Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 01:08:35 PM

Title: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 01:08:35 PM: I searched around the site a little and only came across one topic that seemed to address this but I need to add several new fonts to the 'text engraving v4' wizard by German Bravo. I tried loading the new fonts into c:/windows/fonts and most programs will then be able to access them but this write wizard does not. The only other post I could find here said that the fonts the wizard uses arent fonts but are some sort of code that the wizard uses as a font. I need to know how to convert a normal font to be able to be used for engraving. Point me in the right direction to figure this out.

any help appreciated
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: Hood on August 17, 2009, 01:55:09 PM: Have a look at the macros 710.m1s, 715.m1s etc etc to 790.m1s. They are the macros German has written and I think that is an individual one for each font. If you want to add a new font I think you will have to write your own macro for that font, hopefully you are good at VB ;)

Hood
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 03:31:10 PM: dude - I am the king high guru smartypants of VB. I do it in my sleep. Heck I invented VB!

actually......

I have no idea whatever what vb is. :D I cant even remember what I had for lunch the day before most days. But I have lots of time on my hands and dont mind at all doing research.

So what you are telling me is there is no conversion software package to take a normal font and convert it to this VB macro you are talking about?
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: Hood on August 17, 2009, 03:37:45 PM: The VB macro is the conversion, you will have to write it. How the heck German did all that I dont know, just open one of the above mentioned macros with the editor in Mach and have a look. To open go to Operator menu in Mach then go down the VB Editor then when that window opens go to File and Open then browse to C:\Mach3\macros\Mach3Mill and double click on the m710.m1s
Hood
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: ger21 on August 17, 2009, 03:38:04 PM: The write wizard uses hundreds of lines of VB code to create the fonts. My guess was that if you are very good at VB, you might be able to do it in 50 hours?
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: Hood on August 17, 2009, 03:39:40 PM: Quote from: ger21 on August 17, 2009, 03:38:04 PM
The write wizard uses hundreds of lines of VB code to create the fonts. My guess was that if you are very good at VB, you might be able to do it in 50 hours?

Yeh right or are you just meaning the letter A ;D

Hood
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 03:46:53 PM: :o

Just so I am not misunderstanding, all that code was hand written???

there is no possibility I will be doing that.

I'll have to go looking for another software package if that is the only option.
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: Hood on August 17, 2009, 04:01:53 PM: Quote from: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 03:46:53 PM
:o

Just so I am not misunderstanding, all that code was hand written???

Yep, and what you are seeing in the m710.m1s is just for one font, he has written for 14 all together.

Not sure whats available but if you have CAD then it may allow you to type in a windows font and save as a DXF then possibly you could use LazyCAM to get the code. Rich is the guy for LazyCAM.

Hood
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: RICH on August 17, 2009, 04:55:22 PM: Hi there thenewguy,
I never really used the write wizard for text. I know i tried it al long time ago and don't even remember my first impression of it.

Lazycam ( LC ) has a TEXT module. You can create the text in LC and create the Gcode, or import text done in a CAD program and use LC to convert it to Gcode. The LC Manual can be found in the Members Docs and has tutorial on text.

RICH
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: vmax549 on August 17, 2009, 05:10:36 PM: DOWNLOAD a free copy of Deskengrave IF you want to engrave a lot of different fonts, German donated ALL that time for free to do the engrave wizard. HE left a footprint to show how it is done all you have to do is copy it into each new font you want. Would not take me but about a dozen lifetimes to figure it out , and that would just be one font.

(;-) TP
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: thenewguy on August 17, 2009, 06:10:21 PM: Quote from: vmax549 on August 17, 2009, 05:10:36 PM
Would not take me but about a dozen lifetimes to figure it out , and that would just be one font.

hahahaha

aah - yah I know the feeling :)

thanks for the deskengrave suggestion
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: BobsShop on August 19, 2009, 12:13:29 PM: I second the DeskEngrave program for engraving text. It does an excellent job for most projects. If you need additional fonts you can find many free ones at http://www.simplythebest.net/fonts. Adding additional fonts is pretty simple also. Download the zip file to your computer then unzip the file to c:/windows/fonts the new fonts will be added to you system and can be used by deskengrave, LCAM (if you want to go that way) and many other programs.

Bob @BobsShop
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: RICH on August 19, 2009, 01:29:26 PM: DeskEngrave is a good basic program that has been around a long time and free.
Not much of a learning curve, that's for sure.
A few comments though, some CAD programs will not import the DXF it create's. You may need to convert the DXF to a 2D file first. Some of the text leaves something to be desired if you are fussy about the text.
Most are muti lined and manny times the pathing is off within the letters. Again, just depends on how fussy you are and if you want to manipulate it.

But for quick and dirty still has it's place and easy to use.
LazyCam will import it. Mach will read the Gcode.
Text in general, well still sits in the PITA grouping!
But you got to admit, much better than attempting write a wizard. ;)

RICH
Title: Re: need to add fonts to the write wizzard
Post by: vmax549 on August 19, 2009, 04:07:50 PM: I just see what the coords need to be and bring in the gcode and append it to the file(;-) One mans mouse is another mans moose.

(;-) TP