Basics of QB64 - Using fonts

[FellippeHeitor]

This video will show you how you can use TTF, TTC and OTF font files in your QB64 programs.

Relevant wiki links:
http://www.qb64.org/wiki/LOADFONT
http://www.qb64.org/wiki/FONT
http://www.qb64.org/wiki/FREEFONT

Forum link with instructions to use Luke's alternative rendering functions directly (falcon.h):
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=1574.msg107948#msg107948

RhoSigma's wrapper library for falcon.h:
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=2248

THE OLDSCHOOL PC FONT RESOURCE:
https://int10h.org/oldschool-pc-fonts/fontlist/

[johnno56]

Cool... Even "I" could follow and understand this tutorial. According to Einstein, you must really understand what you are teaching... "If you cannot explain it to a six year old then you don't understand it yourself."... Well done!

[euklides]

Thank you !

[RhoSigma]

If you are not familiar with calling C/C++ functions directly, then you might like to use the small UPrint toolbox library, which I've wrapped around the falcon.h functions.

It covers almost everything you can do with the C/C++ functions within a handfull easy to use BASIC functions and does also have various functions to convert strings into the UTF-8 format required by the falcon.h functions. It also brings back the ability to use the different PRINTMODEs with falcon.h, some examples complete the toolbox.

see here: https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=2248

[FellippeHeitor]

Thank you, @johnno56 and @euklides!

@RhoSigma thanks for reminding me of your wrapper! I'll point to it as well.

[Dimster]

Thanks Fellippe - you read all you want on a subject but there's nothing like a demostration of the application. One question on fonts on the text screen, can they only be monospaced? or is there an option for proportional spacing?

[FellippeHeitor]

For screen 0/text mode you can only use fonts loaded with the "monospace" parameter.

[OldMoses]

Dimster is correct. I haven't tried to work much with fonts. A few little things have been successful, but many others have not. It's nice to see a demonstration. Something that I can build upon. These are the best thing since Steve's _MEM tutorials. Thank you, sir.

[hmjswt]

Hallo,

Thank you, just what I was looking for.

[TempodiBasic]

Cool!
Good Job

[JohnUKresults]

Thanks for this tutorial - much appreciated.

I was struggling with a very small window size on my Win10 pcs, while running my dos program in text mode.

This should help my eyesight!!

[wiggins]

Thank you for this excellent video.  Your example programs so so easy to follow.

[JohnUKresults]

Is there a rule of thumb to follow when trying to find a font which looks OK when scaled up?

I have had a look at the fonts website suggested by Fellippe and some of the 8x8 fonts actually make the window look smaller than the default on my windows pc, while some of the other fonts look very scrappy when enlarged.

I assume you should try to use multiples of the pixel height to scale them up, but would other scales also work. For example,  if you have an 8 pixel high font, should you stick to 8, 16, 24 etc. Or would 12 and 20 also work?

Also had a look at the built in Windows fonts but not spotted anything which looks OK in dos yet! So you know, I only work in 5ext mode, not graphic.

I know you will just say experiment 😏 🙂!!

[FellippeHeitor]

Yeah, experimenting is the best way... And when it's fixed size, I usually go for multiples of the original size, as you mentioned.

[JohnUKresults]

ok thanks Fellippe.