Font,Basics, computer Font Basics

Gone are those times when the companies and the organisations didn't need a hi-tech system to handle them. Owing to the considerable increase in the business sector and thus, an enormous increase in the complexity of the organisational struc ----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website,offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as longas no changes a

----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website,offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as longas no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and theresource box below is included. ----------------------------------------------------------Font BasicsBy Stephen BucaroA font is actually a graphic shape, for example a triangle,which can be used to create a typographic character. Agroup of fonts of similar design can be used to create atypeface. A set of typefaces in different sizes and weights,created from the same group of fonts, is a type family.These terms are often misused, the term "font" being usedto mean a typeface.There are two basic kinds of fonts, "bitmapped" fonts and"scalable" fonts. Bitmapped fonts are constructed as apattern of dots. Bitmapped fonts can be enlarged, but thisproduces jagged looking type.Scalable fonts are stored as outlines of the charactersalong with rules (known as "hints") used when displayingthe font. This allows the fonts to be displayed over awider range of sizes and still look good. Scalable fontscan be used for both the computer screen and the printer,making it more likely that the print will closely matchwhat's seen on the computer screen.A font file will usually contain a set of fonts in severaldifferent point sizes. A font's size is the height of thecharacters in "points". There are 72 points per inch. Thefont size refers to the height of characters when printedon paper. Unlike paper, computer screens come in differentsizes and can be set to different screen resolutions. Alsomany applications allow the user to magnify the document;therefore, the size of type on the screen will only rarelybe the same as the point size.Adobe invented the first scalable font technology called"PostScript", but PostScript basically became obsoletewhen Microsoft provided its "TrueType" scalable fonts forno extra charge with the Windows operating system. Oneimportant feature of TrueType fonts is the ability toembed the font into the document itself.The fonts used in a document are embedded in an encryptedform that prevents the recipient of a document fromremoving the font and using it without paying for it. Thefont developer can configure the font to be read-only,where the receiver of the document with the font may viewand print it but not edit it, or read-write, where thereceiver may edit, as well as view and print the document.Bitmapped fonts are stored in files with the extension.fon. TrueType fonts are stored as font descriptions infiles with the extension .ttf. To install a font, simplycopy the font file to the c:Windowsonts or :WINNTonts folder. You could store a font file in adifferent folder and include a shortcut to the font filein the fonts folder.To view a font, simply navigate to the fonts folder and double-click on a font file. You can also view fonts byselecting Start | Settings | Control Panel and opening theFonts utility. The Fonts utility provides many extrafeatures, such as the ability to select similar fonts.When you select the "font" menu item from within anapplication, the Font dialog box will display a list ofthe the fonts stored in the fonts folder. The Font dialogbox in some applications will actually display thetypefaces for you to choose from.When you install some applications, like graphics programs,hundreds of fonts may be installed along with them. Tokeep the number of fonts manageable, you may want todelete fonts you don't use. To delete a font, simplydelete the font file, but remember, if you used that fontin a document, when you open or print that document,Windows will be required to select the closest matchingfont to the deleted font, and you may get unexpectedresults.System fonts are used by the Windows operating system fortext like window titles and menu items. To determine whichfonts are being used by the system, select Start | Settings| Control panel and open the Display utility. In theDisplay Properties dialog box, select the Appearance tab.In the Item: drop-down list, select items that use text,like "Title Bar", "Menu", "Message Box", and so on. Thename of the font used for each item will appear in theFont: text box. Don't delete a font being used by thesystem.----------------------------------------------------------Resource Box:Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintainyour computer and use it more effectively to design a Website and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.comTo subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visithttp://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp---------------------------------------------------------- Article Tags: Bitmapped Fonts, Font File