Parallax True Type Font

Jon Williams

For those that want to look at Spin programs that contain diagrams, the Parallax TT Font is required; you can use any program that supports unicode fonts (Notepad in XP is convenient).· Unzip the attached file into your \Windows\Fonts folder.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

Bruce Bates

Jon -

Will this font package work with any version of Windows, or only Windows XP?

Regards,

Bruce Bates

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Gadgetman

It's a TrueType font...

It works with just about every version of Windows(with the exception of 3.1 or earlier). It also works quite well on OS X

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Don't visit my new website...

Jon Williams

Note that its a Unicode font set; we use extended (private) characters for line drawing and symbols.



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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

El Paisa

Jon:
I tried the font in EditPlus2 and NotePad, MS Publisher.
Some characters·look weird (resistors, capacitors).

El Paisa

Jon:
So far the font only works with Notepad.

Jon Williams

That has been my experience too. I also like EditPlus2, but have no explanation as to why the font doesn't work with it. It does work in Word and other desktop publishing applications; we're using it in our documentation.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax

Tracy Allen

Gadgetman,

I also installed it on Mac OS X. Mixed results. It installed fine, and in fact in Font-Book I can preview the entire repertoire of characters, including the resistors, etc etc just as I see them on Windows.

The best thing is that it works beautifullly in either BBEdit or TextWrangler to display Parallax Font. (P.S> also Text Edit) That is, it displays preexisting programs I've downloaded from here or I've transfered over from Windowns (or copy and paste from Virtual PC on the Mac). I open the file in BBEdit, or paste in the text copied over from VPC, then Select all, then select the Parallax Font. Viol

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Hi Tracy,

I've got TextWrangler on my iMac (wonderful editor, BTW) and have figured out a way to get the special characters. It's a hassle to get it set up, but once there, it's like using the Spin IDE:

1. Create a .TXT file in the Spin IDE that has all the special characters.
2. Read the file into TextWrangler.
3. Select all the text.
4. Go to Text->Show Fonts.
5. Select Parallax and any font size besides 10 or 11 pts. ('Doesn't work with those for some reason.)
6. At the bottom of the Fonts dialog box there's a button with a little gear on it. Click that, and select "Characters...".
7. Another dialog box will pop up. Select the tab "Favorites".
8. In the bottom section, click "Font Variations", and make sure "Parallax Regular" is selected. If you don't see it there, drag one of the characters from your text file into the Favorites area.
9. Now, here's where it gets tedious. From your text file, select each character individually, and drag it into the Favorites area.
10. Once this is done, all you have to do to enter a special character is bring up the Favorites box and either double-click on the character you want to insert or drag it into the editing screen.

On my system, all the special characters display as they should -- except at 10 and 11 points, where they disappear altogether.

'Hope this helps,
Phil

Update: Attached is an image of a completed Favorites palette.

Post Edited (Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)) : 4/13/2006 6:42:52 PM GMT

Tracy Allen

You're a magician, PhiPi. I noticed that about 10 and 11 point too, that the text disappears. Funny though, that does not happen in Text Edit. But Text Wrangler _is_ a favorite.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

simonl

I was wondering how you got those nice circuit & timing digrams into your spin - nice one [noparse]:)[/noparse]

Cheers,
Simon

Cliff L. Biffle

Glad to know there are other OS X users here. I'll give the font a shot; up 'til now, I've been reading the Unicode spin files using vi and ignoring the circuits.

simonl

Hmmm,

I've got the font, and can put it into Notepad and Word doc's, but when I open any object in Propeller Tool (v0.98.1) it doesn't display correctly (see attached). Any ideas why this might be?

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Cheers,

Simon

LoopyByteloose

I am not a Parallax employee, so my opinions may be in error.

Try using the Propeller Tool, the IDE, to directly compose your text.
As you can see, your document is inserting 'white space' between many of the characters.

Unlike ASCII [noparse][[/noparse]an ANSI] which is an 8bit code, UNICODE is a 16bit code. Notepad and Word docs may be retaining the whole 16 bit item while the Propeller Tool is filtering things into a more compact 8bit form.

Propeller Font is UNICODE, so it can work in either environment.
But going back and forth may be more troublesome.

I suspect taking a text from the Propeller Tool and inserting it in Notepad and Word will work [noparse][[/noparse]export], but your direction [noparse][[/noparse]import] is problematic.

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"If you want more fiber, eat the package.· Not enough?· Eat the manual."········

···················· Tropical regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

simonl

Thanks Kramer,

Having now looked at some of the example code, that came with the Propeller Tool, I can see that the font IS working correctly - so, as you suggest - it looks like it's just the code I've imported.

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Cheers,

Simon

Don Pomplun

I'm not having any luck using Parallax TT font outside the IDE. I was hoping to access it from Word for use in putting together schematics for classroom tests. In Word or Notepad I select the Parallax TT font, and a size larger than 10 or 11. I see the regular characters OK, either by typing them, or using alt-nnn for the character code. e.g. alt-65 displays an "A" as expected. But all the other Special characters don't come out right.
If I use the character palette in the IDE, everything is fine. Using the alt approach, the specials are NG.
I also tried copying and pasting a good line from the IDE to Word, but no luck.
What's the trick?
-- Don

Don Pomplun

update - - -
It seems I *CAN* copy from the IDE to Word & Notepad. Don't know what I'm doing differently, though.
-- Don

simonl

Hi Don,

I've been able to get the special char's in Word OK: e.g. for the left part of the resistor I can type F0B7 then hit Alt+X, or I do Insert | Symbol... (ensure that the Parallax font is selected, and I'm viewing it's Unicode(hex) [noparse][[/noparse]bottom right of dialogue box]), then double-click the relevant character(s)

HTH

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Cheers,

Simon

Don Pomplun

Thanx. That seems to work. Now knowing what to look for, I was able to locate it in Word Help.

It would be nice if the character chart, especially in Symbolic Order didn't fill the whole screen. Maybe this is my excuse to ask for a 2nd monitor for xmas ;=)

-- Don

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Guys,

Word has a symbol insertion tool much like the IDE's. To access it, go to the menu and click Insert. Then click Symbol..., whereupon a dialog box will pop up. Under Font select Parallax, and you will be presented with all the special characters from which to choose.

-Phil

LoopyByteloose

I think everyone will have an easier time if they just do the following:

1. Create your text or drawing in the IDE, The Propeller Tool.

2. Cut and Paste into your Word document as needed.

Anything else seems quite slow and tedious.

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"If you want more fiber, eat the package.· Not enough?· Eat the manual."········

···················· Tropical regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan