Script.fon -- how to convert to ttf, or freeware equivalent?

[Cerulean]

Script.fon doesn't always show up in paint, for some reason. I
switched over to it recently to use in screenshot tutorial files I
make whenever I need to remember how to do something and I really like
its look. But it isn't showing up in MS Paint this OS installation
around.

I googled ways to convert it to ttf but both trials softwares I used
didn't like saying it wasn't a valid or true bitmap font, or
something. One app did convert it but the result was horrible.

Perhaps someone knows either of a foolproof way to convert it or a
freeware equivalent (?).

Thank you. :)

[Armadillo]

Script.fon has just a few pixels per character so converting into outlines do not work, as you noticed. In fact it can't be done by conversion but should be done by autotracing.

The best way is probably to find similar ttf font.

Jukka

[Armadillo]

> Script.fon has just a few pixels per character so converting into outlines do not work, as you noticed. In fact it can't be done by conversion but should be done by autotracing.

Oops, it is indeed a vector font. But it is stroke font while ttf fonts must include closed paths. So yoi have to find an applicatiob which will allow extruding paths into closed shapes. Some smoothing before extrusion probably required.

Jukka

[Cerulean]

On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:42:36 +0300, Armadillo <re...@newsgroup.pls>
wrote:

Yes, I found that out because even though I posted here I continued
googling and doing research. So looks like converting the font is out
because it seems way too complicated. It's do-able, it seems, with a
lot of work and knowledge.

I also downloaded a whole bunch of script fonts and they just don't do
the job script.fon does.

So it comes back to this, I think: why does Paint not see this font
(and it has before, which is a puzzle) and yet other programs do.

If I can get it to display and work in Paint then I don't need to do
anything else.

Thanks. :o)

[David E. Ross]

Did you look for a subtable substitute at Parts 7 (Casual Flowing
Script), 9 (Everyday Handwriting), or 10 (Antique Handwriting)
at<http://bowfinprintworks.com/ScriptIDGuide.html>?

--

David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>.

Don't ask "Why is there road rage?" Instead, ask
"Why NOT Road Rage?" or "Why Is There No Such
Thing as Fast Enough?"
<http://www.rossde.com/roadrage.html>

[Armadillo]

> So it comes back to this, I think: why does Paint not see this font
> (and it has before, which is a puzzle) and yet other programs do.

It is because Script don't behave like other fonts.

The caharacters have only 'invisible' open strokes (vector paths) and the program that use the font give the width like plotter pen. Not all programs support this.

Truetype and Type 1 fonts (including OpenType) can't have open paths and all the strokes must be filled paths. So even thin lines have parallel vector paths on either side.

Jukka

[Cerulean]

Hi, I looked at that page again (it came up in my searches) and I gave
the scripts there another try. I found and dl at least another couple
dozen but this time tried them out. Out of all the fonts I've tried
over the last few days, I think 2 may do the job after all:

Savoye Plain and Cataneo, with Cataneo being the best so far.

Why the difficulties? The challenge with the font is it needs to be
clear and not too flourishy, etc. I do up at least one of these
step-by-step tutorial screenshots a week. There's always something
new that I have to remember how to do quickly and easily some time
down the road. For years, I'd been using plain old Arial when adding
text to the screenshots. Last year, on a whim I tried a few other
fonts and settled on Script as a substute. The text instructions on
the tutorial have to be clear and easily readable without distracting
from the job at hand. Believe it or not, Script is perfect for that.
It links nicely and has no swirling nonsense yet adds a bit of pizzazz
to what is otherwise drab.

Too many of the script fonts have impossible curlicues and such <g>,
and most just are too fancy to read properly. But will now work with
Cataneo and Savoye. I need a permanent replacement for Arial that is
consistent. Script.fon has shown up in the past before in MS Paint,
and I don't know why it isn't now. The Script.fon on the office
computer didn't work in Paint XP either and not even with the MS Paint
95 that I have on my USB flash drive.

Thanks for everyone's help. It's funny how a simple font can elevate
the look and feel of something ... <g> But I don't need to tell that
to anyone here. <g>