Can't open or save in TypeLight3.0?

[mrrb]

Hi, I downloaded the TypeLight3.0 from your website and installed on a Win98 system.

It was great to find a font creator freeware as I only need the simplest of features to create a simple line-engraving font for use on my Hobyy CNC engraving machine (to make front panels for electronic projects).

I downloaded the version that said "fully functional freeware version" and have checked in the About box it is version 3.0.012 and says "type light 3.0 user" as the username.

In the file menu File->New seems to work but File->Open and File->SaveAs just click and nothing happens, no file box opens etc.

Did I actually download a disabled version of the software or is there some issue on my PC? (I have now tried two PCs both ruinning Win98.)

Thank you for your time!

[Allan Murray]

I have just tried Type light 3.0.012 on a Windows 98 system and I do get the same result (Type light 3.0 is a recent update)

An earlier version (2.2.031) will work on Windows 98:
cr8.netfirms.com/Typelightsetup_2231.exe

or version 3.0.012 appears to work if you install KernalEx:
sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/

I will address this issue because I do want to retain compatibility with Windows 98,

Thanks


---------------------------

Update: This issue has been resolved in version 3.0.014 (22/7/11)

[mrrb]

Thanks for the tech support!

I have downloaded the old v2.2 from your link and it seems to load and save TTF files ok. Now I have to learn how to use it!

All I want to do is make a simple engraving font (with single lines, not filled areas) like I used on this engraved panel;
www.romanblack.com/onesec/capmeter_2.jpg

I have a few "engraving" fonts that are supposed to be single line but the CNC machine goes over each line 2 or 4 times, so I suspect these are just TTF fonts that had their thickness reduced to zero. My goal is to make a proper single line font and optimise the line start and end points for fastest movement of the engraving machine when going from character to character.

Thanks again for your help!
-Roman

[mrrb]

I was playing with TypeLight2.2 today and have come across an obstacle.

This is most likely a problem with my expectations rather than the TypeLight program, but maybe there is a solution someone can offer?

I made a couple of test glyphs using a minimum lines (for engraving as I said before) but when saving as TTF the program automatically joins the open lines to make loops, which is exactly the thing i don't want as the engraver would have to go over the same line.

Just as an example, a captial A would be one line like an inverted V, then a horizontal line -.

But the program joins the inverted V to make a triangle (a closed loop).

I tried saving the font as "Open Type" which is great, it seems to preserve the single unjoined lines I require.

However if i save the font as OpenType there seems to be no way to get Win98 to recognise it or install the font. I need the font to work in CorelDraw as that is what I use for engraving.

Sorry for the hassles, I understand this is not the normal use of TypeLight and I am trying to do something weird. However it is important for me to make a font where the engraver will not be going over the same line more than once.

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

[Allan Murray]

TrueType font contours are always "closed". An open contour makes no sense (in the normal use of the font), because one contour defines the outside and one defines the inside of the shape.

CNC engravers use the font in a non-standard way, but I am not sure how they require the font to be formed. Hopefully someone else can assist here.

To install PostScript (eg .otf) fonts on a Windows 98 system, you need to have Adobe Type Manager installed.
See here: www.adobe.com/type/browser/fontinstall/instructions_english.html

[mrrb]

I just wanted to thank you Allan for providing an excellent level of customer support, not just with your help here but also in taking the time to email me with help on the engraving fonts.

That issue was not a fault of your program in any way but was because i am trying to do something fairly unusual, that TTF fonts were never meant to do.

I was not able to get a perfect solution to my problem of trying not to engrave over the same line but I have been able to improve some engraving fonts to reduce over-tracing and also to optimise start and end points for machine travel etc.

I will post here if I spend more time on it and get any closer to a "font engraving solution", and THANK YOU again for your help.