters from a
  font and saves them as separate IFF DR2D files to create a character
  library. When prompted for a filepath and name, you should enter
  a drive and filename. i.e., ram:test would create files such as:
  ram:test.1, ram:test.2, ram:test.3
- LoadLibrary.tsrx: this script imports all or selected characters from
  IFF DR2D files into the current font. The files must be named with a
  common prefix and stored in the same drawer.

If you write ARexx Macros for TypeSmith which you are willing to allow us
to distribute with TypeSmith so that other users may share them, mail them
to: Soft-Logik Publishing, Product Development, P.O. Box 510589, St. Louis,
MO 63151-0589. Credit will be given in the ARexx macro to the author.

Note that ARexx commands are documented only in the AmigaGuide help system.


HOW TO CONVERT SOFTWOOD'S NIMBUS Q FONTS TO ANOTHER FORMAT
----------------------------------------------------------

1. Use SWdownload (a utility Softwood includes with some of their
software) to convert the NimbusQ font to PFA format. Sorry, we cannot
supply you with this utility. Contact Softwood for availability.

2. Edit the PFA file in a text editor. You've got to remove the `prolog'
(existserver stuff to make the download font permanent) before loading the
font into TS:

i.e. remove:

  %!PS-Adobe-2.0   ExitServer
  %%BeginExitServer 0
  serverdict begin
  0 exitserver
  %%EndExitServer

The font must begin with the following line:

  %!FontType1-1[...]

3. Load the PFA file into TypeSmith using the Project / Import PFB
PostScript Type 1 outline command. (PFA files are ASCII versions of binary
PFB files.)

4. Save or export the font in another format.


MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES
---------------------
- Pen tool image changed from a curve to a pen nib.
- Line to Curve tool: closepath segments can be changed to curves now.
- Picasso Users: now uses less chip RAM and is faster.
- Edit/Metrics Preview requester: guides now display in the preview to make
  it easier to see how the characters fit together.
- The character width line can now be moved in the character window by
  dragging the diamond icon in the horizontal ruler. (Character must have a
  width for this to be available.)
- Constrained dragging: Holding down a Shift key while dragging points
  constrains movement to either horizontal or vertical. The movement
  direction is based on whether the current mouse position is moved more
  horizontally or vertically from the point's original position.
- Pressing the up or down cursor key while a point is selected selects the
  next or previous point.
- Use the arrow keys while holding down a Shift key to move the selected
  point(s) by 1 character unit. This is useful for precision work. Note
  that if you are in a magnification mode less than 100%, some points may
  appear to not move while other points move. This is due to rounding
  because there are less pixels than character units, but the points will
  be moved the correct amount.
- The Import » PFB PostScript Type 1 Outline command will now load PFA
  files in addition to PFB files. (The 'A' in PFA stands for ASCII while
  the 'B' in PFB stands for Binary.) You can recognize PFA files because
  they have the following comment on the first line: "%!PS-AdobeFont-1.0"
  or "%!FontType1". PFB files are similar but have 6 binary bytes followed
  by this text. The PFB format is the primary PostScript Type 1
  distribution format.
- The Add Point tool now adds the new point on existing curve instead of on
  the imaginary line joining the points.
- Added the ability to move the status bar from the bottom of the screen to
  the top. Change the program icon tooltype from Information=Bottom to
  Information=Top.
- Made cosmetic changes to some requesters for non-English versions.
- And lots of small improvements which enhance TypeSmith!


FLOPPY DRIVE USERS
------------------
As mentioned in the manual, you can start using TypeSmith 2.5 right away
by making a working backup of this disk and then double clicking on the
TypeSmith icon.

NOTE THE IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS ON PAGE iv OF THE MANUAL: You must copy
the IFF.library file to your Libs: directory in order to use TypeSmith.
Your Libs: directory is on your Workbench disk.

The sample clip art, font, ARexx macros, help system and font downloader
are stored on the disk in compressed format, so you will have to
decompress the files before using them. You can use the LHEX program on
this disk to decompress the files.

To decompress an archive, type the following line in a shell when the
TypeSmith disk is in df0:

cd ram:                    (this makes ram: the current directory.)
copy df0:LHEX ""           (this copies the decompressor to ram:)
copy df0:name.LHA ""       (where name is the name of the archive;
                           this copies the archive to ram:)
LHEX x name.LHA            (this decompresses the archive)

Now you can copy the files to the applicable directory. Hard drive users
can simply use the Install-TypeSmith script to uncompress files.


EXPORTING PFM FILES
-------------------
This feature, as documented in the manual, is not currently implemented.


CORRECTIONS TO THE MANUAL
-------------------------
page 1.12: The default dimensions are now 1400x1200, which are the
   maximum allowed.

page 1.15: The example and description of path direction is incorrect. The
   outmost path should be counterclockwise, and inner paths should alternate
   in direction.

page 2.3: The pictures of the Box and Ellipse tools are reversed.

page 2.15: para 2: The Import/PFB PostScript Type 1 Outline command can
   open Mac format PFB files, not just MS-DOS as stated in the manual.

page 3.4, para 2: The Show Template command is in the View menu, not the
   Settings menu.

Index: the section on Print Preview is on page 2.23, not 2.26.