Re: TECH: creating a bitmap font?

Arnt Richard Johansen skrev:
 > A couple of years ago, I created a TrueType font
 > containing a calligraphic version of the Ciktal syllabary.
 > (Available at http://arj.nvg.org/ciktal/ ) It looks okay,
 > but is somewhat illegible at small sizes, so I'm looking
 > for something better.
 >
 > As it happens, I have a directory full of 16x16 pixel
 > bitmaps of all the syllables, and all the diacritics. Do
 > any of you know of any tools that can be used to turn
 > these pictures into a bitmap font? I am primarily looking
 > to turn it into a format that is reasonably platform-
 > independent, but a Linux/X11-only solution would be
 > swell, too.

I expect FontForge <http://fontforge.sourceforge.net/> can
do it, since it can import bitmaps as backgrounds *and*
export bitmap fonts along with outline fonts. Don't hesitate
to sub yourself to the mailing list and ask for help. George
Willims himself and others are quite helpful.

If you google for bitmap font editor you'll find some
commercial things that may or may not do a good job, if you
are economically independent. ;-)

 > Is it common for renderers using bitmap fonts to be able
 > to compose characters themselves, or is it necessary to
 > store precomposed bitmaps in the font?
 >

They usually try, but you'll usually get better results with
precomposed bitmaps. It of course depends on the quality of
the outline font, esp. the hinting, which I wish I
understood better.
--


/BP 8^)>
--
Benct Philip Jonsson -- melroch at melroch dot se

    a shprakh iz a dialekt mit an armey un flot

                                 (Max Weinreich)