HRP DOC 

The GRABFONT program requires a picture file saved in SmartPAINT 
format.  (This is the type of file which ends in .HRP; it's easy 
to do this from PowerPAINT.)

The concept is simple in the extreme.  Whatever appears at the 
top of your .HRP picture will be saved as a font set (which can 
be used within BASIC programs or in PowerPAINT-compatible graphic 
designs.)

To be precise, the top four rows of pixels in your picture will 
be converted to a font file.  

Anything appearing BELOW the top four rows of pixels does not 
matter ONE BIT.  You can write or draw anything you want in the 
bottom 3/4 of the picture.  This area can be used to write 
reminders to yourself, or to draw your fonts.

To make a "conventional" font file, it is important to place the 
characters in the proper ASCII order.

The file named "TEMPLATE2:" on this medium defines the proper 
order.  All you need to do is to make sure your own fonts follow 
the order shown.  You can do this either by drawing your own 
fonts in place of the demo fonts, or you can use MOVE/COPY to 
correctly place fonts you've drawn elsewhere.

The very first 8x8 pixel segment of your picture defines the 
character shown when you press the space bar.  You can put 
anything you like in this area, but if it is not BLANK (as shown 
on the template) you will find that whatever you have placed here 
will appear on your screen when you press the space bar.

You are not limited to traditional alphanumeric fonts.  You can 
choose to use any type of graphics that might suit your purposes.  
For examples of "picture" fonts, see both the default USER FONTS 
on PowerPAINT and the unique graphic fonts designed by Bob 
Sebelist in the file named "TEMPLATE".

As Bob points out in "GF DOC", the 24 pixel square icons in GODOS 
consist of four "font" characters each.  You can design your own 
icons with GRABFONT.

Your GRABFONT package contains a number of files in graphics 
format.  These files are designed to help you get started using 
GRABFONT, whether or not you have already prepared your OWN 
picture file for conversion into a font set.

The picture files include:

 10K PowerPAINT Pix

TEMPLATE:  This is a 10k PowerPAINT file modified by Bob Sebelist 
to demo some possibilites regarding picture fonts.  To convert 
this file into a picture font set, simply call it up in 
PowerPAINT and save it as a SmartPAINT file; then use GRABFONT to 
make the conversion.

TEMPLATE2:  This is a modification of the original 10k file 
designed by Solomon Swift.  It fixes an earlier "bug", and shows 
exactly where each character needs to be placed (in ASCII order) 
so that it can be saved as a conventional font file using 
GRABFONT.  This file, too, must be saved as a SmartPAINT file to 
work with the program.

 SmartPAINT (.HRP) Pix

All the SmartPAINT files are included as demos; they are designed 
to let you practice with GRABFONT prior to making your own files 
to be converted into fonts.  None of these files is in "finished" 
form...  that is, none of them represents the kind of polished 
work that is released commercially.  There is a reason for this!  
It's a deliberate tactic to encourage you to play around with the 
files and finish them up in your own style.  The experience you 
gain thereby may give you inspiration you need to design fonts of 
your own from scratch, or to modify existing fonts to suit your 
own taste.

(All files ending in the extension .HRP are accompanied by files 
ending with .HRP2, .HRP3, and .HRP4.  THOSE FILES ARE 
INSIGNIFICANT FOR PRESENT PURPOSES.)

Ogden.HRP:  This file displays a font set which was originally 
designed using FontPOWER at the request of Bob Sebelist.  He 
wanted an 8x8 font designed along the same lines as "Tampa.fnt", 
even though it meant the fonts would be crowded together.  I drew 
the font for him, but never really completed it (especially the 
punctuation) and never really INTENDED to release it to anyone 
other than Bob.  But it's a pretty good font to use for practice.

Ogden2.HRP:  All the other "Ogden" files on this medium were 
designed by using "POWERPRINT+" (copyright, Maine ADAM Library) 
to change around the Ogden3.HRP orientation of the original Ogden 
font set.  This was accomplished by typing all the characters on 
the screen, saving the results as Ogden4.HRP a SmartPAINT 
picture, and then using the various "Flip" options in POWERPRINT+ 
to save three differently-oriented pictures.  Each of the 
individual characters was then MOVE/COPIED to its correct ASCII 
location on the template.

When these files are converted to font sets, each of them will 
 face a different direction.

Fargo.HRP:  This file is a last-minute addition.  I happened to 
be playing around with it just before the preparation of 
GRABFONT.  It's a "double-decker" font, but it's different from 
other EyeZod double-deckers.  The idea was to make a font which 
would look good when placed SIDEWAYS in a screen and then printed 
out at double width and quadruple height.  This could be an 
interesting way to make quick signs and posters.  The font is 
roughly based on "Utica.fnt", but it is distorted so that the 
verticals are thicker than the horizontals, to compensate for 
exaggerated PRINT options.  And it's oriented sideways, by the 
method described above.  It is just an experiment at this point, 
but it demonstrates some of the reasons GRABFONT might be handier 
than FontPOWER in certain situations.  (Can you IMAGINE designing 
something like this in 8x8 pixel grids, SIDEWAYS?) Again, it is 
by no means a FINISHED project...  but it should be a good one to 
experiment with!  

I hope you have fun with this stuff, and become comfortable with 
GRABFONT.  Most of all, I hope these files will GIVE YOU IDEAS!  
I expect one of these days (maybe not next week, but SOMEDAY!) to 
hear from you and become inspired by YOUR inspirations.

When all is said and done, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, isn't it? 
 --PJH 10/93
ll, I hope these files will GIVE