2011/6/19 dove - railing <[email protected]>: > I have phoned Australia and spoke to an expert in Procon.com.au about 2 > times and corresponded via email. Procon.com.au are wanting several hundred > dollars whether it's my font or theirs. This is not affordable. I don't > know why vga bios is proprietary still and there is not any opensource > alternatives. Thus if some opensource enthusiast does it that would be > great. Coreboot project are doing main bios. Similarly if it's done for > video card bios that would be tremendous.
There's the Open Graphics Project: http://wiki.opengraphics.org/tiki-index.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Graphics_Project http://lists.duskglow.com/open-graphics/2010-September/012160.html > > > Regards > > > Meeku > > > > On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 11:52 AM, Ramch April May the R A M months > <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Ramch April May the R A M months <[email protected]> >> Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 8:31 AM >> Subject: Re: Help with Bitmap fonts >> To: Wynand Marais <[email protected]> >> >> >> Hi Wynand >> >> Have not heard from you, have you forgotten about this? >> >> Regards, >> >> >> Meeku >> >> On Sat, May 14, 2011 at 6:30 PM, Ramch April May the R A M months >> <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Hi Wynard >>> >>> From those 3 expert responses, it could be 2 bitmap font types: >>> >>> Console bitmap font (first 2 expert responses) >>> >>> Bios and Video Card bitmap font (last expert response) >>> >>> Anyway I'm only a newbie, I'll leave it you :-) >>> >>> >>> Best, >>> >>> >>> Meeku >>> >>> >>> >>> On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 10:30 AM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Wynand >>>> >>>> I received another response: >>>> >>>> -----Start----- >>>> >>>> *"Resolution*: default VGA text mode is 720 x 400, but can >>>> be swiched by software to 640x400, 640x350 and some others. >>>> *File Format*: no files, it's just somewhere in the BIOS >>>> and some pointers point to the start of the font character >>>> bytes startng at char 0. >>>> Does 1 indicate a pixel of the glyph, and 0 the background or visa >>>> versa? >>>> Yes >>>> *Glyph Size*: 8x8, 8x14 and 8x16 pixels >>>> Yes. 8x14 is missing often in todays BIOSes. Was used for >>>> EGA resolution (640x350) but some software uses it to get >>>> 28 text lines on VGA resolution. If missing, it looks messy. >>>> *How is the alphabet arrange*? Is all 256 glyphs in one image?" >>>> Yes. >>>> >>>> Since the text resolution is 720 wide, there are 9 pixels >>>> per char. So you can use all 8 pixels of each char, no space >>>> needed. The 9th pixel column just stays empty, so you always have >>>> a space between the chars. Only in a certain range (I think >>>> 176 to 223 the 8th column is duplicated to the 9th one to get >>>> block graphics chars without a gap. >>>> >>>> Since a real BIOS font shall look ok on 640x400 and 640x350 too, >>>> the chars use 7 pixels only and keep the 8th column empty. >>>> But there are some extra chars defined behind the default font >>>> which are used somehow for 720 pixel wide modes. Usualy there >>>> are the letters M, T, W and the zero. >>>> Just take a look at a BIOS, e.g. with MemPatch. >>>> >>>> http://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/mempatch.zip >>>> >>>> Here is some stuff: >>>> http://www.uwe-sieber.de/temp/dos-fonts.zip >>>> >>>> fontpatch is a tool for editing DOS fonts and store them >>>> into an executable which can load it into the memory and >>>> makes it used by changing the pointer to the font. >>>> The fnt files are pure BIOS fonts I had created 20 years >>>> ago... >>>> >>>> -----End----- >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> >>>> Meeku >>>> >>>> On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 11:47 PM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi >>>>> >>>>> I received 2 responses: >>>>> >>>>> "Under Linux, the file format used for console fonts is PSF: >>>>> >>>>> <http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/font-formats-1.html> >>>>> >>>>> which, at its simplest, is a 4-byte header followed by monochrome >>>>> character data for 256 characters. (For the 16-row font this is 256*16 = >>>>> 4096 bytes, for a total