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Last update Sep 20, 2002
28. Bitmap, Cursor, Icon, and Font Editors
This ResourceStudio reference chapter contains details about the
commands and options found in the Bitmap editor, the Cursor
editor, the Icon editor, and the Font editor. For an introduction to
ResourceStudio, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
This chapter shows the editors running in standalone windows. If
you edit a binary resource directly (that is, if you open or create it by
choosing Open from the Shell window's File menu), the File menu
you will see will not match those shown below, and the ID and File
fields in the Property sheet will be disabled.
Bitmap Editor
The Bitmap editor (see Figure 28-1) is used to edit bitmaps.
[Figure 28-1 The Bitmap editor
The Bitmap editor displays two views of the bitmap. Each view can
be independently zoomed; you may wish to keep one view at
normal size for reference, and one at a higher magnification for
easier drawing. You can draw in either view, though.
Drawing tools are selected by choosing commands in the Tool
menu, or by clicking on the tool in the toolbox. Colors are selected
in the palette section of the toolbox. The View menu is used to
zoom the views and to turn on the grid. Simple image manipulation
functions are available in the Image menu.
For more information about using the Bitmap editor, see Chapter 7,
"Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
BitmapExpress
As a new bitmap is created, the BitmapExpress dialog box opens
(see Figure 28-2). This dialog box is used to set initial bitmap
properties.
[Figure 28-2 BitmapExpress
Select bitmap type
Specifies the number of colors in the bitmap (2, 16, or 256).
Initial size
Specifies the bitmap width and height.
Toolbar bitmap
Select this option if the bitmap will be used as the toolbar in an MFC
application. If this option is selected, the number of colors is set to
16 and the initial size is determined by the value of the Buttons
across option.
Buttons across
Specifies the number of buttons for toolbar bitmaps. The bitmap's
initial size is changed to accommodate the number of buttons you
request. Each button is 15 pixels high and 16 pixels across.
File menu commands
The File menu (see Figure 28-3) contains commands to save the
resource file, to edit resource IDs, and to perform other
miscellaneous functions.
[Figure 28-3 Bitmap editor File menu
- Save
- Saves the resource file. If the file is unnamed, this command
executes Save As.
- Save As
- Opens a Windows File Save As dialog box, which can be used to
save the resource file under a new name.
- Export Resource
- Opens a dialog box which can be used to save the bitmap in a
separate file.
- Edit Resource IDs
- Opens the Resource ID Browser dialog box, used to browse and
modify resource IDs. For more information about managing resource
IDs and using the Resource ID Browser dialog box, see "Managing
Resource IDs," in Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
- ClassExpress
- Runs ClassExpress, passing the filename of the resource file as the
project that ClassExpress should open. This command is only
enabled if the Bitmap editor is running in the right pane of the
Browser window.
- Class Editing
- Closes the Bitmap editor.
Edit menu commands
The Edit menu (see Figure 28-4) contains standard editing
commands. You can undo operations, and can cut, copy, paste, and
clear rectangular regions of the bitmap. To select a region to cut,
copy, or clear, select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the
Tool menu, then drag a box around the region.
[Figure 28-4 Bitmap editor Edit menu
- Undo
- Undoes the last Bitmap editor operation.
- Redo
- Redoes the last undone Bitmap editor operation.
- Cut
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard, then clears the region in
the bitmap, filling it with the current background color.
- Copy
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard.
- Paste
- Copies the region in the Clipboard to the bitmap. The new region is
initially placed in the upper left corner of the bitmap, but may be
dragged to a new location.
- Clear
- Clears the selected region, filling it with the current background
color. If no region is selected, the entire bitmap is cleared.
View menu commands
The View menu (see Figure 28-5) contains commands to set view
magnification and to set grid options.
[Figure 28-5 Bitmap editor View menu
- Zoom 1
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 1 (normal size).
- Zoom 2
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 2 (twice normal size).
