CSEDIT - A Simple Font Editor by Matt Pritchard
CSEDIT is distributed with MODEXnnn.ZIP, the general purpose MODE X
Library for VGA Graphics.
WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN CSEDIT:
* A Vga Monitor
* A Microsoft Compatible Mouse
A Mouse is most definitely required, as the keyboard is used for
nothing except entering file names.
FILES NEEDED IN THE CURRENT DIRECTORY:
CSEDIT.EXE - The Font Editor Program
CHARSETS.CS - The Font Editor's Internal Fonts
PALETTE.CS - The Font Editor's Palette
MOUSEIMG.CS - The Font Editor's Mouse Pointer
SAMPLE FONT FILE THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED:
SYSTEM.FNT - The Font used by CSEDIT.EXE
INVERSE.FNT - An Inverted version of SYSTEM.FNT
SPACEAGE.FNT - A Futuristic, Tech style font
ROM_8X8.FNT - The Lower 128 characters from the VGA BIOS Rom
WHAT IT EDITS:
8 by 8 character fonts, 128 characters at a time. 2 fonts at a time.
HOW IT WORKS/FEATURES:
CSEDIT allows the user to edit 2 different font groups at a time,
which may be loaded and saved separately.
A enlarged character grid allows the user to edit individual pixels
on a selected character.
The Following operations can be performed on a single character or
simultaneously on a selected block of characters.
* Shift the selected character(s) in any direction
with or without clipping at the edges.
* Vertically Flip the selected character(s)
* Horizontally Flip the selected character(s)
* Rotate the selected character(s) 90 Degrees Clockwise
* Rotate the selected character(s) 90 Degrees Counterclockwise
* Clear the selected character(s)
* Invert the selected character(s)
* XOR the selected character(s) with other character(s)
* AND the selected character(s) with other character(s)
* OR the selected character(s) with other character(s)
* Copy the selected character(s) to another position or font.
An UNDO feature allows the reversal of the most recent operation.
DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTS/FEATURES FROM THE TOP DOWN:
Character Grid: (RED) Box in Upper Left corner of screen. This is
where you edit an individual character. The Left Button sets the
pixel the mouse pointer is on, while the Right Button clears that
pixel.
Scroll Buttons: The Four Scroll Buttons are labeled with directional
arrows, and arranged in a diamond pattern. Left Clicking on a
directional button will scroll the currently selected character
in that direction, with the pixels on the edge rolling off and
appearing on the other size. Right Clicking will prevent the
pixels from rolling to the other side.
Vertical Flip Button:
Horizontal Flip Button: Clicking these buttons will flip the pattern
of the currently selected character(s) around the indicated axis.
i.e. the top row will be swapped with the bottom row, etc. or the
left row column will be swapped with right column, etc.
depending upon which button you push.
Invert Button: Clicking this button causes all pixels in the selected
character(s) to flip flop between on and off.
Clear Button: Clicking this button erases the selected characters
Rotate Buttons: Clicking these buttons will rotate the pattern in the
selected character(s) 90 degrees in the indicated direction.
XOR Button: Clicking this button will let you XOR the currently
selected character(s) with other character(s) in either font.
The Button will turn RED, indicating that it is waiting for
you to click on the desired character (or upper left corner
of the desired block of characters) in either the Red or Green
Character Set Displays. Clicking anywhere else will abort this
process without doing anything. If you click on (any of) the
selected character(s) the operation is aborted. If a block is
selected and the character you click on is in a position where
it can't represent the upper left corner of a block of the same
size, then the operation is not performed.
AND Button & OR Button: These buttons work just like the XOR Button
except that the Binary operation performed is either an AND or OR
depending upon which button you have selected.
COPY Button: This button lets you copy a character or selected block
of characters to another area in the current font or the other
font. After clicking, the button turns RED and works much like
the XOR Button. Clicking on a valid position in either font
window will copy the selected character(s) to that location.
MODE Button: Clicking this button toggles the editor between BLOCK
mode and CHARACTER mode. The current mode is displayed on a plate
at the top of the screen, just to the right of the enlarged
character grid. In character mode the plate will read "CHAR" and
the currently selected character is displayed just to the right
of the plate. In Block mode the plate will read "BLOCK" and the
enlarged character grid is disabled.
UNDO Button: Clicking this Button will UNDO or reverse the effects of
the most recent operation.
QUIT Button: Clicking this button will return you to DOS. Any loaded
fonts are not saved, and no confirmation is given.
GREEN FONT AREA: This area displays one of the current fonts which
can be edited. The characters are display in order from #0 to #127
from the upper left, going right, then down. The Font Box is 32
characters wide and 4 characters Tall. When the editor is in
character mode, just point at and Left Click on the character you
wish to edit and a Cyan box will appear around that character.
* If you Right Click on a character, the last current character,
which will still appear in the enlarged character grid, will be
copied onto the character you pointed at, replacing it. This is
a shortcut for copying characters: You can hold the right button
down an fill in a large area with a single character pattern.
When the editor is in Block Mode, you select an area by clicking
on any corner of the desired block. Then drag the mouse to the
opposite corner while holding down the left button. A Cyan Box
will stretch to surround the selected block of characters.
GREEN FONT FILE NAME BOX: This Text Box is used to enter the name
of a font file to load or the name to save the current Green font
as. Just click on the Box, and it will change color and a
flashing cursor will appear. Now you type in a filename or edit
the existing filename. Press <RETURN> or click outside the text
box to end editing.
GREEN FONT LOAD BUTTON: Clicking this button will load the font file
that is named in the Green File name box. If no name is given or
no such file exists, then nothing will be loaded.
GREEN FONT SAVE BUTTON: Clicking this button will save the current
font in the Green Font Area under the name given in the File Name
Box. If a Valid name is not provided, nothing will be saved.
RED FONT AREA: This is just the same as the GREEN FONT AREA; providing
you with the ability to copy and edit between multiple fonts.
RED FONT FILE NAME BOX: This works just like the GREEN FONT FILE
NAME BOX.
RED FONT LOAD BUTTON: This works just like the GREEN FONT LOAD BUTTON.
RED FONT SAVE BUTTON: This works just like the GREEN FONT SAVE BUTTON.
Message Bar: At the very bottom of the screen, this Bar will display
information and messages for various functions.
FONT FILE FORMAT:
BINARY Image, in order of character. The format is identical to that
used by the VGA ROM. The Files will be exactly 1024 (128 * 8) bytes
long.
CHARACTER: 8 Bytes
FONT: Array (0 to 127) of CHARACTER
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, BUG REPORTS, etc:
Send the to the Author: Matt Pritchard
Through the 80xxx Fidonet Echo or
Matt Pritchard
P.O. Box 140264
Irving, TX 75014
CREDITS:
This Font Editor was written in QuickBASIC 4.5
