"ttf_font" and "win_font" defined with curves (B-spline)

[rsobecki]

I'm plaing with fonts at the moment and found that not all PTC font are build with lines!

"ttf_font" and "win_font" are defined also with splines / curves:

But how is this possible?

I programmed in the past also own PTC font but it was only possible to have lines!

[dschenken]

This is true. True Type Fonts (TTF) require a different module to add their geometry to the model/drawing than the original PTC font definition does.

One big difference is that True Type Fonts are closed loops so that an engraver would have to make two passes for each portion of the font while PTC fonts can be open.

In a TTF definition, the letter L will have 6 segments - One up the vertical leg, a short part across the top, one down the vertical leg, one across the horizontal leg, a short part across the right end, and one back to the first vertical.

In a PTC font, there will be 2 segments - a single vertical and a single horizontal segment.

[rsobecki]

Ok the case is why those two fonts not ttf but still PTC definition: "ttf_font" and "win_font" can have curves?

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

Creo4_M030\Creo 4.0\M030\Common Files\text\usascii\ttf_font.ndx contains following lines:

cgomg.ttf
special.fnt

Creo4_M030\Creo 4.0\M030\Common Files\text\usascii\win_font.ndx contains following lines:

sys/arial.ttf
special.fnt

This means both files are something like links to TTF fonts.

[rsobecki · Accepted solution]

Thanks Martin for your valuable hint - I think this is the way how it is implemented. PTC should explain in details in HELP how this rule works. My reasoning is that win_font will use current Windows system font, while ttf_font is just example how to convert any ttf font into PTC font.

I did an example and it is working as you pointed. When user will put to installation folder:

Creo4_M0XX\Creo 4.0\M0XX\Common Files\text\usascii\fontname.ndx contains following lines:

WANTEDFONT.ttf
special.fnt

this will install WANTEDFONT.ttf as fontname, but .ndx file need to be edited in e.g. Notepad++ or other editor but not in original Windows Notepad, because there is something about end line coding and after just editing even current .ndx files they will be corrupted and fonts disappear from the list ;-(

Important thing: please remember to put WANTEDFONT.ttf into following folder:

Creo4_M0XX\Creo 4.0\M0XX\Common Files\text\fonts

Thanks Martin for your help and directions!