- Zoom 4
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 4 (four times normal size).
- Zoom 8
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 8 (eight times normal size).
- Grid
- Turns on the grid. The grid is only visible in views where the zoom
factor is 4 or 8.
- Button Grid
- Turns on the button grid. The button grid is used to identify the
boundaries of toolbar buttons when you are creating a toolbar
bitmap.
- Grid Settings
- Opens the Grid Settings dialog box (see Figure 28-6), used to set
grid options.
[Figure 28-6 Grid Settings dialog box
Pixel grid
Turns on display of the pixel grid.
Button grid
Turns on display of the button grid. The spacing of points on the
button grid can be specified in the Width and Height fields; defaults
for an MFC application toolbar are 16 pixels wide by 15 pixels high.
Tool menu commands
The Tool menu (see Figure 28-7) lets you select drawing tools.
While over the drawing area, the cursor changes shape to indicate
the currently selected tool. To draw, click or click and drag (as
appropriate) in the drawing area. Using the right button rather than
the left reverses the roles of foreground and background colors.
Drawing tools can also be selected in the toolbox. For more
information about drawing operations in the Bitmap editor, see
Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
[Figure 28-7 Bitmap editor Tool menu
- Brush
- Selects the brush tool.
- Erase
- Selects the eraser tool.
- Eye Drop
- Selects the eye-dropper tool. Use this tool to select foreground and
background colors directly from the image.
- Line
- Selects the straight line tool.
- Text
- Selects the text tool.
- Oval
- Selects the hollow oval tool.
- Oval (Filled)
- Selects the solid oval tool.
- Paint
- Selects the paint can (flood fill) tool.
- Pen
- Selects the pen (pencil) tool.
- Rect
- Selects the hollow rectangle tool.
- Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rectangle tool.
- Round Rect
- Selects the hollow rounded rectangle tool.
- Round Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rounded rectangle tool.
- Select
- Selects the Selection tool. Use this tool to select rectangular regions
for cut, copy, clear, drag, flip, and invert operations.
- Spray
- Selects the spray brush (airbrush) tool.
Image menu commands
Commands in the Image menu (see Figure 28-8) perform simple
image manipulation functions. To select a region to flip or invert,
select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the Tool menu,
then drag a box around the region. If no region is selected, these
commands operate on the entire bitmap.
[Figure 28-8 Bitmap editor Image menu
- Flip Vertically
- Flips the selected region vertically.
- Flip Horizontally
- Flips the selected region horizontally.
- Invert Colors
- Inverts the colors in the selected region (for example, in a 16 color
bitmap, color 0 is replaced with color 15, color 1 is replaced with
color 14, and so on).
Toolbar commands
The Bitmap editor toolbar (see Figure 28-9) provides quick access to
frequently used menu commands.
[Figure 28-9 Bitmap editor toolbar
- Undo:
- Same as choosing Undo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to undo multiple operations at once.
- Redo:
- Same as choosing Redo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to redo multiple operations at once.
- Cut:
- Same as choosing Cut from the Edit menu.
- Copy:
- Same as choosing Copy from the Edit menu.
- Paste:
- Same as choosing Paste from the Edit menu.
- Flip horizontally:
- Same as choosing Flip Horizontally from the
Image menu.
- Flip vertically:
- Same as choosing Flip Vertically from the Image
menu.
- Invert colors:
- Same as choosing Invert Colors from the Image
menu.
Toolbox
The Bitmap editor toolbox (see Figure 28-10) provides quick access
to the tools available in the Tool menu. The toolbox also lets you
select foreground and background colors, brush types, background
pattern, and line type.
For more information on the Bitmap editor toolbox, see Chapter 7,
"Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
[Figure 28-10 Bitmap editor toolbox
Bitmap properties
Bitmaps have two pages of properties. The General properties are
shown in Figure 28-11.
