Program to automatically create charset.bmp files

[Xymantix]

After spending more than an hour yesterday making a font.bmp file for a QCD playlist, I had an epiphany - why not write a program to automate the creation of font files! With that thought still fresh in my mind, I sat down at the computer today and whipped up a program that does exactly that. It allows you to select a font on your system, then specify various factors such as font size, anti-aliasing, strength, boldness, and italics. From there it shows you a sample of the font using the "Quick Brown Fox..." text, a preview of the resultant QCD font.bmp file, and a 4x zoomed version of the font.bmp file. You can tweak it by offsetting the text vertically, specifying +/- pixel spacing between characters, and even forcing fixed-width numbers in a proportional font. When you've got something that you like, save it out and try it in a QCD skin.

Here's a screenshot:
QCDFontMaker (http://www.xymantix.com/qcd/QCDFontsMaker.gif)

Overall, the quality of the resultant font.bmp files far exceeded my expectations. I figured that they would be pretty good, but that the spacing would be off and I'd have to do a lot of tweaking in PhotoShop. Luckily that's not the case. Of the fonts I tested, most were perfect, and a couple needed a pixel or two of tweaking - especially around letters like 'j' where the descender can overlap the previous character.

To showcase it, I created 9 fonts for QCD in just a couple of minutes. Here's a screenshot showing off some of the new ones that I just made:
Fonts (http://www.xymantix.com/qcd/QCDFontsDemo.gif)

I'm pretty excited about it, mainly because it will save me so much time and effort in the future. I'll post a beta-copy of it to my website if others are interested in using it.

[fatal error]

OMG dude, that's awesome!!!

[Matt]

GENIOUS

all i have say. This will save so many people so much time. 100 points for Xymantix.

[Xymantix]

I made a quick and dirty install for it and posted it here (http://www.xymantix.com/qcd/QCDFontMaker.zip).

[fatal error]

had a run-time error on it already but it works great

thanx Xymantix :D

[drewkeller]

i've been thinking more about the skin creator application. but i don't know if i will ever get to actually doing it. the font creator would complement it nicely

[Toe]

Ooh, if I ever get around to making a skin of my own, this will definately come in handy. Thanks!

[regener8ed]

Huzzah! :cool:

[chicubs]

wow, this is so perfect.

[brian]

Can ordinary QCD users employ this to customise the fonts in existing skins to their liking, please?

[Lich]

I need to test how it works with cyrillic characters... but now...
Xymantix, you RULE!

edit: Program expects for printer. I've solved this by installing fake HP LaserJet:)

edit2: No cyrillics:(

[maresias]

hmm..hm..ooo...woooaaaa....uuaaaaa!!

[Xymantix]

edit: Program expects for printer. I've solved this by installing fake HP LaserJet:)

edit2: No cyrillics:(

Yeah, I didn't spend much time on it and just grabbed the fonts from the printer. That's probably not the best way to do it - maybe I can find a better way. I don't know much, ok anything, about cyrillics. Can you give me a brief explaination and maybe a font file that supports them?

[Lich]

Can you give me a brief explaination and maybe a font file that supports them?I don't know much too:)
Windows codepage for cyrillic is 1251. Characters line looks like this:
АБВГДЕЁЖЗИЙКЛМНОПРСТУФХЦЧШЩЪЫЬЭЮЯабвгдеёжзийклмноп рстуфхцчшщъыьэюя

Unicode names from 0410 to 044F.

Font file? I see you have hooge 05_55 Cyr2 installed on your system. Most of my skins carrying it inside 'coz it supports cyrillics:)

Better way? Maybe you'll add drop-down menu with codepage selection?:)

[Xymantix]

So where are those characters supposed to be found in the charset.bmp file? Do you have a sample charset.bmp file that uses these?

[Lich]

Yeah, guy called lindows_ku made it. I never tried this bmp, however.

[Spidercrab]

This is a really excellent tool that will certainly make the creation of character bitmaps so much easier.

[Darin]

This is just completely awesome. You rule man... thanks a ton. Like everyone said... it will make it easier for so many other people. Nice work, and Thanks! :D

- Darin

[Young Twig]

I don't understand what this has over just saying "Fontface=piss" in charset.ini... What is the advantage of doing this?

[Xymantix]

I don't understand what this has over just saying "Fontface=piss" in charset.ini... What is the advantage of doing this?

Basically it comes down to being able to control the output of the font better. If I can get an image to show in the post, here's a direct comparison using a bitmapped version of a font versus using the TT font itself:

[Young Twig]

Basically it comes down to being able to control the output of the font better. If I can get an image to show in the post, here's a direct comparison using a bitmapped version of a font versus using the TT font itself:
cool. Thanks for the response.

[chicubs]

xymantix, one question: how did you make this proggie so dang fast?!

[Xymantix]

xymantix, one question: how did you make this proggie so dang fast?!

Cause I ripped most of the code from SysMetrix!

[Tokelil]

xymantix, one question: how did you make this proggie so dang fast?!
Hehe my thoughts exactly... :cool:

[drewkeller]

I don't understand what this has over just saying "Fontface=piss" in charset.ini... What is the advantage of doing this?
plus, you can make the numbers monospaced. most TTFs are not monospaced so the track times look really wierd