File        : FONTSCAN.TXT
Topic       : Manual for FONT SCANNER 1.5
Release Date: March 19 of the year 1993

-I M P O R T A N T --------------------------------------------------------
This documentation and all the program files are
Copyright 1993 by BVS SOLUTIONS.
This program can be distributed without any cost
as long as you copy all the files is the archive.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The archive FSCANV15.LZH contains 3 files.......

   - FONTSCAN.PRG : The application file, rename to FONTSCAN.ACC
                    to use it as an accessory !!
   - FONTSCAN.RSC : The important resource file
   - FONTSCAN.TXT : The text you're reading right now !!


Introduction.
-------------
Because there are so many (public domain) fonts available for CALAMUS,
it's often hard to choose a good looking font for one of your documents.
So I decided to write a utility program for CALAMUS fonts to make choosing
easier.
The first version, which I wrote about a year ago, could make a list of
the full fontnames of the fontfiles in one directory.
With this list, which could be printed, I could use an easier way to
select a suitable font.
For instance 'Nimbus Sans Text Bold' & 'Nimbus Sans T Medium' is easier
to distinquish instead of 'NIST7BD.CFN' & 'NIST5ME.CFN'.
Since than I've rewritten and extended the program and released it in the
PUBLIC DOMAIN because I havn't seen any program yet that could do the job.


What FONTSCANNER can do for you.
--------------------------------
The version you've just extracted is much more powerfull and has the
following options.

1/ Processing fonts  - GDOS (*.FNT)
                      .Filename
                      .Filelength
                      .Fontname (full length)
                      .Font ID (used by GDOS)
                      .Point Size

                       PS. This option also works fine for
                           ARABESQUE fonts (*.FNT, *.F09, *.F24, *.F30)

                     - CALAMUS (*.CFN)
                      .Filename
                      .Filelength
                      .Fontname (full length)
                      .Fontshape (graphic bitmap)

                     - DIDOT PROFESSIONAL (*.DFN)
                      .Filename
                      .Filelength
                      .Fontname (full length)

                     - THAT'S WRITE (*.FNT, *.SML, *.IT, *.SIT)
                      .Filename
                      .Filelength
                      .Fontname (full length)
                      .Font ID (not used by THAT'S WRITE)
                      .Point Size

2/ Making lists      - ASCII format export file
                      .For printing and word processing purposes

                     - DIF format export file
                      .DIF = Delimited Interchangeable Format
                      .For database purposes and is used
                      .in SuperBase Professional and in many
                      .other database applications

3/ Displaying fonts  - CALAMUS (*.CFN)
                      .It is possible to have up to 10 fontshapes
                      .displayed at one time on the screen for
                      .easy selecting a suitable font.


How to use FONTSCANNER.
-----------------------
The program can be started as a normal application, however it's much
more practical to use it as an accessory.
You will only have to rename the extension from .PRG to .ACC of the
program file to run the application from the DESK menu.
FONTSCANNER itself is very userfriendly to control and therefore I do
not see why a manual is necessary but i'll try to tell you how it works.

-Processing fonts & Making lists

Follow the 6 steps

1. Select the 'Font Type' for which you want to make a list.
   If you've selected That's Write it's also necessary to tell the
   program which extension (type of) you want to have.

2. Select the type of export file you want.
   The 'ASCII' format is very handy to print after the session.
   The 'DIF' format is a great solution for all of your index problems.
   It will load perfectly in SuperBase Professional when used with SB's
   import option.
   Be sure to turn the option "Use Quotation Mark" off in SB, otherwise
   you'll receive garbage in your database file.
   The 'NONE' option switches of the export file in case you don't like
   to use up a couple of sectors on your storage device.

3. Now click on 'SCAN NORMAL' and you will be prompted to select a
   file or directory.
   Use the fileselector (I use Selectric, it's great !!) to step
   to the file you want to process or to the directory which contains
   the files you'd want to process.

4. Enter the search mask for which the program has to search for,
   in other words the names of the fontfiles which have to be processed
   (eg. ATTR??.FNT, *.CFN or ANO*.CFN).
   When all files in a directory have to be investigated a simple click
   on the 'OK' button is all you have to do.

5. The program now starts to process all the files and automatically
   makes an export file in the selected data format and in the same
   directory you'd selected.
   When none of the requested fonts are found this file is erased to
   save another couple of disk sectors.

6. After all of those tricky steps it's time to do it again, but now
   you're on your own so good luck !!

-Displaying fonts

The way of using this option is quite simular to the process which is
explained above.
So let's get started, it easy but choose 'SCAN SHAPE' instead of the
'SCAN NORMAL' option.
This option doesn't make an export file but only displays 10 fontshapes
on the screen.
In the display dialog ese the 'MORE' option to see if there are more
fontfiles left to watch.


What's that, more information ?
-------------------------------
I hope you like this program as much as I do, but if you don't,
do not fear to write to me with you complaints.
Also if you want to have the program been expanded to support other
font formats (eg. Signum! etc. etc.) feel free to write me.
And last but certainly not least tell me about any bugs you find.

You can reach me on a couple of BBS in The Netherlands, use the
ABC mail option !!

ST QuickBBS Haarlem     023-340077
CMS Spijkenisse         01880-25521
QBBS Arnhem             085-644262
Dutch Mountains         05723-1730

on user Bart Van.Schie

Or write to me.......   adres is in the program.

That's all folks !!

I've planned a 'PRINT' option for the displaying fonts option.
How about it, it will print on HP DeskJet compatible printers.


GDOS is a trademark of ATARI INC.
CALAMUS is a trademark of DMC.
DIDOT PROFESSIONAL is a trademark of 3K-COMPUTERBILD.
THAT'S WRITE is a trademark of COMPO.
ARABESQUE is a trademark of SHIFT.
SUPERBASE PROFESSIONAL is a trademark of PRECISION SOFTWARE LTD.