[Figure 28-11 Bitmap General properties
Specify a filename for the bitmap in the File textbox. The Width and
Height of the bitmap can be changed here, or the bitmap can be
resized in the main display by dragging one of the handles along the
bitmap edge.
Palette properties of a bitmap are shown in Figure 28-12.
[Figure 28-12 Bitmap Palette properties
Foreground and background drawing colors can be set by
respectively clicking and right-clicking colors in this display. Double-clicking
a color opens the Custom Color dialog box, which can be
used to change the color's red, green, and blue components.
Cursor Editor
The Cursor editor (see Figure 28-13) is used to edit cursors.
[Figure 28-13 The Cursor editor
Since cursors are much like bitmaps, the Cursor editor behaves much
like the Bitmap editor (see "Bitmap Editor," earlier in this chapter).
The distinguishing characteristics of cursors are as follows:
- A cursor resource may contain more than one cursor.
ResourceStudio lets you create up to four different
cursors in a cursor resource. The four possible cursor
types have predefined sizes and color depths.
- In addition to normal colors, cursors can have areas
which are tagged "Transparent" and "Inverted." In
Transparent areas, the background screen color shows
through the cursor. In Inverted areas, the background
screen color is bitwise-complemented.
- Cursors have a "hotspot," a particular pixel which is used
by Windows to map the cursor to a screen location.
The Cursor editor displays two views of the cursor. Each view can be
independently zoomed; you may wish to keep one view at normal
size for reference, and one at a higher magnification for easier
drawing. You can draw in either view, though.
Drawing tools are selected by choosing commands in the Tool
menu, or by clicking on the tool in the toolbox. Colors are selected
in the palette section of the toolbox. The View menu is used to
zoom the views and to turn on the grid. Simple image manipulation
functions are available in the Image menu. The cursor hotspot is set
by choosing Set Hotspot from the Image menu.
File menu commands
The File menu (see Figure 28-14) contains commands to save the
resource file, to edit resource IDs, and to perform other
miscellaneous functions.
[Figure 28-14 Cursor editor File menu
- Save
- Saves the resource file. If the file is unnamed, this command
executes Save As.
- Save As
- Opens a Windows File Save As dialog box, which can be used to
save the resource file under a new name.
- Export Resource
- Opens a dialog box which can be used to save the cursor resource
in a separate file.
- Export Resource IDs
- Opens the Resource ID Browser dialog box, used to browse and
modify resource IDs. For more information about managing resource
IDs and using the Resource ID Browser dialog box, see "Managing
Resource IDs," in Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
- ClassExpress
- Runs ClassExpress, passing the filename of the resource file as the
project that ClassExpress should open. This command is only
enabled if the Cursor editor is running in the right pane of the
Browser window.
- Close Editing
- Closes the Cursor editor.
Edit menu commands
The Edit menu (see Figure 28-15) contains standard editing
commands. You can undo operations, and can cut, copy, paste, and
clear rectangular regions of the cursor. To select a region to cut,
copy, or clear, select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the
Tool menu, then drag a box around the region.
[Figure 28-15 Cursor editor Edit menu
- Undo
- Undoes the last Cursor editor operation.
- Redo
- Redoes the last undone Cursor editor operation.
- Cut
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard, then clears the region in
the cursor, filling it with the current background color.
- Copy
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard.
- Paste
- Copies the region in the Clipboard to the cursor. The new region is
initially placed in the upper-left corner of the cursor, but may be
dragged to a new location.
- Clear
- Clears the selected region, filling it with the current background
color. If no region is selected, the entire cursor is cleared.
- Select All
- Select all cursor regions.
View menu commands
The View menu (see Figure 28-16) contains commands to set view
magnification and to set grid options.
[Figure 28-16 Cursor editor View menu
- Zoom 1
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 1 (normal size).
- Zoom 2
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 2 (twice normal size).
- Zoom 4
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 4 (four times normal size).
- Zoom 8
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 8 (eight times normal size).
