Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: fonts

Jon Elson wrote:

>
> William Scalione wrote:
>
> > ballendo@... wrote:
> >
> > > Jon Elson wrote:
> > >
> > > <snip>Unfortunately, PostScript and many other systems use bitmaps
> > to
> > > createthe printed fonts.
> > >
> > > Postscript IS a vector based description language, including fonts.
> > > The vectors are TRANSLATED into raster bitmaps for output.
>
> How did you determine this? Have you ever written a PostScript file?
> I have done several of them (or written programs that output
> PostScript).
> I am (painfully) familiar with the internals of PostScript font
> definition.
> Almost all standard fonts are bitmapped, and either specified by name
> and called up from the printer itself, or downloaded as long strings
> of hexadecimal values in the PostScript file itself, and added to the
> font list in the printer.
>
> Now, it is true that GRAPHICS can be described by vectors, and that is
> the
> best way, as the graphic can be scaled arbitrarily without losing
> detail.
> You COULD define a font as a set of graphic images, and then set them
> on the page to form text, but I've NEVER seen this done for text.
>
> > > Don Lancaster's site, the guru's lair at: www.tinaja.com has a
> > WEALTH
> > > of info re: postscript. Don is something of a postscript Zealot.
> > > Books, etc.
>
> Yes, and I've learned a lot from him! Does he say something that
> implies
> what you said above? I'd sure like to see it.
>
> > Get ghostscript and gsview (a viewing program for ghostscript) and you
> >
> > can output Postscript, PDF, EPS files to vector format including DXF.
>
> Yes, again, the GRAPHIC content of files that are originally in vector
> format
> will pass through still in vector, but simple type won't!
>
> Jon

Jon,
Well that's what I get for assuming that they would do fonts in outline form; e.g. described in Postscript. Now we know better.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. :-0

Thanks.

Dave