Author Topic: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin  (Read 13186 times)

Offline EddyCurrent

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More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« on: September 09, 2020, 19:00:55 pm »
I found some fonts at NCPlot website here; http://ncplot.com/stickfont/stickfont.htm , a free "StickFont Font Pack" can be downloaded there.

I thought it would be a little exercise to see if these fonts could be opened in CamBam, so please find attached a plugin to do just that.

Download and unzip the "StickFont Font Pack" to a location of your choice, install the Fonty plugin and restart CamBam.

The plugin called "Fonty" will appear in the Plugins folder.

A text entry form will appear similar to that of CamBam's,

1. click the "Open font file" button, navigate to your "StickFont Font Pack" folder and choose a font.
2. enter some text in the yellow text entry box, multiple lines are allowed.
3. set scale factor and arc fit (values can also be typed directly into the box without using the up/down buttons if desired)

A rule of thumb that seems to work for initial settings is to use an Arc Fit value of 1/3 * Scale Factor.

4. click the "OK" button
5. click at the text insertion point

The text will be drawn as Polylines.
These can then be moved, scaled, rotated or whatever from there.
Use an Engrave MOP to cut.

Edit: *************************

Version 2.0 attached

1. Errors reported were because the character was not found in the font file, they have definitions for English characters only.  I substituted a "space" character for those not found.
2. Added a "scale factor", the plugin detects units used and selects suitable default values.
3. Added "Arc Fit", this makes the characters more rounded.
4. Added Undo point.

Version 3.0 attached

The plugin form will now remember these settings until CamBam is closed.

1. File name and font file data
2. Arc Fit value
3. Scale Factor value
« Last Edit: September 11, 2020, 19:22:30 pm by EddyCurrent »
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Offline Bubba

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2020, 21:42:10 pm »
Nice plugin Eddy, Thanks.

IMHO it would be nice to have plugin that convert windows font to stick font, if this is even possible. ;) ;D
My 2¢

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Offline pixelmaker

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2020, 09:31:40 am »
Hello Eddy
Thanks for the plugin.
I have tested it. After inserting the text I get an Unhandled Exeption error message, details in the appendix.
Otherwise the fonts are in a bad quality. There are no curves and the result is not usable. Is there a way to change the resolution?

ralf

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2020, 10:04:03 am »
Ralf,

Thanks for testing, I will loook at the error.

The CHR font files consist of a collection of XY coordinates that when joined together by a line, draw the character.
It may be that the NCPlot software draws a curved line that fits those points.

If the text is kept small they may look okay.

 
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Offline dave benson

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2020, 10:13:37 am »
Thanks Eddy
Works fine for me.
Dave

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2020, 10:31:04 am »
The fonts from this package look just as bad in the stick font software. But there are fonts in Stickfont software that have clean curves. You can export them as DXF and open them in CamBam.
By installing the Stickfont Software Demo, all fonts will be installed under C:\NCPlot Software LLC\StickFont v3\fonts. From there they can be used with your plugin, even the clean fonts. There are 40 fonts in total.
By the way, the error does not occur after restarting CamBam.
Thanks again, this way the plugin makes fun

ralf
« Last Edit: September 10, 2020, 10:33:17 am by pixelmaker »

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2020, 10:43:49 am »
Ralph,

Try using Arc Fit = 0.3 on the text, it makes an excellent improvement.

The other fonts files in the demo won't open because they are in a different format.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2020, 11:22:29 am by EddyCurrent »
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Offline dh42

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2020, 18:53:54 pm »
Hello

Quote
By the way, the error does not occur after restarting CamBam.

I get the error each time if accented chars are used. ex "ete" works, "été" give an error ; the word that contain accented chars is not written at all and all words that follow it are not written too.

++
David

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2020, 20:35:42 pm »
Version 2 added to first post.

1. Errors reported were because the character was not found in the font file, they have definitions for English characters only. I substitued a "space" character for those not found. (it must be the first Brexit plugin  ;D )
2. Added a "scale factor", the plugin detects units used and selects suitable default values.
3. Added "Arc Fit", this makes the characters more rounded.
4. Added Undo point.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2020, 20:41:52 pm by EddyCurrent »
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Offline dh42

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2020, 20:44:41 pm »
Hello

Nice job !

A suggestion ? ... how about remember the last font used ? (at least in the same CamBam session)

++
David

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2020, 20:52:03 pm »

A suggestion ? ... how about remember the last font used ? (at least in the same CamBam session)

++
David

Yes, I was thinking the same myself.
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Offline Bubba

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2020, 21:12:04 pm »
Hi Eddy.
Just tried the latest edition of your plugin, must say wow what a difference. I like it. Thanks.
My 2¢

Win11, CB(1.0)rc 1(64 bit) Mach3, ESS, G540, 4th Axis, Endurance Laser.

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2020, 15:24:05 pm »
David,

I've added the é character to this font file, please see if it works for you before I continue.

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Offline dh42

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2020, 18:02:34 pm »
Hello

Works perfectly ! ...

Thanks Eddy  ;D

++
David

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: More Fonts for CamBam + plugin
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2020, 18:40:23 pm »
Hello

Works perfectly ! ...

Thanks Eddy  ;D

++
David

Excellent, Ralph and no doubt others will also need some extra characters.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2020, 19:24:32 pm by EddyCurrent »
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