- Grid
- Turns on the grid. The grid is only visible in views where the zoom
factor is 4 or 8.
- Button Grid
- Turns on the button grid.
- Grid Settings
- Opens the Grid Settings dialog box (see Figure 28-17), used to set
grid options.
[Figure 28-17 Grid Settings dialog box
Pixel grid
Turns on display of the pixel grid.
Button grid
Turns on display of the button grid. The spacing of points on the
button grid can be specified in the Width and Height fields.
Tool menu commands
The Tool menu (see Figure 28-18) lets you select drawing tools.
While over the drawing area, the cursor changes shape to indicate
the currently selected tool. To draw, click or click and drag (as
appropriate) in the drawing area. Using the right button rather than
the left reverses the roles of foreground and background colors.
Drawing tools can also be selected in the toolbox. Drawing
operations are identical to those in the Bitmap editor.
For more information, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
[Figure 28-18 Cursor editor Tool menu
- Brush
- Selects the brush tool.
- Erase
- Selects the eraser tool.
- Eye Drop
- Selects the eye-dropper tool. Use this tool to select foreground and
background colors directly from the image.
- Line
- Selects the straight line tool.
- Text
- Selects the text tool.
- Oval
- Selects the hollow oval tool.
- Oval (Filled)
- Selects the solid oval tool.
- Paint
- Selects the paint can (flood fill) tool.
- Pen
- Selects the pen (pencil) tool.
- Rect
- Selects the hollow rectangle tool.
- Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rectangle tool.
- Round Rect
- Selects the hollow rounded rectangle tool.
- Round Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rounded rectangle tool.
- Select
- Selects the Selection tool. Use this tool to select rectangular regions
for cut, copy, clear, drag, flip, and invert operations.
- Spray
- Selects the spray brush (airbrush) tool.
Image menu commands
Commands in the Image menu (see Figure 28-19) perform simple
image manipulation functions. To select a region to flip or invert,
select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the Tool menu,
then drag a box around the region. If no region is selected, these
commands operate on the entire cursor. This menu also contains a
command to set the cursor hotspot.
[Figure 28-19 Cursor editor Image menu
- Flip Vertically
- Flips the selected region vertically.
- Flip Horizontally
- Flips the selected region horizontally.
- Invert Colors
- Inverts the colors in the selected region (for example, in a 16 color
cursor, color 0 is replaced with color 15, color 1 is replaced with
color 14, and so on).
- Set Hotspot
- Sets the cursor hotspot. You are prompted to click on the image at
the location of the hotspot.
Toolbar commands
The Cursor editor toolbar (see Figure 28-20) provides quick access to
frequently used menu commands.
[Figure 28-20 Cursor editor toolbar
- Undo:
- Same as choosing Undo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to undo multiple operations at once.
- Redo:
- Same as choosing Redo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to redo multiple operations at once.
- Cut:
- Same as choosing Cut from the Edit menu.
- Copy:
- Same as choosing Copy from the Edit menu.
- Paste:
- Same as choosing Paste from the Edit menu.
- Flip horizontally:
- Same as choosing Flip Horizontally from the
Image menu.
- Flip vertically:
- Same as choosing Flip Vertically from the Image
menu.
- Invert colors:
- Same as choosing Invert Colors from the Image
menu.
Toolbox
The Cursor editor toolbox (see Figure 28-21) provides quick access
to the tools available in the Tool menu. The toolbox also lets you
select foreground and background colors, brush types, background
pattern, and line type.
[Figure 28-21 Cursor editor toolbox
The toolbox is slightly different from the toolbox used in the Bitmap
editor. In addition to the usual color palette, two extra colors are
available: Transparent and Inverted. Transparent is used to draw
areas in the cursor where the background screen color shows
through. Inverted is used to draw areas in the cursor where the
background screen color is bitwise-complemented.
