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FONTUTIL.TXT                Doc. Rev. 1.00                  July 18th, 1997
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                    F o n t   U t i l i t i e s   f o r 

                  8888888888   d8888 888888b.    .d8888b. 
                  888         d88888 888  "88b  d88P  Y88b
                  888        d88P888 888  .88P  Y88b.     
                  8888888   d88P 888 8888888K.   "Y888b.  
                  888      d88P  888 888  "Y88b     "Y88b.
                  888     d88P   888 888    888       "888
                  888    d8888888888 888   d88P Y88b  d88P
                  888   d88P     888 8888888P"   "Y8888P"

                          By the friendly folks at
 
                                     ##
                             .d888b. ## .d888b.
                            d8P   ########   98b
                            Y8b.     ##     .d8Y
                             "Y88b.  ##  .d88Y"
                                "Y8b.##.d8Y"
                                  "88##88"
                            Y8b   d8P##98b   d8Y
                             "Y888P" ## "9888Y"
              __.   ._ ,          .     __.   ._ ,
             (__  _ |,-+- _ . . _.|_   (__  _ |,-+-.    , _.._. _
             .__)(_)|  | (_)(_|(_.[ )  .__)(_)|  |  \/\/ (_][  (/,
  

Contents
--------
- Opening Blurb
- Unarchiving the Program
- The Programs
- BlowUp
- FillChar
- FontInfo
- Font Header Information
- Hugware?
- Archive Files
- System Requirements
- Future Enhancements
- Who is Softouch Software?
- Don't Be Confused...
- The FABS Homepage
- Contacting Softouch Software
- Revision History


Opening Blurb
-------------
   Thank-you for downloading the FABS font utilities.  I guess this 
collection would constitute the fifth software release from Softouch
Software.  These files and utilities will hopefully help you in making
new fonts, especially if you're modifying existing ones.
   If you create a font, I would appreciate it if you could send a copy to
me (Sir_Isle@geocities.com) so that I can put it on the fonts webpage for
others' use and enjoyment.


Unarchiving the Program
-----------------------
   The zip file for these programs do not contain anything fancy like
directory structures, so to unarchive the programs simply move the zip
file to the desired directory and run PKUNZIP on it.  If you're reading
this, it obviously worked.  =)


The Programs
------------
   In this release, there are several programs included:

BLOWUP.EXE    -  reads an input file, blowing up the contents by a user
                 specified amount horizontally and vertically.  Has a
                 special option for blowing up existing fonts
FILLCHAR.EXE  -  searches a font, replacing the specified character with
                 a new one if it is surrounded by other characters (sort
                 of a hollowing effect)
FONTINFO.EXE  -  tells what the font characteristics are


BlowUp
------
   This program is useful for enlarging existing letters (especially if
they are block letters).  To run BLOWUP on a file, simply type:
   
               BLOWUP filename horz_expand vert_expand [-f]

Blowup will read in the specified file and print out each character
horz_expand times horizontally and vert_expand times vertically.  It
will do this indiscriminately unless the -f option is placed at the
end.  This tell BLOWUP the input file is a FABS font, so it will
intelligently blowup only the ASCII letters, leaving the header
information and letters in the first column alone.  You can try it
out on SMLAPTOP.BAN to see how it works.  Two things you should note:
 - the size of the font on the second line is not automatically updated;
   this must be done by hand
 - check the size of the space at the bottom of the file to make sure it
   is still okay
Check the font in general to make sure no funnies happened.  If some did,
let me know.
   The changed output is piped to the screen, so the user should use the
right triangle bracket to pipe it into a file.  i.e.:

               BLOWUP letters.txt 6 2 > letters.ban

If you run BLOWUP with an insufficient number of parameters, it will
print a help message stating the format required.


FillChar
--------
   This program is useful for adding fill characters to a font.  To run
FILLCHAR on a file, simply type:
   
               FILLCHAR filename findchar replacechar

FILLCHAR was used to apply the primary fill character to the STANDARD
font.  Basically it reads through the specified file, searching for 
findchar.  When it locates an instance of it, it checks if there are
characters to the left, right, above, and below, and if there are,
it replaces the instance of findchar with replacechar.  The changed 
output is piped to the screen, so the user should use the right triangle
bracket to pipe it into a file.  i.e.:

               FILLCHAR letters.txt # X > letters.ban

If FILLCHAR is being run on the finished font, the output should be checked
to make sure everything looks okay; it has been known to insert an extra
blank line if the input line goes right to the end of the screen.
   If you run FILLCHAR with an insufficient number of parameters, it will
print a help message stating the format required.


FontInfo
--------
   To run FONTINFO on a file, simply type:
   
                         FONTINFO filename

The program will read the header information and display such information
as the font version number, default spacing, presence of fill characters
and what they are, height of font, etc..  This is included in the FABS
zip file as well, and is simply useful to get a quick snapshot of a
font's characteristics.
   If you run FONTINFO with an insufficient number of parameters, it will
print a help message stating the format required.


