Nieminen Mika wrote:
> 
>   Actually yes. I downloaded it and tried it. I couldn't do anything but
> type the text and save. I was unable to do ANY transformations to the text.
>   Am I missing something?
> 
> --
> 

You could have a look at the example(s), like the verbal image. Source is in the
scene-files group.

Remco

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Thanks Cliff:

Second time this weekend I've encountered notion of using Corel to map and
output text for use in other programs.  Will have to give it a try.

Gave SoftFont a brief whirl a few days ago.  Could not find a way to change
the font to another TT face-- I may have missed something in my brief
tryout.  Otherwise, it did indeed map out the glyph data into a textfile
array for use in an .inc file.  Would be a great starting point if I can
make it see other fonts.  Otherwise, I may have to write my own code which
uses font API calls.

I'll reinstall Corel and give that a try, too.

Matt

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On Tue, 27 Jul 1999 16:53:37 -0700, "Matt Swarm" <ide### [at] aolcom> wrote:
>Can't seem to find much on working with text as graphic objects.  The POV
>package has an example which, blissfully, uses True Type fonts.
>
>In addition to color and texture, I would like to bevel, round the face,
>illuminate from inside, wrap the line of text around a sphere or cylinder
>(inside or out) and the like.

If you don't mind the letters being straight, you can wrap them around a
sphere or cylinder using a macro (though you may find the "Object Bounds"
part of the superpatch exceedingly useful here).

Bevel text with the following macro:

//creates beveled text
#macro bevel_text (bevelFont, bevelText, bevel_depth, text_depth,nbr_of_objects)
   union {
      #local i = 0;
      #while (i < 1)
      //This is the bevel itself
      text { 
         ttf bevelFont, bevelText, bevel_depth, <bevel_depth,0,0>
         matrix < 1, 0, 0,
               0, 1, 0,
               cos(i*2*pi), sin(i*2*pi), 1,
               0, 0, 0 >
      }

      //This is what is behind the bevel. 
      //Set text_depth to 0 if you only want the bevel.
      #if (text_depth > 0)
         text {
            ttf bevelFont, bevelText, text_depth, <bevel_depth,0,0>
            translate <cos(i*2*pi)*bevel_depth, 
                  sin(i*2*pi)*bevel_depth, 
                  bevel_depth>    
         }
      #end
   #declare i = i + 1/nbr_of_objects;
   #end
}
#end



Don't ask me how it works, I didn't create it. I just converted it to work
as a macro :*)

Jerry

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Matt Swarm wrote:
> 
> Thanks Cliff:
> 
> Second time this weekend I've encountered notion of using Corel to map and
> output text for use in other programs.  Will have to give it a try.
> 
> Gave SoftFont a brief whirl a few days ago.  Could not find a way to change
> the font to another TT face-- I may have missed something in my brief
> tryout.  Otherwise, it did indeed map out the glyph data into a textfile
> array for use in an .inc file.  Would be a great starting point if I can
> make it see other fonts.  Otherwise, I may have to write my own code which
> uses font API calls.
> 
> I'll reinstall Corel and give that a try, too.
> 
> Matt

I'm not sure but if you're referring to SoftText (SoftFont) the problem with the
font is rather silly. In screen-resolutions below 1024x768 not all of the
program window was visible and you couldn't resize it. Someone else brought this
to my attention yesterday. I've changed the program so you'll be able to see the
whole window with other resolution-settings too (and resize it). 
I hope this helps.

NB the program is still far from flawless, (useful) comments are welcome.

Regards,

Remco

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>Don't ask me how it works, I didn't create it. I just converted it to work
>as a macro :*)
>
>Jerry

Looks great, Jerry, but how does it work?   :-)

Looking forward to trying it out.   As for how it works, my next
experimental approach would involve joining compound text objects, so I'm
wondering about that 'union' directive.

Maybe a guru could lend some 'expert-tease' here?