Other than these two additions, the Cursor editor toolbox is identical
to the Bitmap editor toolbox. For more information on the Bitmap
editor toolbox, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
Cursor properties
Cursor properties are shown in Figure 28-22.
[Figure 28-22 Cursor properties
Specify a filename for the cursor resource in the File textbox. The
cursor hotspot coordinates are displayed below the File textbox. The
Image field specifies which of the cursors in the cursor resource is
currently displayed. Click on New to create a new cursor in the
current resource, or click on Delete to delete the current cursor from
the resource. Note that you cannot delete the last cursor from the
resource.
Icon Editor
The Icon editor (see Figure 28-23) is used to edit icons.
[Figure 28-23 The Icon editor
Since icons are much like bitmaps, the Icon editor behaves much
like the Bitmap editor (see "Bitmap Editor," earlier in this chapter).
The distinguishing characteristics of icons are as follows:
- An icon resource may contain more than one icon.
ResourceStudio lets you create up to twelve different
icons in an icon resource. You can create 32 by 16, 32 by
32, 16 by 16, and 64 by 64 pixel icons in 2, 8, 16, and 256
colors.
- In addition to normal colors, icons can have areas which
are tagged "Transparent" and "Inverted." In Transparent
areas, the background screen color shows through the
icon. In Inverted areas, the background screen color is
bitwise-complemented.
The Icon editor displays two views of the icon. Each view can be
independently zoomed; you may wish to keep one view at normal
size for reference, and one at a higher magnification for easier
drawing. You can draw in either view, though.
Drawing tools are selected by choosing commands in the Tool
menu, or by clicking on the tool in the toolbox. Colors are selected
in the palette section of the toolbox. The View menu is used to
zoom the views and to turn on the grid. Simple image manipulation
functions are available in the Image menu.
File menu commands
The File menu (see Figure 28-24) contains commands to save the
resource file, to edit resource IDs, and to perform other
miscellaneous functions.
[Figure 28-24 Icon editor File menu
- Save
- Saves the resource file. If the file is unnamed, this command
executes Save As.
- Save As
- Opens a Windows File Save As dialog box, which can be used to
save the resource file under a new name.
- Export Resource
- Opens a dialog box which can be used to save the icon resource in
a separate file.
- Edit Resource IDs
- Opens the Resource ID Browser dialog box, used to browse and
modify resource IDs. For more information about managing resource
IDs and using the Resource ID Browser dialog box, see "Managing
Resource IDs," in Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
- ClassExpress
- Runs ClassExpress, passing the filename of the resource file as the
project that ClassExpress should open. This command is only
enabled if the Icon editor is running in the right pane of the Browser
window.
- Close Editing
- Closes the Icon editor.
Edit menu commands
The Edit menu (see Figure 28-25) contains standard editing
commands. You can undo operations, and can cut, copy, paste, and
clear rectangular regions of the icon. To select a region to cut, copy,
or clear, select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the Tool
menu, then drag a box around the region.
[Figure 28-25 Icon editor Edit menu
- Undo
- Undoes the last Icon editor operation.
- Redo
- Redoes the last undone Icon editor operation.
- Cut
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard, then clears the region in
the icon, filling it with the current background color.
- Copy
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard.
- Paste
- Copies the region in the Clipboard to the icon. The new region is
initially placed in the upper-left corner of the icon, but may be
dragged to a new location.
- Clear
- Clears the selected region, filling it with the current background
color. If no region is selected, the entire icon is cleared.
- Select All
- Select all icon regions.
View menu commands
The View menu (see Figure 28-26) contains commands to set view
magnification and to set grid options.
[Figure 28-26 Cursor editor View menu
- Zoom 1
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 1 (normal size).
- Zoom 2
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 2 (twice normal size).
- Zoom 4
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 4 (four times normal size).
- Zoom 8
- Sets the current view's zoom factor to 8 (eight times normal size).
- Grid
- Turns on the grid. The grid is only visible in views where the zoom
factor is 4 or 8.