of 4100 bytes). >>>>> >>>>> I'm not aware of any automated conversion tool that can make PSFs >>>>> directly from bitmap images. The nearest a bitmap tool could get is >>>>> probably >>>>> .PBM format, 8 pixels wide and 4096 high, with all the letters one above >>>>> the >>>>> other. Then slice off the .PBM header and add a .PSF header." >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> "As far as I know, there's no header. Each byte is one row of the >>>>> character. All 256 glyphs are in one file sequentially -- i.e., 16 bytes >>>>> for >>>>> character 0x00, 16 bytes for character 0x01, etc. 0 = background, 1 = >>>>> pixel >>>>> on." >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Cheers for doing this. Hope this is helpful. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Best, >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Meeku >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 5:46 AM, Wynand Marais >>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi Meeku >>>>>> They are just verifying what I've been telling you so far. I'm >>>>>> not committing to this, but at the earliest it will have to wait till the >>>>>> weekend at the earliest. You have to realise I have 3 paying jobs, my >>>>>> current employers must take priority, otherwise they will have no >>>>>> initiative >>>>>> to pay me. Also you can't hire a professional software engineer for >>>>>> USD15 in >>>>>> Australia. >>>>>> However, get me all the information (see below), and I'll see when I >>>>>> have free time, if I can write it. The information i need is: >>>>>> Resolution: width x height (in pixels) >>>>>> File Format: its bitmap 1,0, but does the file need a specific header? >>>>>> Does 1 indicate a pixel of the glyph, and 0 the background or visa versa? >>>>>> Glyph Size: 8x8, 8x14 and 8x16 pixels >>>>>> How is the alphabet arrange? Is all 256 glyphs in one image? >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> -Wynand >>>>>> On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 5:12 AM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi Wynand >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Here is another expert's quote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> "BIOS fonts are 8x8, 8x14 and 8x16 pixels. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The fonts in the screenshot do no look like bitmap fonts >>>>>>> at all, they are not 'black and white', the are rendered." >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Please could you agree to doing the way they suggest. I could pay >>>>>>> you USD15 for your time and trouble. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Sun, May 8, 2011 at 11:57 AM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi Wynand >>>>>>>> I contacted some experts about whether your bitmap font is suitable >>>>>>>> as a "hardware font" for Video Card and Bios. Those who responded say >>>>>>>> the >>>>>>>> sizes are wrong and one expert says the colour is wrong. Here are >>>>>>>> there >>>>>>>> quotes for your information: >>>>>>>> "VGA hardware uses an 8x16-pixel character cell-- the smallest one >>>>>>>> in the samples you linked uses 16x16 pixels for each character." >>>>>>>> "As it is, I don't think the font is suitable. The 256x256 one is >>>>>>>> probably the closest in size, but it's still a greyscale image; BIOS >>>>>>>> fonts >>>>>>>> can't be antialiased, so all those greys would have to be flattened to >>>>>>>> black >>>>>>>> or white. They also use a cell 16 pixels high and 8 wide, not the >>>>>>>> 16x16 cell >>>>>>>> used here, so some letters would be truncated (for example, the 'w')." >>>>>>>> Is it possible you could fit the bitmap font to meet the above Video >>>>>>>> Card and Bios requirements? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>>> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 11:16 AM, Wynand Marais >>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Hi Meeku >>>>>>>>> Sorry, I work three jobs atm, and I worked all night to get the >>>>>>>>> last software realse out the door, so was sleeping all day. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> > BTW, I saw on your website that you practice both software and >>>>>>>>> > hardware automation. I am wanting to launch a nonprofit-nonsalary >>>>>>>>> > organisation for a purpose and I would be grateful if you have any >>>>>>>>> > regular >>>>>>>>> > spare time for consultation? >>>>>>>>> I'd be curious to see what you end up doing, unfortunately as I >>>>>>>>> mentioned above, I'm allready working three jobs, so I rather not >>>>>>>>> make any >>>>>>>>> promises at this stage, sorry. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> > > http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Video-Tweak/HVFULLSC-Full-Screen-Video-Card-and-CPI-Fonts.shtml >>>>>>>>> I don't think my stuff would be the same at all. The fonts use >>>>>>>>> internally by the vga adapter will likely only be a bit mask with >>>>>>>>> no anti-aliasing etc. (I would expect anyway, since the orgins date >>>>>>>>> back to >>>>>>>>> when "PCs" in a sense were first conceived. ) I'm however completely >>>>>>>>> out of >>>>>>>>> depth commenting on how it would work. I've never worked with >>>>>>>>> anything like >>>>>>>>> that, the bitmap fonts I generate are itended to be used as textures >>>>>>>>> in >>>>>>>>> graphics APIs like OpenGL and DirectX which are abstractions above the >>>>>>>>> hardware level. The application in the link I suspect would replace >>>>>>>>> some >>>>>>>>> binary font set programmed into a flash/eeprom on the video card >>>>>>>>> somewhere. >>>>>>>>> An example of where this font file can be used (and is targeted for >>>>>>>>> use) is >>>>>>>>> given in this >>>>>>>>> example: http://nehe.gamedev.net/data/lessons/lesson.asp?lesson=43 >>>>>>>>> > Please tell me if I could pay you an amount via PayPal for this >>>>>>>>> > font. >>>>>>>>> No, thats fine, I didn't design the font, just rendered it to a >>>>>>>>> picture, so I cant take any credit for it. Also, as I said on the >>>>>>>>> website, >>>>>>>>> the tools are completely free, I just like to know what people use it >>>>>>>>> for :) >>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>> -Wynand >>>>>>>>> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Hi >>>>>>>>>> I have released your font on Typophile >>>>>>>>>> forum, http://typophile.com/node/81929 >>>>>>>>>> Please tell me if I could pay you an amount via PayPal for this >>>>>>>>>> font. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On Thu, May 5, 2011 at 8:06 AM, Wynand Marais >>>>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Hi Meeku >>>>>>>>>>> No, 256, 512 and 1024 maps to 2^N boundaries used on many video >>>>>>>>>>> cards for texture sizes. As mentioned earlier this is designed for >>>>>>>>>>> game >>>>>>>>>>> engines, hence these sizes are specified as the minimum (256) where >>>>>>>>>>> the font >>>>>>>>>>> is not really clearly visible, the "nice" size (512) which give a >>>>>>>>>>> good >>>>>>>>>>> balance of texture size and glyph resolution, and the biggest 1024 >>>>>>>>>>> which is >>>>>>>>>>> generally the upper limit for what size textures you want to use in >>>>>>>>>>> games. >>>>>>>>>>> When rendering bitmap fonts, you want to select the texture that >>>>>>>>>>> gives you >>>>>>>>>>> the lest amount of scaling between the glyph size in the texture >>>>>>>>>>> which is >>>>>>>>>>> either 256/16, 512/16 or 1024/16 in order to give you the least >>>>>>>>>>> amount of >>>>>>>>>>> distortion. For example, if you want a font height of 16pixels, you >>>>>>>>>>> would >>>>>>>>>>> just use the glyphs directly from the 256 image. >>>>>>>>>>> The ".awd" is the "advance width" file. Every-time you write a >>>>>>>>>>> glyph, you need to advance the text cursor a cetrain distance >>>>>>>>>>> before drawing >>>>>>>>>>> the next glyph. This file contains this information for each glyph >>>>>>>>>>> in the >>>>>>>>>>> image effectively supporting variable width fonts. >>>>>>>>>>> The ".pwd" file is the "physical width" file which contains the >>>>>>>>>>> maximum width of each glyph in the image. This information is used >>>>>>>>>>> when you >>>>>>>>>>> are calculating maximum line widths, or are working with rendering >>>>>>>>>>> individual glyphs to ensure you achieve proper centering. >>>>>>>>>>> Referring to your previous message: >>>>>>>>>>> Please could you help with converting a Rail Model font >>>>>>>>>>> (download: http://code.google.com/p/railmodel/downloads/list) into >>>>>>>>>>> bitmap >>>>>>>>>>> font for modding an existing linux distribution's console font / >>>>>>>>>>> developing >>>>>>>>>>> a linux