Matt

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Remco de Korte wrote in message <37A602E9.1A29D554@xs4all.nl>...

>I'm not sure but if you're referring to SoftText (SoftFont) the problem
with the
>font is rather silly. In screen-resolutions below 1024x768 not all of the
>program window was visible and you couldn't resize it.

>NB the program is still far from flawless, (useful) comments are welcome.


Thanks.  That possibility occurred to me.   I'll have another try ASAP.

It always pays to program for the LRCD- 'Lowest Reasonable Common
Denominator.'    In the case, that would be 640x480.  Millions still use it-
much easier to see so long as most monitors are CRT instead of LCD.  I
suspect the resolution will begin to disappear when LCD screens become
ubiquitous.  Or at least ubiquitouser.  :-)

Matt

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Matt Swarm wrote:
> 
> It always pays to program for the LRCD- 'Lowest Reasonable Common
> Denominator.'    In the case, that would be 640x480.  Millions still use it-
> much easier to see so long as most monitors are CRT instead of LCD.  I
> suspect the resolution will begin to disappear when LCD screens become
> ubiquitous.  Or at least ubiquitouser.  :-)
> 
> Matt

Normally I do so if I know the program is meant to be used on other systems then
just mine. This was something I made because I needed it for some things and
when the subject of using text in POV came up I thought it might be a friendly
idea to share it. Some people seem to object but I still hope (and know) there
are some others who can see the use of it. It's not really the program that is
great or the idea behind it, just that it gives you a heap of raw data on which
you can unleash your own creative genius using POV. I'm very curious about what
others have done with it, because I think working with text(objects) in POV can
give much more interesting results than the eye-candy-type 3D-text programs.

Regards,

Remco

BTW who is Mr. Whipple?

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Can't see why anyone would 'object' to the program, unless on the grounds
that one is making use of the intellectual property of another in the data.

But since fonts are actually meant to be USED, this argument gets a bit
thin.  Legally, if the creator of a font knew the font data was used
initially- but the result looked nothing like the font after processing-
there would be few grounds for action.  The original data has become little
more than 'inspiration.'

BTW, Mr. Whipple is a old character-- making a comeback-- on American
commercial ads.   He specialty was squeezing soft toilet tissue.

Matt

>Normally I do so if I know the program is meant to be used on other systems
then
>just mine. This was something I made because I needed it for some things
and
>when the subject of using text in POV came up I thought it might be a
friendly
>idea to share it. Some people seem to object but I still hope (and know)
there
>are some others who can see the use of it. It's not really the program that
is
>great or the idea behind it, just that it gives you a heap of raw data on
which
>you can unleash your own creative genius using POV. I'm very curious about
what
>others have done with it, because I think working with text(objects) in POV
can
>give much more interesting results than the eye-candy-type 3D-text
programs.
>
>Regards,
>
>Remco
>
>BTW who is Mr. Whipple?

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On Mon, 2 Aug 1999 01:06:24 -0700, "Matt Swarm" <ide### [at] aolcom>
wrote:

>Thanks Cliff:
>
>Second time this weekend I've encountered notion of using Corel to map and
>output text for use in other programs.  Will have to give it a try.
>
No problem. I've tinkered around with the "Beveled Text" macro Jerry
supplied, and Superpatch POV, and got some quite interesting results
(actually boring but.. well, you know). It *looks* loke the macro
might actually be faster than using a mesh generated via Corel -> DXF
-> 3D Bevel. In some ways the quality is higher too (and in some ways
lower - there's never a win-win scenario).


Cheers,

Cliff Bowman
Why not pay my 3D Dr Who site a visit at http://www.who3d.cwc.net/
PS change ".duffcom" to ".net" if replying via e-mail

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Thanks, Cliff-- been there and plan to return.

Matt


>Why not pay my 3D Dr Who site a visit at http://www.who3d.cwc.net/
>PS change ".duffcom" to ".net" if replying via e-mail

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