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Conference 7.286::postscript_printing

Title:Digital PostScript printers and their associated software
Moderator:REGENT::LASKOHER
Created:Wed Jan 24 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:7230
Total number of notes:31971

7144.0. "download fonts, convert AFM files" by MUNICH::HABENREICH (Uwe Habenreich, CSC Munich ! Lewer duad �s Slaw !) Fri Apr 04 1997 09:03

A customer has a CNEW3X9.AFM font description. He using this font from
Oracle, but can only print Courier (the default) on his DEClaser2100.

How do I convert AFM font files to PS descriptions to be used in device 
control libraries for downloading fonts ?

Uwe
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
7144.1REGENT::POWERSMon Apr 07 1997 15:236
AFM files are just font metric files, not the font data outline files.
AFM files don't get loaded in to a printer, they get interpreted
in a host where they aid document creation by specifying the character
sizes.

- tom]
7144.2how to convert ?MUNICH::HABENREICHUwe Habenreich, CSC Munich ! Lewer duad �s Slaw !Tue Apr 08 1997 10:4915
That's what I thought.

What he does is modifying the PPD file for use with Oracle. He 
uses a font Oracle and I do not know. He creates a PS file with
Oracle, but this is printed with standard Courier. He had Oracle
analyse his PS file and got the answer : the file is correct.
Oracle directed him to contact DEC for a problem with VMS.
As I understand it, the font must be loaded into the printer to be
usable by his Oracle PS file. This can be done by setup modules
in device control library. But how do I convert the AFM file into
a PS module ?
My customer insists that there has to be a mechanism on VMS to
make any font available in a DEClaser 2100.

Uwe
7144.3REGENT::POWERSTue Apr 08 1997 15:5118
> But how do I convert the AFM file into
> a PS module ?

You don't.  AFM files are intended to be read by a host-based application
to do things like figure out how wide characters are so they can be placed 
next to one another and count how many can appear on a line.  They contain
no font outline data.  Hence the name font METRIC files.

> My customer insists that there has to be a mechanism on VMS to
> make any font available in a DEClaser 2100.

Sure, just downline load the font file, again using SETUP or FORMS modules
appropriately if you like, or embed the data into the created PostScript
data file.  But you have to have the FONT file to do this, NOT the AFM file.

And you usually have to buy the fonts.

- tom]