Need Help understanding TrueType Fonts

[Jim Flanagan]

Hi...
I want to write a small app/tool in vb.net that will allow me to read
in a font file, interpret the data and create a file that could be used
in an led sign system. i.e. convert the font data into a dot matrix
format. I seem to be having problems finding some reasonable
information on the internet as to how interpret the font files and
extract the data. I could use some pointers on how to go about doing
this. Any help would be appreciated..

Thanks..
Jim
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

I want to write a small app/tool in vb.net that will allow me to read in a
font file, interpret the data and create a file that could be used in an
led sign system. i.e. convert the font data into a dot matrix format. I
seem to be having problems finding some reasonable information on the
internet as to how interpret the font files and extract the data. I could
use some pointers on how to go about doing this.

I think it's much simpler to draw the text onto a 'Bitmap' object at runtime
in the desired font and then loop through the pixels of the bitmap
('GetPixel') to check which LEDs should be turned on.

 

[Jim Flanagan]

I think it's much simpler to draw the text onto a 'Bitmap' object at
runtime in the desired font and then loop through the pixels of the
bitmap ('GetPixel') to check which LEDs should be turned on.

Thanks... However, what I am after is an effecient way to create a set
of LED fonts which could be imbedded into some firmware that I am
writing. As opposed to individually creating each char/num etc and
writing a code module with this information for compiling/linking, I
wanted to pick a font and then have this module written for subsequent
use. Maybe I could still use your approach to do what I want, however...