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*************************************************************************
Copyright (c) 1989 by N. N. Billawala
The following file contains information about the Pandora
Family of fonts. The fonts were developed using Metafont.
These fonts should be considered as in a beta state.
*************************************************************************
The files are set up according to the following scheme:
<general font file>
Contains all the parameters for varying the font.
pnb10.mf, pnr10.mf, pnsl10.mf, pnss10.mf, pnssb10.mf,
pnssi10.mf, pntt9.mf
<general macros file>
Macros used in the various characters.
pandor.mf
<character set file>
Determines which set of characters will be in the font.
rotext.mf, tttext.mf
<width information file>
Determines the widths of the characters. Note that
width values will change according to the individual
shape of the character.
width.mf
<individual character files>
The actual character descriptions are here.
panlowers.mf, caps.mf, number.mf, pangreeku.mf, panaccent.mf,
panpunct.mf, punctr.mf, puncts.mf, fligs.mf, ttchar.mf,
punctt.mf
<ligature and kerning information file>
ligs.mf
In order to create a font, you need only invoke Metafont, set
a mode for a device, and input one of the general font files.
% mf
** \mode=yourchoice; input pntt9
The intent of the Pandora project is to test the ideas and
power of Metafont in a design context. The starting point
came from broad ideas about type, rather than trying to
create a specific predetermined typeface.
One strong driving force was the idea to create a generalized
description of the visual relationship between characters in a
typeface. This is far from saying that similar characters use
parts that are "cut and pasted" directly from one to another.
This is how a "straight arm" and "curved arm" came to be in the
same macro, though they are visually quite different.
Many parameters create an endless variety of possibilities.
The concern was to create a basis from which a "reasonable"
and readable set of fonts might be derived. It's not important
that all variations work, rather, that it's possible to find
a reasonable set within the basis. A rich description allows
a designer to quickly look at a number of possibilities.
The character sets for the fixed width font and for the
variable width fonts correspond to those which Don Knuth used
in the Computer Modern family of fonts. This was done
intentionally so that we would have compatible and
interchangeable character sets. The compatibility ends there.
All of the fonts are currently set for 10 pt type,
except pntt9.mf, which is set for 9 pt type. Pntt9.mf (Pandora
Single Pitch 9 works out to 15 characters per inch). Hooks
have been put in for point size changes as well as for
boldness.
Comments, criticisms and suggestions are welcome.
Please send them to me at
{decwrl, seismo, ihnp4, ucbvax ...} !sun!metamarks!nb
N. N. Billawala
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