Font Metrics

[Helge Blischke]

CharlieB wrote:
> 
> CharlieB wrote:
> > Helge Blischke wrote:
> > > CharlieB wrote:
> > > >
> > > > In the ppd_file_t structure there is a list of availiable fonts. 35 in my case. How do I get the font metrics (or at least the char widths) for these fonts so I can generate the PostScript file?
> > > >
> > > > I am running Linux.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance,
> > > > Charlie
> > >
> > > As long as you don't use kerning, you don't need special font
> > > metrics information. Everything you need is accessible to the
> > > PostScript interpreter.
> > >
> > > What is your problem?
> > >
> > I want to know the widths of the chars so I can do line wrapping, etc. Is there a way to get the font metrics?
> 
> Oh, I need underline positioning also.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Charlie

Ok, if you won't let the PostScript interpreter do all the fancy
calculations for you,
you'd get the .afm files for your 35 fonts (afm means "Adobe Font
Metrics"). They
contain the complete metric information (including kerning tables, if
applicable).
But your program composing the text to be rendered must keep track of
what is done
with the fonts in question (encoding changes, scaling etc.).

And, if you are going to rely on the built-in fonts of a printer, you
*cannot* be sure
that am metrics file you get reflects the exact mitrics of the font.

Helge