This release is the real thing, we fixed the problems with Style Tables and updates so all works as it should. There may still be bugs (after all what is a beta release anyways?) but this will do all that I had envisioned it to in the first place.
The remaining things to add included a way to link PostScript⌐ fonts to their bitmap counterparts, a way to update all styles of a particular type (i.e. all bold styles would include bold, bold-italic, bold-italic-outline and so on), and I would also like to automatically update the font class when you add a new style to the font. I have include some buttons for this purpose, but I would like your input on what you would like and if these are good ideas before I turn them on.
"System 7.0???" you say with almost bated breath. I have made sure that ProCreation works with 7.0 and I have also added a few perks for those who use it. There is balloon help (limited, but I'm still fiddling with 7.0 myself) and it also accepts most apple events that are meaningful (i.e. open, close and quit)
This is mailware, if you like it, drop me a line. I don't plan to charge for it or commercially distribute it, but I would like to hear from the people who use it. (besides, this is a beta release, you are all beta testers, give me beta reports if nothing else) If I get a letter from you I'll try to let you know when I update and distribute newer versions. Anyone who has already written me will receive a personal letter letting you know that I have uploaded the new version.
That aside, lets talk about what ProCreation does...
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ProCreation is for adding, deleting, changing and renaming the links between Fonts and their appropriate PostScript⌐ Printer files. It allows you to view these links in the left side of the window. If you frequently design fonts or edit fonts in programs like Fontographer you may want to create a whole family of bitmaps that change like the standard Helvetica and Times families (i.e. when you change Times to italic in the style menu, the system knows to use Times-Italic when printing, as opposed to just making Times-Roman slanted.) You can create the distinct fonts in Fontographer but it doesn't allow you to combine them into a interconnected family. ProCreation will allow you to rename or select another font to link to the style variations or a particular font.
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A little about fonts╔
The bitmap fonts that you see on screen (aside from ATM or TrueType) are stored in resources called FONT╒s or NFNT╒s which allow the Mac to display them on screen. They also contain a matching resource called a FOND (FONt-Descriptor) that link the styles on screen with the PostScript⌐ fonts that you use in your printer (if you have a PostScript⌐ printer.) The FOND resource also links fonts for ATM╒s use.
These links also allow you to link different style variations from the screen (Like bold for example) to a unique PostScript⌐ font, like Helvetica-Bold. When you create a new font with a program like fontographer, it creates the PostScript⌐ font, but only gives you a style variation for the plain or default style. In order to create the additional style variations the computer uses the Font Class bits to vary the font for Bold and Italic variations (For Bold it might make it slightly larger or for Italic it might slant it.)
In every FOND there is a Style Table that contains the family name for the font (Like 'Times' in 'Times-Roman') and a list of suffixes to combine with that family name to generate the styles and unique PostScript⌐ font names. The suffixes are linked to each particular style variation possible on the Mac (there are 48 variations possible using almost every combination of Bold, Italic, Outline, Shadow, Condense and Extend) If a suffix is being used in a family of fonts it is preceded by a hyphen (fonts with hyphens in their suffixes are displayed as 'Fontname Family' at the top of the style checkboxes. It is possible to have multiple fonts with the same family name (Helvetica is a good example), but the suffixes change with each distinct PostScript⌐ font (Helvetica-Bold is different than Helvetica-Narrow)
The combination of Font Class bits and the Style Table (the list of unique fonts to use in PostScript⌐) allow the Mac to create all 48 style variations that are possible (either by using an alternate font or by changing the default font.) If you want to change any of these style variations you have to be sure to update both of these.
(**Be sure to read the descriptions of Font Class bits before changing them.)
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So what are Font Class bits anyways???
(the following is taken from the Apple LaserWriter Reference Manual)
Font Classification
Bit Meaning
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0 Font Name needs coordinating
1 Macintosh vector reencoding scheme is required
2 Font has outline property by changing PaintType to 2
3 Disallows outlining simulation by smear and whiteout
4 Disallows emboldening by smear technique
5 Emboldening is simulated by increasing point size
6 Disallows obliquing by italic
7 Disallows automatic simulation of condensed style
8 Disallows automatic simulation of expanded style
9 Requires reencoding other than Macintosh vector encoding
10 Signifies the font family should have no additional
intercharacter spacing other than the space character.
