| Re: TrueType font caution [message #20736] |
Fri, 21 July 2000 00:00 |
Kenneth P. Bowman
Messages: 585
Registered: May 2000
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Senior Member |
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In article <397889DB.FC634@ssrl.slac.stanford.edu>, Harvey Rarback
<rarback@ssrl.slac.stanford.edu> wrote:
> This reminds me of some more disadvantages I found comparing IDL's TT fonts
> with hardware fonts on the X device:
> - Drawing is much slower (about a factor of 4 for Helvetica fonts displayed
> to an Exceed PC X server)
> - They look lousier.
I find the TT fonts to be unreadable in a medium-sized X window. I've
decided to use Hershey fonts for X display (2D or 3D), PS for printed
2D output, and TT only for printed 3D output. I should have pointed
out that the PS files with TT fonts *print* fine if all I do is send
the file to the printer. The problems occur when I try to edit the
graphs in Illustrator.
Ken
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| Re: TrueType font caution [message #20737 is a reply to message #20736] |
Fri, 21 July 2000 00:00  |
noymer
Messages: 65
Registered: June 1999
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Member |
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In article <210720001101137472%k-bowman@null.tamu.edu>,
"K. Bowman" <k-bowman@null.tamu.edu> wrote:
> As has been pointed out a few times in this group, the IDL TrueType
> fonts, unlike PostScript fonts, will plot correctly in 3D plots.
This was one of my gripes in the "top 10" list, in fact.
I *still* think RSinc should just add PS support for 3D.
> character. I don't know how the PS device handles PS fonts, but I
> expect it leaves the rasterization up to the output device.
Exactly. If you grep a PS file for your axis labels, for instance,
you will find that the text is there, as just plain... text.
You point out two reasons why this sucks.
I will re-iterate my [third] reason, and that is that the PS files
cannot be run through post-processors such as psfrag (for Tex/LaTeX
font substitution) when the fonts are TT.
> Therefore, my recommendation is that when creating PS files, PS fonts
> should be used for 2D plots, while TT fonts should be used for 3D
> plots. This requires some additional (annoying) DEVICE and !P.FONT
> commands if you make both kinds of plots in the same program.
This is what I am doing from now on, too. But it sucks. PS output
should use PS fonts. Period. 3d 2d, whatever.
Sorry to kvetch so much about one thing but come on, if they can support
TT in 3d then they can support PS.
- Andrew
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: TrueType font caution [message #20740 is a reply to message #20736] |
Fri, 21 July 2000 00:00 |
Harvey Rarback
Messages: 24
Registered: September 1998
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Junior Member |
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"K. Bowman" wrote:
>
> The manuals indicate that IDL draws TT fonts by tesselating the font
> characters and drawing the necessary polygons to create each individual
> character. I don't know how the PS device handles PS fonts, but I
> expect it leaves the rasterization up to the output device.
>
> From my experience, this has several implications:
>
> 1. PS files created using TT fonts are much larger than the same plots
> using PS fonts, presumably because of all the polygons that must be
> written. I was unable to combine two plots that use TT fonts (i.e.,
> two panels for a publication figure) in Illustrator even with 180 MB
> allotted for Illustrator on my Mac G4. I had no trouble doing the same
> thing with PS fonts.
>
> 2. Because TT text is actually polygons, it cannot be manipulated in a
> drawing program like Illustrator using the font commands. That is, you
> can't change the point size, alignment, etc. You can group, scale and
> move the polygons, but that is less than ideal.
This reminds me of some more disadvantages I found comparing IDL's TT fonts with
hardware fonts on the X device:
- Drawing is much slower (about a factor of 4 for Helvetica fonts displayed
to an Exceed PC X server)
- They look lousier.
--Harvey
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