- Button Grid
- Turns on the button grid.
- Grid Settings
- Opens the Grid Settings dialog box (see Figure 28-27), used to set
grid options.
[Figure 28-27 Grid Settings dialog box
Pixel grid
Turns on display of the pixel grid.
Button grid
Turns on display of the button grid. The spacing of points on the
button grid can be specified in the Width and Height fields.
Tool menu commands
The Tool menu (see Figure 28-28) lets you select drawing tools.
While over the drawing area, the cursor changes shape to indicate
the currently selected tool. To draw, click or click and drag (as
appropriate) in the drawing area. Using the right button rather than
the left reverses the roles of foreground and background colors.
Drawing tools can also be selected in the toolbox. Drawing
operations are identical to those in the Bitmap editor.
For more information, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
[Figure 28-28 Icon editor Tool menu
- Brush
- Selects the brush tool.
- Erase
- Selects the eraser tool.
- Eye Drop
- Selects the eye-dropper tool. Use this tool to select foreground and
background colors directly from the image.
- Line
- Selects the straight line tool.
- Text
- Selects the text tool.
- Oval
- Selects the hollow oval tool.
- Oval (Filled)
- Selects the solid oval tool.
- Paint
- Selects the paint can (flood fill) tool.
- Pen
- Selects the pen (pencil) tool.
- Rect
- Selects the hollow rectangle tool.
- Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rectangle tool.
- Round Rect
- Selects the hollow rounded rectangle tool.
- Round Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rounded rectangle tool.
- Select
- Selects the Selection tool. Use this tool to select rectangular regions
for cut, copy, clear, drag, flip, and invert operations.
- Spray
- Selects the spray brush (airbrush) tool.
Image menu commands
Commands in the Image menu (see Figure 28-29) perform simple
image manipulation functions. To select a region to flip or invert,
select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the Tool menu,
then drag a box around the region. If no region is selected, these
commands operate on the entire icon.
[Figure 28-29 Icon editor Image menu
- Flip Vertically
- Flips the selected region vertically.
- Flip Horizontally
- Flips the selected region horizontally.
- Invert Colors
- Inverts the colors in the selected region (for example, in a 16 color
icon, color 0 is replaced with color 15, color 1 is replaced with color
14, and so on).
Toolbar commands
The Icon editor toolbar (see Figure 28-30) provides quick access to
frequently-used menu commands.
[Figure 28-30 Icon editor toolbar
- Undo:
- Same as choosing Undo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to undo multiple operations at once.
- Redo:
- Same as choosing Redo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to redo multiple operations at once.
- Cut:
- Same as choosing Cut from the Edit menu.
- Copy:
- Same as choosing Copy from the Edit menu.
- Paste:
- Same as choosing Paste from the Edit menu.
- Flip horizontally:
- Same as choosing Flip Horizontally from the
Image menu.
- Flip vertically:
- Same as choosing Flip Vertically from the Image
menu.
- Invert colors:
- Same as choosing Invert Colors from the Image
menu.
Toolbox
The Icon editor toolbox (see Figure 28-31) provides quick access to
the tools available in the Tool menu. The toolbox also lets you select
foreground and background colors, brush types, background
pattern, and line type.
[Figure 28-31 Icon editor toolbox
The toolbox is slightly different from the toolbox used in the Bitmap
editor. In addition to the usual color palette, two extra colors are
available: Transparent and Inverted. Transparent is used to draw
areas in the cursor where the background screen color shows
through. Inverted is used to draw areas in the cursor where the
background screen color is bitwise-complemented.
Other than these two additions, the Icon editor toolbox is identical to
the Bitmap editor toolbox. For more information on the Bitmap
editor toolbox, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
Icon properties
Icon properties are shown in Figure 28-32.