Font Header Information
-----------------------
   The following is a description of the font header information and what it
means, as shown in the file BLANK.BAN:

 1 01 BN 04 Y## N__                 <- first line
                      ~             <- second line
 | \/ || \/ ||| |||
 | |  || |  ||| |||
 | |  || |  ||| |||
 | |  || |  ||| ||`-- This says what the default fill character to print is
 | |  || |  ||| |`--- This says what in the font represents the secondary fill
 | |  || |  ||| `---- This says whether a secondary fill character is used (Y/N)
 | |  || |  |||
 | |  || |  ||`------ This says what the default fill character to print is
 | |  || |  |`------- This says what in the font represents the primary fill
 | |  || |  `-------- This says whether a primary fill character is used (Y/N)
 | |  || |
 | |  || `----------- This gives the max overlap factor (lines)
 | |  ||
 | |  |`------------- If only one case is present, this says to use it for both
 | |  |                upper and lower case characters
 | |  `-------------- This states whether both cases in the font have been
 | |                   defined (B), or just upper (U) or lower (L)
 | |
 | `----------------- This gives the default spacing between characters (lines)
 |        
 `------------------- This specifies the font format version (should changes
                       ever occur, so future revs know which format to use)

 Notes on font format:
 - the first line MUST contain the description string so the program knows
   how to use the font
 - the second line MUST contain only the ~ to specify the last column
   containing font characters
 - after the first two lines, you can have any number of comment lines
   before the font starts, as long as they are all indented at least
   one space.
 - the characters in the font must be given in ASCII order, as the program
   expects them to be such.  The only exception to this is the font
   representation of a space comes at the end of the file instead of the
   beginning
 - there should be no characters in the first column except for the
   character describing the ASCII banner character to follow
 - at the end of the font file (i.e. after the space has been defined) put
   a tilda (~) at the start of a line; this tells program the end of the
   the last character has been reached
 - since a space in the first column of the font file signifies the line is
   part of the comment or drawn character, the designator for the space
   character in the font  must be something else.  It is represented by 
   ASCII character 178 (  ) which can often be drawn in an editor by
   holding down the ALT key and typing 178


Hugware?
--------
   The FABS utilities are Hugware.  This means that registering your
copy does not involve paying fees, or sending in forms (though an e-mail
to say what you think might be nice), or anything like that.  To register
your copy of the software, you must simply find someone and give them a hug.
Users are encouraged to register their copies as many times as they like.  =)


Archive Files
-------------
   The following files should be included in the ZIP file:
BLANK.BAN     -  a blank font file
BLOWUP.EXE    -  blows up the contents of a file by the specifieding amount
FILLCHAR.EXE  -  aid in adding fill characters to a font
FONTINFO.EXE  -  tells what the font characteristics are
FONTS.FAQ     -  a small questions-and-answers file on making FABS fonts
FONTUTIL.TXT  -  this text file
SMLAPTOP.BAN  -  the small latop font, which can be used as a base for
                 creating new fonts

System Requirements
-------------------
   To tell the truth, I'm not entirely sure.  (Can you tell I'm new at
this?)  The program is text based, so it should run on any monitor that
supports 80x25 text mode.  Colour is not used, so monochrome
doesn't matter.


Future Enhancements
-------------------
   As time permits (which it rarely does) I'll try and fix any bugs that
people report, and hopefully add some new programs.  The main one I want
to write is a conversion program that will read a figlet font and rewrite
it in FABS format.  I have some other ideas in mind too, so stay tuned.
 

Who is Softouch Software?
-------------------------
   At the moment, the CEO of Softouch Software is Sir Isle the 
Armourless, a KiTA of CuddleLand from 1994 (who still hopes to find the
time someday to return to the place that gave him birth).  Sir Isle
is also the head programmer (only programmer, actually), document
writer, and idea co-ordinator.  In other words, he is, or should I say,
I am the staff (though my close friend the Hug Junkie has lent important
hugs and moral support).  As time permits (and ideas come), I will be
adding new software titles to Softouch's line of hugware.  I have ideas
for several at the moment, but to find out what they are, you'll have to
keep an eye on the Softouch Software homepage.


Don't Be Confused...
--------------------
   In my web browsing, I discovered a company called Softouch Systems at
www.softouch.com.  THIS IS NOT ME!  I have no affiliation with them or
even knowledge of what they do, so if you ever do a web search on
Softouch and wind up there, you're in the wrong place.


The FABS Homepage
-----------------
   The official FABS homepage is located at

                http://www.angelfire.com/il/fabs

This is where you'll find new fonts, new utilities, and the latest version
of the program.  Angelfire can be a bit slow at times, I know, so when I
get chance I'll be setting up a mirror on my homepage on Geocities.  Stay
tuned to the FABS page for news of when this occurs.


Contacting Softouch Software
----------------------------
   The official Softouch Software homepage presently resides at

              http://www.grfn.org/~sir_isle/softouch.html

However, due to the uncertainty of that provider's future, the homepage
will probably soon move to either Geocities or Angelfire.
On the homepage, you will be able to find the latest programs and revisions
of Softouch's products.  If you wish to make suggestions for possible
improvements, new programs, or just say hello and let me know what you
thought, you can write to me at Sir_Isle@geocities.com, or at Softouch's
new address: SoftouchSoftware@hotmail.com

   That's all for now.  Keep an eye out for upcoming software releases,
and have a great day.
          *hugs*
                Sir Isle
                CEO, Softouch Software


Revision History
----------------
18/07/97 - Initial release of FABS (rev. 1.0)




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                                     ##
                             .d888b. ## .d888b.
                            d8P   ########   98b
                            Y8b.     ##     .d8Y
                             "Y88b.  ##  .d88Y"
                                "Y8b.##.d8Y"
                                  "88##88"
                            Y8b   d8P##98b   d8Y
                             "Y888P" ## "9888Y"