distribution? >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I don't think you need to create a bitmap font for this. If you >>>>>>>>>>> are using a powerful enough linux distro you should be able to just >>>>>>>>>>> install >>>>>>>>>>> the font to the users .font directory, and then change the user >>>>>>>>>>> terminal to >>>>>>>>>>> use that font. If you are talking about the TTY fonts, I really >>>>>>>>>>> cant help >>>>>>>>>>> you as I have no idea about it myself. I honestly don't know if >>>>>>>>>>> these generated fonts will be useful in anyway for this purpose. I >>>>>>>>>>> would >>>>>>>>>>> suggest that you workout which terminal you want to change the font >>>>>>>>>>> for >>>>>>>>>>> (i.e. XTerm, Gnome Terminal, Konsole, Bash, TTY, etc), and change >>>>>>>>>>> their >>>>>>>>>>> config options accordingly to use the truetype front found at the >>>>>>>>>>> google >>>>>>>>>>> link. >>>>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>>>> -Wynand >>>>>>>>>>> On Thu, May 5, 2011 at 6:21 AM, Ramch April May the R A M months >>>>>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Wynand >>>>>>>>>>>> Cheers for doing the bitmap font. I am not a techie: based on >>>>>>>>>>>> my viewing the tga images would I be correct in presuming that >>>>>>>>>>>> folders 1024, >>>>>>>>>>>> 256 and 512 are different screen sizes? I am not sure what are >>>>>>>>>>>> awd and pwd >>>>>>>>>>>> files, are there any install instructions that you could send, for >>>>>>>>>>>> example >>>>>>>>>>>> for Ubuntu? Even if I visit my local Linux User Group, they might >>>>>>>>>>>> not have >>>>>>>>>>>> the immediate understanding. Thus I would be most grateful if you >>>>>>>>>>>> could >>>>>>>>>>>> send some information about how it should be done. >>>>>>>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 8:17 AM, Wynand Marais >>>>>>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Meeku >>>>>>>>>>>>> I've attached the generated bitmap fonts. >>>>>>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>>>>>> -Wynand >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 7:22 AM, Ramch April May the R A M >>>>>>>>>>>>> months <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Wynand >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Please could you help with converting a Rail Model font >>>>>>>>>>>>>> (download: http://code.google.com/p/railmodel/downloads/list) into >>>>>>>>>>>>>> bitmap >>>>>>>>>>>>>> font for modding an existing linux distribution's console font / >>>>>>>>>>>>>> developing >>>>>>>>>>>>>> a linux distribution? >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 3:27 AM, Wynand Marais >>>>>>>>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Meeku >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'll do it just this once. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Just out of curiosity, what are you using the bitmap fonts >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> for? (The fonts I'm generating is very specific for use in game >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> engines to >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> render basic ASCII English text, so I really can't guarantee it >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> will work on >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> anything else.) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Wynand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 1:51 AM, Ramch April May the R A M >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> months <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I saw your >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> site http://revantech.com/projects/linux-osx-mac-game-engine/bitmap-font-generator/ Bitmap >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Generator >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I need help as I am not a techie. Could you produce a >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bitmap font if I sent you a font? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meeku >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> >> > > > -- > coreboot mailing list: [email protected] > http://www.coreboot.org/mailman/listinfo/coreboot > -- coreboot mailing list: [email protected] http://www.coreboot.org/mailman/listinfo/coreboot
