I've just been trying to render a logo image for a web-site I'm working on, 
but the true-type font I'm using for the text is producing unusual symbols 
when rendered, though the text shows up normally using Moray to model the 
image.

I was hoping someone here could help me figure out where the problem lies so 
I can fix it. Is it in the font file, or somewhere in the renderring process?

Thanks.
-- 
FlameStrike
"My honor is my life!"

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FlameStrike wrote:
> 
> I've just been trying to render a logo image for a web-site I'm working on,
> but the true-type font I'm using for the text is producing unusual symbols
> when rendered, though the text shows up normally using Moray to model the
> image.
> 
> I was hoping someone here could help me figure out where the problem lies so
> I can fix it. Is it in the font file, or somewhere in the renderring process?

If you are using extended characters from the character set in the font
you are using the problem is with POV-Ray itself.

-- 
Ken Tyler - 1400+ POV-Ray, Graphics, 3D Rendering, and Raytracing Links:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html http://www.povray.org/links/

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When I come across this POV-related problem, I either create a heightfield from
the text in a paint/graphics program - or - use EleFont to create the text and
export to UDO.  EleFont also has some nice bevel features.

FlameStrike wrote:

> I've just been trying to render a logo image for a web-site I'm working on,
> but the true-type font I'm using for the text is producing unusual symbols
> when rendered, though the text shows up normally using Moray to model the
> image.
>
> I was hoping someone here could help me figure out where the problem lies so
> I can fix it. Is it in the font file, or somewhere in the renderring process?
>
> Thanks.
> --
> FlameStrike
> "My honor is my life!"

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On 23 May 2000 00:33:30 -0400, fla### [at] mailev1netnetnetcom
(FlameStrike) wrote:

>I've just been trying to render a logo image for a web-site I'm working on, 
>but the true-type font I'm using for the text is producing unusual symbols 
>when rendered, though the text shows up normally using Moray to model the 
>image.

Not sure if this is exactly your problem, but I found that some new
releases of standard true-type fonts are broken insofar as PovRay 3.1g
is concerned.

For instance, my Windows 98 came with an Arial.ttf that works with
PovRay, but a newer Arial.ttf downloaded from Microsoft's update site
is unusable. Both fonts claim to be version 2.76 from Monotype Corp,
but the older working file is 148kb while the newer file is 267 kb -
almost double the size.

I seem to recall the newer versions were represented as being improved
for the Web -- better screen representation when seen through a
browser. So far only PovRay is choking on them.

The fonts I was troubled with are:

	Arial, Arialbd, Arialbi, Ariali
	Cour, Courbd, Courbi, Couri
	Times, Timesbd, Timesbi, Timesi

but different fonts might still suffer the same problem.

I copied the older versions of those fonts into a folder under my
PovRay folder, and added that font folder to the library path. In case
you have not edited the library path yet, just add something like this
near the bottom of the file F:\PovRay\renderer\PovRay.ini.

	Library_Path=F:\PovRay\LocalFonts
	Library_Path=C:\Windows\Fonts

(Obviously, your LocalFonts folder might be on a different drive...)

Then you can ask for a font like "Arial.ttf" (i.e. without a path) and
PovRay will use whatever fonts are found in the LocalFonts folder
before it looks in the Windows Fonts folder.

Solved my problem.

Of course, the suggestion to use a height-field is also well worth
considering. A jagged effect, difficult to do any other way, can be
had by using a fairly small bitmap, and for higher resolution (larger)
bitmaps you can prepare the image by smoothing black lettering into a
white or gray background to produce a nicely rounded 3D effect. But
you know that already.

Best of luck,
Rstudio

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Rob Rippengale wrote:

> For instance, my Windows 98 came with an Arial.ttf that works with
> PovRay, but a newer Arial.ttf downloaded from Microsoft's update site
> is unusable. Both fonts claim to be version 2.76 from Monotype Corp,
> but the older working file is 148kb while the newer file is 267 kb -
> almost double the size.

Would it be possible for you to zip and mail me one of these broken font 
files?  I recently had a jaunt through POV-Ray 3.5 ttf handling, and
while it's still fresh in my head i'd like to run your "broken" font 
through it.

Thanks.

-- 
dik        _,--"
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      //_| | \        dic### [at] buckosoftcom          / | |_\\
     (_____|_|__= Guilford CT +1.203.458.0389  =__|_|_____)
     _\_____=___   http://www.buckosoft.com     ___=_____/_
       \/-(o)-~~-(o)-~~-(o)-`------'-(o)-~~-(o)-~~-(o)-\/
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Wustl, Wustl, ERR RIP MIT BOOT, BIND Wustl

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On Tue, 25 Jul 2000 07:08:42 -0400, Dick Balaska <dic### [at] buckosoftcom>
wrote:

>Would it be possible for you to zip and mail me one of these broken font 
>files?  I recently had a jaunt through POV-Ray 3.5 ttf handling, and
>while it's still fresh in my head i'd like to run your "broken" font 
>through it.

I'm sorry (???), Dick, but the problem seems to have been fixed at the
source. I cannot now recreate the failure.

A note I made after encountering the problem is dated September 14
(1999) and the related fonts in my Windows/fonts folder are currently
dated December 17, so I probably downloaded newer, fixed, versions
of the font files from the Windows Update site without realizing and
testing them.

I did not save a copy of the failing fontfiles, so have nothing to
share. So I guess this particular "font failure" message has now
been rendered historic.

My apologies to you and all for posting the problem without first
re-checking my facts. I had assumed the problem still existed.

So now the solution to improperly rendering fonts may be to simply
visit the Windows Update site and get the latest versions.

Cheers,
Ripp

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