Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!apollo!oj
From: oj@apollo.HP.COM (Ellis Oliver Jones)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: Response to the DM fonts to X fonts question
Message-ID: <49b35c3a.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>
Date: 9 Apr 90 14:34:00 GMT
References: <256@camdev.UUCP>
Sender: root@apollo.HP.COM
Reply-To: oj@apollo.hp.com (Ollie Jones)
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, MA
Lines: 78

In article <256@camdev.UUCP> sscott@mot.com (Steve Scott) writes:

I had some problems when I tried Steve Scott's procedure, so here are
my clarifications of it:

Step 1)  copy the GPR format font and translate it to bdf format.

    cp /sys/dm/fonts/din_f7x11 ~/din_f7x11
    cd ~
    edfont din_f7x11
    (Use File/Save As... to save the file with the format "Adobe BDF".)
    (Use File/Exit to quit edfont)

   The font file name you run edfont with is the font 
   name that your font will have in X.  So, rename the font file
   BEFORE you run edfont, and give edfont a simple filename, not a pathname
   with directories and "/" characters in it.

   You need the SR10.2 edfont for this.

Step 2)  convert the bdf format font to snf format (server-normal font format)

      /usr/X11/bin/bdftosnf din_f7x11 >din_f7x11.snf

Step 3) decide where in the file system you want to store your new font.

    Your choices are:
    [] /usr/X11/lib/fonts/75dpi  (most of the "official" XV11R3 fonts live here)
    [] /usr/X11/lib/fonts/100dpi (some "official" fonts live here, many more at R4)
    [] /usr/X11/lib/fonts/oldX11 (the old XV11R2 fonts live here)
    [] /usr/X11/lib/fonts/misc   (a few terminal fonts and the cursor font live here)
    [] your own font directory 

Step 4) copy the snf font into the chosen directory, using "cp" or the like.
        (Careful...this might be on a shared file server)

Step 5) Rebuild the font directory (actually the file "fonts.dir" in the same
        directory as the .snf files):
             cd (whatever font directory)
             /usr/X11/bin/mkfontdir

Step 6) (optional) edit the fonts.alias file if you want your font 
        to have an alternative name.

Step 7) Reset your server's font path:
        (Notice that you DO NOT have to restart the server to
         see a changed font directory.  Rather, restting the font
         path does the trick.)

             /usr/X11/bin/xset +fp (whatever font directory)

Step 8) Make sure you can see the font's name

            /usr/X11/bin/xlsfonts din_f7x11
        
Step 9) Take a look at the font

            /usr/X11/bin/xfd din_f7x11

    Steps 8 and 9 have the potential of crashing your X server
    if something's wrong with the font or the font directory, so
    do them when you don't have anything real important on screen.
 
Step 10) If in step 3 you chose a private font directory instead 
         of one of the standard ones, get your users to use an
         "xset" command (like the one in step 7) during login.

Notice that you can convert a bdf format font to a gpr font 
using edfont, as well.  You can also make your own fonts
in either format with edfont.

Careful:  nothing irritates the owner of a font copyright
more than amateur modifications.  So, if you're going to ship, say,
Bitstream Charter bitmap fonts with your wordprocessing package, 
don't just redesign Charter's ampersand or capital W to your taste, 
then repackage it.

/Ollie Jones (speaking for myself, not necessarily for HP/Apollo)