[Figure 28-32 Icon properties
Specify a filename for the icon resource in the File textbox. The
Image field specifies which of the icons in the icon resource is
currently displayed. Click on New to create a new icon in the current
resource, or click on Delete to delete the current icon from the
resource. Note that you cannot delete the last icon from the
resource.
Font Editor
The Font editor (see Figure 28-33) is used to edit font resources.
[Figure 28-33 The Font editor
Unlike the Bitmap editor, the two views in the Font editor are not
equivalent. The left pane displays each of the character bitmaps in
the font at normal size. To select a bitmap for editing, click on it in
the left pane. The current bitmap is edited in the right pane, which
functions in the same way as a pane in the Bitmap editor.
Otherwise, the Font editor functions much like the Bitmap editor.
Drawing tools are selected by choosing commands in the Tool
menu, or by clicking on the tool in the toolbox. Colors are selected
in the palette section of the toolbox (font bitmaps are monochrome,
so only two colors are available). The View menu is used to zoom
the editing view and to turn on the grid. Simple image manipulation
functions are available in the Image menu.
FontExpress
As a new font is created, the FontExpress dialog box opens (see
Figure 28-34). This dialog box is used to set initial font properties.
[Figure 28-34 FontExpress
The most important option to specify is the point size. While most of
the other options can be easily changed at a later time, a change in
the font height may require redrawing any characters you have
drawn so far. All of the character bitmaps in the font have the same
height.
The Proportional option enables
setting the horizontal size of each character independently.
File menu commands
The File menu (see Figure 28-35) contains commands to save the
resource file, to edit resource IDs, and to perform other
miscellaneous functions.
[Figure 28-35 Font editor File menu
- Save
- Saves the resource file. If the file is unnamed, this command
executes Save As.
- Save As
- Opens a Windows File Save As dialog box, which can be used to
save the resource file under a new name.
- Export Resource
- Opens a dialog box which can be used to save the font in a separate
file.
- Export Resource IDs
- Opens the Resource ID Browser dialog box, used to browse and
modify resource IDs. For more information about managing resource
IDs and using the Resource ID Browser dialog box, see "Managing
Resource IDs," in Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
- Class Express
- Runs ClassExpress, passing the filename of the resource file as the
project that ClassExpress should open. This command is only
enabled if the Font editor is running in the right pane of the Browser
window.
- Close Editing
- Closes the Font editor.
Edit menu commands
The Edit menu (see Figure 28-36) contains standard editing
commands. You can undo operations, and can cut, copy, paste, and
clear rectangular regions of the character bitmap. To select a region
to cut, copy, or clear, select the Selection tool from the toolbox or
from the Tool menu, then drag a box around the region.
[Figure 28-36 Font editor Edit menu
- Undo
- Undoes the last Font editor operation.
- Redo
- Redoes the last undone Font editor operation.
- Cut
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard, then clears the region in
the character bitmap, filling it with the current background color.
- Copy
- Copies the selected region to the Clipboard.
- Paste
- Copies the region in the Clipboard to the character bitmap. The new
region is initially placed in the upper-left corner of the bitmap, but
may be dragged to a new location.
- Clear
- Clears the selected region, filling it with the current background
color. If no region is selected, the entire bitmap is cleared.
- Select All
- Select all bitmap regions.
View menu commands
The View menu (see Figure 28-37) contains commands to set editing
view magnification and to set grid options.
[Figure 28-37 Font editor View menu
- Zoom 1
- Sets the editing view's zoom factor to 1 (normal size).
- Zoom 2
- Sets the editing view's zoom factor to 2 (twice normal size).
- Zoom 4
- Sets the editing view's zoom factor to 4 (four times normal size).
- Zoom 8
- Sets the editing view's zoom factor to 8 (eight times normal size).
- Grid
- Turns on the grid. The grid is only visible when the editing view
zoom factor is 4 or 8.
- Button Grid
- Turns on the button grid.
- Grid Settings
- Opens the Grid Settings dialog box (see Figure 28-38), used to set
grid options.