11 Reserved for use by Apple
Those are the meanings, if you understand that, you are a far better man than I. I have spent quite a while playing with and trying to understand the Font Classification and these are my understandings of the Font Class bits.
bit 0, This is used by the printer driver to connect fonts on the printer with fonts in postscript files. It basically lets the computer know that it should look at the font class bits and build fonts from the bit settings. You should never have to change this, it doesn't affect the style variations.
bit 1, this is tells the printer that this font needs to have certain characters mapped to different locations (like the Symbol characters in Times) This is another bit you should probably leave alone unless you know why you're changing it.
bit 2, This determines how the printer creates an outline variation. If it is turned on the printer traces the outline of the font rather than filling it in. If you create your own outline font, you should turn this OFF, otherwise leave it alone.
bit 3, This is another method of creating outlines, it basically smears the characters around and then prints them in white on top of the smear. It is usefull for bitmap and fonts that do not bezier curve outlines. If you have a new outline font that you use, you should turn this ON.
bit 4, This is similar to bit 3, but it only smears the characters and then leaves it alone. It is a way to create bold if you don't have a bold font. If you have linked a bold variation for your font, then turn this ON to tell the computer not to smear it for boldness.
bit 5, This tells the computer to make a font bold by slightly increasing the font size (i.e. use 12 pt to make 10 pt look bold) If you link a bold font, then turn it OFF.
bit 6, This bit turns off obliquing (slanting of a character) to simulate an italic font. If you link a new italic variation turn this ON.
bit 7, This bit turns off simulated condensation (compressing or squeezing a font) If you have choosen to create a condensed font, turn this ON.
bit 8, This bit turns off simulated expansion (extending or stretching a font) If you have choosen to create a expanded font, turn this ON.
bit 9, This is set to change the reencoding scheme to something other than the standard Mac encoding. You shouldn't have any need to change this bit.
bit 10, This is a tricky bit, it tells the computer not to add or subtract spacing between characters. Usually this is for special fonts like BrushScript that depend on certain spacing to give a scripted or handwritten look to it. I don't think you have any need to use this.
bits 11-15, these bits are useless and Apple recommends that you not change them, I have turned them off so you can't change them.
Most of the bits are harmless if you change them, but you will get unpredictable results if you set them wrong. Always edit copies so you can revert back to them if you screw them up.
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When you change your fonts do these things to insure that they are updated properly. After loading the font and clicking edit.
1.) Choose the correct font style to update (bold, italic, whatever)
2.) Click 'Rename╔'
3.) Enter the new suffix (be sure to start it with a hyphen if it is
a family name. If you are unsure look at other suffixes for the
font.)
4.) Click 'Font Class╔'
5.) Change the appropriate font class bits. (be careful with this
one, it can't hurt anything, but it will give unpredictable
results)
6.) Click 'Okay' in both the font class and rename dialogs.
7.) The new suffix should now show up in the suffix box and
sample box.
8.) Be sure to click 'Okay' when asked to save changes when
you close the font.
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The ProCreation Controls
ProCreation is designed to mimic the Apple's Font/DA mover. The Font/DA mover is now extinct (yes, I know, 4.1, but it is basically extinct) so I hope that this will still be fairly simple to learn and use.
'Open╔', to select the fonts to work with, select 'Open╔' and choose a Font/DA Suitcase to work with. I haven't decided how to work with multiple suitcases yet, so you may want to combine all of the fonts to work with in one suitcase. If you have fonts that are installed in the system, you'll have to move them into a Font/Da Suitcase. (I would like to fix this, but I haven't figured out how yet, give me some ideas, I could use them)
'Close', simply closes the currently open font file. It will also close out the currently selected font. (i.e. it will close whatever you are working on) If you've made changes it will ask you want to save them.
'Edit', this loads the font for editing. It will display the Family name, style variation (if there is one) and Printer font name. In the sample box it will display the currently selected font size (default is the smallest.)
'Rename', this allows you to link the selected font to the currently loaded font style variation. You will be prompted for a new suffix to replace the current one (if there is one, if not it simply adds it.) You will want to be sure to add a Hyphen to the beginning if this is a family name.
'Help', pretty explanatory, nuff said. (actually, it still only displays a about box, but I have added balloon help if you have 7.0 installed)
'Quit', another easy one, if you don't know you're using an IBM to often.
'Font Class', this one is pretty tricky. If you know anything about the internals of fonts you understand what a font's class means, but if not perhaps a description is in order. The font class represents the way the printer, (and programs like ATM) handle printing. It takes settings for whether to generate bold, italic, and other style variations by modifing the font or substituting another font (instead of using Times-Italic, it could take Times-Roman and give it a skew of 40í.) The reason it is important is the way it relates to new font variations. If you rename the italic style of your font, you must also change the font class to turn off the automatic italic skewing of your font. I hope to have all of this automatic in future versions, but there may be reasons to change it even then (I can't think of any, but Mac programmers account for every possibility)
Font Size List, by selecting appropriate sizes you can change which font sample you see. (with ATM it still only displays the installed sizes)
Some Command Key equivalents, Command-O opens a new font/Da file, Command-W closes the currently open Suitcase, Command-Q quits, Return loads the currently selected font.
For those who are curious, the Font menu does nothing, it is a debugging tool to make sure we are looking at the correct fonts (not the system ones) it is pretty useless, but I left it in for fun.
"I like it, I like it, where the heck are you????"
