I just wanted to let everyone know that I just released a new version of my BLABWARE utility, Bitmap Font Builder. Here''s What''s New: * Added Copy Bitmap option to Edit menu * Added File...Save Font Metrics option to store character widths to INI file * Font drawing routine speed increase * Added What''s New? to let people know about new goodies * Misc little changes here and there If you''re interested, the application can be found at www.LMNOpc.com/bitmapfontbuilder/ Thanks for your time. ThomW www.LMNOpc.com

Can we have Anti-Aliasing?

Yeah, I''d also like to have some AA options!

(It''s to much work to load the bitmap in the Gimp for windows and use a filter to do AA )

Pete, Rich and everyone else --

I personally use Windows'' built-in font smoothing. The program wouldn''t be as responsive if I did my own. To enable font smoothing, go to Display Properties, the Effects tab, then check ''Smooth edges of screen fonts''. Of course you need to be running with a desktop color depth of 16-bit or better for it to work.

Another option you have is to create the bitmap at a higher resolution than your target (ie. 512x512 instead of 256x256) and use Paint Shop Pro, increase the color depth to (at least) 16-bit and then resize the image so that the smoothing happens there.

If this is something you both feel really strongly about, let me know and I''ll work on it.

Thanks!

ThomW
www.LMNOpc.com




OK -- Now a request for help!

Any VB programmers out there?

I was working on TGA saving for this version, but I poured a bunch of time into it, but I couldn''t get it to save a good TGA file. In fact, when I viewed the file in Ultra Edit, the first two bytes of zeroes didn''t even appear to get saved. I''m puzzled. I''ve found several commercial ActiveX controls and DLL''s on the ''net that will save TGA''s, but since BFB I''m not making any money from BFB, I don''t want to spend money on it for features I don''t have an interest in at this point -- I''m totally happy with using Paint Shop Pro to make the modifications to the textures to make them TGA.

Basically, if you know how to save the contents of a picture box as a TGA, or know of somewhere to find code to do it, let me know. Send mails to tga@lmnopc.com. Thanks in advance!

ThomW
www.LMNOpc.com

Hmm, font smoothing was already enabled but I can''t see the difference on my 15" monitor...

btw. There''s a good TGA loader in the source from the GIMP. (it also writes RLE compressed tga''s)

You''re right about "Smooth edges to screen fonts" cleaning up the image a bit.

Thanks.

Pete

Two replies in one message!

Rich -
There's a good TGA loader in one of NeHe's tutorials as well, but like everything else, it's in C. I need VB code to save an uncompressed 32-bit TGA image. Thanks anyway!

In reference to your font smoothing problem, are you running in 16-bit color depth or better? Windows' font smoothing doesn't do anything if you're not. I'm only asking because you mentioned you're using a 15" monitor -- I thought you might still be using an antiquated video card as well.


Pete -
Glad that worked for you. If you want more control over the amount of smoothing, you can always create a 1024x1024 texture and downsize in Paint Shop Pro (or something similar) like I mentioned in my last post.


Everyone else -
Download the program and let me know what you think!



ThomW
www.lmnopc.com


Edited by - thomw on November 9, 2000 10:50:31 AM

Tom:

Oops, I forgot you needed source for VB.
I don''t know any sources for VB, sorry. (I''m coding in C++)

I''m running in 16-bit colors (800x600) and I''ve got a GeForce2 MX.
Not really an antiquated video card...

richardve:

I was just kidding about the antiquated video card statement.

Like I wrote before, create a 512x512 or 1024x1024 texture and use Paint Shop Pro to size it down to 256x256 if you need smoothing and Windows'' built in font smoothing isn''t working for you.

VB is really nice for coding a quickie app like BFB, but bites when you try to do something ''real'' with it -- like write TGA files. LOL.

ThomW
www.LMNOpc.com

OK, I''ll just create a 1024^2 texture and resize it but I think it''s strange that win98SE doesn''t do font-smoothing..

I''ve also tried in 32 bit color, no smooth fonts.

I''m going to try it in win2K today since it''s better than 98 (I hope )

When I find a TGA loader for VB I''ll let you know.