[Figure 28-38 Grid Settings dialog box
Pixel grid
Turns on display of the pixel grid.
Button grid
Turns on display of the button grid. The spacing of points on the
button grid can be specified in the Width and Height fields.
Tool menu commands
The Tool menu (see Figure 28-39) lets you select drawing tools.
While over the drawing area, the cursor changes shape to indicate
the currently selected tool. To draw, click or click and drag (as
appropriate) in the drawing area. Using the right button rather than
the left reverses the roles of foreground and background colors.
Drawing tools can also be selected in the toolbox. Drawing
operations are identical to those in the Bitmap editor.
For more information, see Chapter 7, "Adding Look and Feel with
Resources."
[Figure 28-39 Font editor Tool menu
- Brush
- Selects the brush tool.
- Erase
- Selects the eraser tool.
- Eye Drop
- Selects the eye-dropper tool. Use this tool to select foreground and
background colors directly from the image.
- Line
- Selects the straight line tool.
- Text
- Selects the text tool.
- Oval
- Selects the hollow oval tool.
- Oval (Filled)
- Selects the solid oval tool.
- Paint
- Selects the paint can (flood fill) tool.
- Pen
- Selects the pen (pencil) tool.
- Rect
- Selects the hollow rectangle tool.
- Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rectangle tool.
- Round Rect
- Selects the hollow rounded rectangle tool.
- Round Rect (Filled)
- Selects the solid rounded rectangle tool.
- Select
- Selects the Selection tool. Use this tool to select rectangular regions
for cut, copy, clear, drag, flip, and invert operations.
- Spray
- Selects the spray brush (airbrush) tool.
Image menu commands
Commands in the Image menu (see Figure 28-40) perform simple
image manipulation functions. To select a region to flip or invert,
select the Selection tool from the toolbox or from the Tool menu,
then drag a box around the region. If no region is selected, these
commands operate on the entire character bitmap.
[Figure 28-40 Font editor Image menu
- Flip vertically
- Flips the selected region vertically.
- Flip horizontally
- Flips the selected region horizontally.
- Invert colors
- Inverts the colors in the selected region. Black is changed to white,
and white to black.
Toolbar commands
The Font editor toolbar (see Figure 28-41) provides quick access to
frequently used menu commands.
[Figure 28-41 Font editor toolbar
- Undo:
- Same as choosing Undo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to undo multiple operations at once.
- Redo:
- Same as choosing Redo from the Edit menu. Right-click on
this button to redo multiple operations at once.
- Cut:
- Same as choosing Cut from the Edit menu.
- Copy:
- Same as choosing Copy from the Edit menu.
- Paste:
- Same as choosing Paste from the Edit menu.
- Flip horizontally:
- Same as choosing Flip Horizontally from the
Image menu.
- Flip vertically:
- Same as choosing Flip Vertically from the Image
menu.
- Invert colors:
- Same as choosing Invert Colors from the Image
menu.
Toolbox
The Font editor toolbox (see Figure 28-42) provides quick access to
the tools available in the Tool menu. The toolbox also lets you select
foreground and background colors, brush types, background
pattern, and line type.
[Figure 28-42 Font editor toolbox
The only difference between the Font editor toolbox and the Bitmap
editor toolbox is that (since font character bitmaps are monochrome)
only two colors are ever displayed in the Font editor toolbox palette.
For more information on the Bitmap editor toolbox, see Chapter 7,
"Adding Look and Feel with Resources."
Font properties
Fonts have four pages of properties. The General properties are
shown in Figure 28-43.
[Figure 28-43 Font General properties
Specify a filename for the font in the File textbox.
Header properties of a font are shown in Figure 28-44.
[Figure 28-44 Font Header properties
Sizes properties of a font are shown in Figure 28-45.
[Figure 28-45 Font Sizes properties
Styles properties of a font are shown in Figure 28-46.
[Figure 28-46 Font Styles properties
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