Font Maker Professional has all the flexibility and facilities in the FULL version but with the addition of comprehensive Bitmap abilities.

• [-] Includes all Entries for Font Maker LITE
• [-] Includes all Entries for Font Maker FULL
• [-] Internal Format
• [-] Bitmap font Creation
• [-] Editing Bitmap fonts
• [-] Utilities and Attributes
• [-] Remapping
• [-] Importing PCL or HP Laserjet fonts
• [-] The Importing of PCX pictures
• [-] Bitmap to TrueType
• [-] Printer Bitmap fonts
• [-] Windows Bitmap (Raster) fonts
• [-] Screen fonts
• [-] Other Bitmap formats
• [-] WordPerfect Support
• [-] Export of Bitmap fonts
• [-] Import and Export of Windows type Raster fonts
• [-] Utilities and Attributes available

Internal Format
The internal bitmap format is used as a foundation for all the modules dealing with bitmap fonts. It allows easier access to the fonts files and speeds up the sometimes slow data access of the larger fonts.

Bitmap font Creation
Fonts may be Created at sizes up to over 60 point using both Vector and TrueType fonts as the source. The Creation is automatic for the whole font and does not have to be completed separately for each character The created characters include any proportional spacing of the originals.

Editing Bitmap fonts
A simple, yet comprehensive, Editor allows full control over every dot printed. Any irregularities caused by the maths used to create them can be corrected. Characters may be created from scratch using the Editor. This is, of course, time consuming and the easier route would be the automatic one. A scrolling feature allows editing of characters larger than the screen, and smaller fonts are magnified to give easier access. Control is available for left and right cell margins and includes left offsets.

Utilities and Attributes
The Utilities module adds Oblique, Fixed Pitch and Character Spacing modifications to the fonts and includes a scaling facility. Attributes adds further decoration with Outline, Shadow, Bold and Reverse (White on Black) effects.

Remapping
Remapping Bitmaps cannot be as flexible as with scalable fonts because of the need to match font sizes precisely. The Remap facility checks the two fonts for match before starting. A useful part of Remap is its ability to created a font with a restricted number of characters, which is a space saving tool for the larger fonts. A Large Heading can be created in just a few KBytes.

Importing PCL or HP Laserjet fonts
Font Maker has the ability to read a PCL font into its internal format and then use the facilities available, and is able to recognise both Landscape and Portrait fonts. This module is not intended for use with fonts covered by copyright restrictions. The vast range of Public Domain fonts for PCL printers is available

The Importing of PCX pictures
A PCX picture may be Imported in two ways. Firstly a logo or signature may be read into a single character font or into a tiled font. This can be useful in the production of form letters.

Secondly a scan of a font may be read, character by character into a font with each character allocated to an ASCII code. The character spacing may be set individually for each character.

Bitmap to TrueType
A Drawing facility allows a Bitmap font to be redrawn as a TrueType outline. This normally long winded operation is greatly enhanced with an Auto Trace ability. This provides a useful route for converting scanned fonts to TrueType format.

Printer Bitmap fonts
The Export modules allow the Creation of raw Binary files ready for download to either HP Laserjet (PCL) or Canon (CaPSL) formats. Font Maker can produce both Landscape and Portrait Binary files for both printers. These fonts may be installed in a printers driver for Windows using the Control Panel. Printer Download code is included.

Windows Bitmap (Raster) fonts
Most of Windows system fonts are in fact bitmapped. For smaller sizes they are even better than TrueType as they are custom built for the size required. Font Maker uses a special internal format (.WIN) font which is similar in structure to the normal but scaled to suit the VGA or SVGA screen resolution. WIN fonts may be Created and Edited before Exporting to a Windows Raster font that may be installed using the Control Panel just like any other Windows Font.

Screen fonts
DOS screen fonts are a special fixed format and are quite small. Screen fonts may be Created and Edited and Displayed using the Screen modules. The system will take a Bitmap font and compress it to the tiny size required for DOS screen fonts. Simple Code tor the management and control of screen fonts is included.

Other Bitmap formats
The format of the internal Bitmap fonts may be produced in a text file which shows the font data, its structure and a Proportional Spacing table. This information may be used to convert the fonts to other formats. Font Maker has been used to create the basic bitmaps for fonts for a variety of uses.

WordPerfect Support
There are many users who use a DOS based WordPerfect system. Font Maker includes extensive interfacing for such systems that use either HP Laserjet or Canon LBP printers. New Bitmap fonts and their properties must be included in the Font Drivers used by WordPerfect before they are recognised. Font maker will create a 'dummy' .ALL file which may be copied into the WordPecfect Drivers making them available to the word processor user. For foreign languages, screen fonts may be created and converted to WordPerfect format and even remapped to a user defined keyboard. All facilities and instructions are included.

Export of Bitmap fonts
The internal Bitmap format may be Exported to either Canon CaPSL fonts or to Hewlett Packard PCL fonts.

Import and Export of Windows type Raster fonts
Windows uses Raster or Bitmap fonts exclusively for its system and terminal fonts For small sized fonts the best results are obtained from the Raster fonts that have been crafted for best appearance at the selected size.

Many other systems other than Windows use these type of fonts because of their appearance small sizes.

Font Maker PROF can Import these fonts into its internal format, where the Bitmap Editor, Utilities and Attributes may be used. These fonts may then be output to either the FON or FNT formats.

Utilities and Attributes available
Font Maker PROF has a comprhensive set of Bitmap Utilities and Attributes.
Utilities - Oblique, Fixed Pitch, AlterHMI, Shift, Scale, Fill, Flip, Rotate.
Attributes - OutLine, Shadow, Outline with Shadow, Reverse, Bold.