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Download a True Type font 1

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webrabbit

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Jan 31, 2003
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What is the procedure for downloading a font (.TTF)?
 
>> What is the procedure for downloading a font (.TTF)?

It depends on just what you mean by this.

If you mean that you want to download a font to a printer for use within PCL5 or PCL6 print jobs, then you have to convert the TrueType (.ttf) font into the appropriate downloadable soft font format and download that.

The Soft Font Generate tool in the PCL Paraphernalia application (available via ) can generate a (PCLETTO or PCLXLETTO format) soft font, bound to one of a (predefined list of) symbol sets, from a donor TrueType font.

Note that licence restrictions within the donor font may mean that you can only use the derived soft font on the system for which the original font is licensed.

Once you've generated the soft font, you can use the Font Sample tool to generate a (PCL5 or PCL6 (PCL XL)) print job to check how it prints.
This print job can be directed to a file, which you can examine / interpret using the PRN File Analyse tool to see how the soft font is downloaded and used.
 
Well, given the topic of this forum, I cannot see how there could be any other interpretation.

So I downloaded the software you pointed to. As the overview noted, I need the .NET 10 something or another. How do I get that?
 
>> ... given the topic of this forum, I cannot see how there could be any other interpretation. ...

Sorry, I just didn't word my reply very well - I had in the back of my mind that some (modern? expensive?) printers may have features built-in to them (or their accompanying software) to download native .ttf files and internally convert them, or somehow make them available, to the PCL personality on the printer; but I'm not sure which (if any?) printers have this feature.


>> .. I need the .NET 10 something or another. How do I get that? ...

If you try to run the PCL Paraphernalia executable, but the .NET 4.0 runtime is not already installed, it will probably download automatically; if it doesn't, or you want to install it explicitly, there are loads of references (e.g. ) to the package.
 
Well, I downloaded and installed NET 4.0, and I can run the font tool. But it says the OS/2 table is empty and refuses to do the conversion.

I guess I will have to abondon this approch and try something else.

Thanksanyway.
 
It may not be valid, but it works fine in Word. I was hoping that I could use it in my applicaion.
 
Given that the Microsoft specifications state that the OS/2 table is one of those "required for the font to function correctly", I'm surprised that it works with Word (or anything else).

What font is it?

Can you send a copy of the .ttf file to the 'support' mailbox (@ pclparaphernalia.eu) so that I can have a look at it?

 
The supplied .ttf file is one created for the original (1991) Apple specification, and only contains the relevant Macintosh tables and mapping.

I sent back a modified version which included the relevant Microsoft tables and mapping; did this work for you?
 
I'm sorry, but I gave up using a font. I have reverted to building the characters using raster graphics. Btw, the font, if used, is required by banking standards to be a non-scalable mono-spaced font.
 
>> ... I have reverted to building the characters using raster graphics.

OK


>> ...Btw, the font, if used, is required by banking standards to be a non-scalable mono-spaced font.

TrueType fonts are always scalable, so are the PCL Encapsulated TrueType Outline (PCLETTO) fonts derived from them.
If you need a non-scalable PCL font, you have to construct one in one of the bitmap formats (the Soft Font Generate tool does not offer this option).

The original (Apple format) font you supplied does not have the normal table entries which (these days) indicate whether or not a font is mono-spaced, and not all of the characters have the same advance width (another indication) anyway, so my modified version doesn't either.
 
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