[Resolved] [Resolved] [Resolved] [Resolved] Dumb question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway

[Bulldogz]

Is there any picture format that can be converted to a font?
I heard a rumour that there is but haven't found anything that will convince me!!

__________________________________________________ __________
If you can't handle the bite, Don't challenge the Bulldogz
__________________________________________________ __________

[david petley]

bulldogz,
every font in existance starts out life as an image. Hunt up a program called Font Creator, you can get it at http://www.high-logic.com i think.
This does a great job at converting images to fonts. In the days of SWiSH vers 1.01 this software was used quite a bit by some of the members (do a search for early threads from ivanopulo, he's a fine example).
david p.

Originally posted by Bulldogz
Is there any picture format that can be converted to a font?
I heard a rumour that there is but haven't found anything that will convince me!!

__________________________________________________ __________
If you can't handle the bite, Don't challenge the Bulldogz
__________________________________________________ __________

[Bulldogz]

TY, I'll try there :-)

[Ivanopulo]

Bulldogz,
why would you want to do that, now? Is there a special reason for that?
I am asking, because I can not see any reason to use dingbats anymore. Their time is gone.
If you need a simple 2 color transparent image, you can use GIF.
- Images look better.
- You can use the same image millions of times, without a noticable size increase. A MUST FOR A GOOD LOOKING BUTTONS!!! Bunch of buttons - 1 image, for the "same price".
- Cool effects(different effects for the same image(s) at the same time. Even filling the screen with multiple copies of the same nice image, may create a good impression about specific part of a movie.

And, there is no need to use the font creator program. It deserved a nice monument, for it's help. But should be a history, now.
[Edited by Ivanopulo on 08-21-2000 at 01:30 AM]

[blurb]

Well although all of Ivanopulo's point are correct
I still find a good font is sometimes better then a image.

Images are limited to a certain sub set of swish effects ..
I always want a image to do an effect it can't (presently) do.

cheers
blurb

[Ivanopulo]

blurb,
agreed, but...If there is only 1 image or 1 dingbat object, it won't matter. You can not separate it.
Actually, you can...It's possible to cut an image into pieces,using a paint program. THen import them into SWISH, and apply the effects to each image. Should be cool.
[Edited by Ivanopulo on 08-21-2000 at 02:47 AM]

[thatbillguy]

Ivanpulo,
Fonts can be sized way up without degradation in quality, and numerous effects can be attached to them. The same cannot be said for Gif images.
-Bill

[Richard Shea]

Fonts Vs Graphic

FONT ADVANTAGES
1. Overall size is smaller.
2. No degradation of quality if the SWF is stretched beyond it's normal size (i.e. 100% of screen res)
3. Lots of effects can be used on a font which cannot be used on a GIF (rotate,spin etc)

GRAPHIC ADVANTAGES
1. many colours (fonts are monotone)

... I sat at my PC trying to think of any other reasons a graphic is better ... I couldn't, if anyone else has I would love to see it posted here.

Still, the graphic option is VERY convenient, I hated all that GIF to Font conversion hassle when using the older Swish.

-Richard

[Bulldogz]

The reason I'm asking is that with Swish and images, you are kinda limited to the effects, So what I want to do is to create an image, convert it to a font and then I'll be able to do much more. Make sense? Unless there's an easier way to do it of course.


I just can't seem to get my mind wrapped around the in's and out's of flash at the moment so that is why I'm asking the question :-)

[Ivanopulo]

Ok, degradation of quality, when increasing the scale, you probably right. Unless, of course you are using images like for
example line, square, etc. Which is basically what I use when I need 2 color image. I didn't notice a size difference between
the single text objects. One was a 2 color GIF, another Arial "_". Both were roughly the same 95 bytes. I've used it in OLSC
menu, where the red bars were coming in.
http://members.home.net/solschew/OLSC_Menu3.swf
I am not sure about the size difference, if a complex image was used. I just don't use anymore 2 color complex images.
However, if you need to use many copies of the same image, then image is a true winner. Since the file size is basically stays the same.

Also, what kind of effects, are you going to apply to a single image/font? You can not use a complex effects to a single image/font. It doesn't make any sense. Do you understand what I mean?

[flash777]

Am I understanding this correctly...if you want better
quality...to "double-up"...on either fonts or images.
Like, adding a duplicate scene of the stame stuff???

[Ivanopulo]

OOPS,
confusion.
I'll try to make a conclusion, and other guys(Bulldogz, Richard Shea, thatbillguy, blurb) should correct if I make mistake.
If you need to use a complex 2 color image, your choices are:
a) transparent GIF
b) dingbat
If you are planing to have your image scale increased 100%+, then go for "dingbat". It will maintain a quality.
If you are NOT planing to increase the scale, and/or are going to use the same image few times, then go for transparent GIF. You might decide to place the same image in different places, add different effects to it, and have it all at once. For example stars, snow, special effects, etc. If you will import the same image many times, and do all that, your file size will be smaller, than if you did the same thing with "dingbat".
If you are planing to use lots of lines, squares, etc., which almost every Flash animation has, then you should use transparent GIF. You can make your imported line or square very small size, then use "transform" as much as you need. You will not loose any quality, because it's all squared, but you can decrease your file size. Especially if you have 300 of them all at once. People, who know about the construction of SWISH interface in Swish to Impossible, probably know what I mean.

Since we are talking here about a SINGLE image(or dingbat), only simple effects can be applied. I mean, you can apply the "explode", "3d spin", etc. to a single dingbat, but...It is just a "transform"

I hope it's more or less clear. There are might be some exeptions. But I think that's pretty much the way it works.
[Edited by Ivanopulo on 08-22-2000 at 12:21 AM]

[Bulldogz]

Thanks Ivan, That cleared alot of it up.
Here's what I have a problem with (Maybe I'm making it too complicated for myself).

I have a Text Image that I couldn't create with a font creator or have used an existing font,(I used Photoimpact 5) it has many colors, all I want to do is to be able to manipulate it enuff so that it will act the same way as a font? Thats why I was asking for a gif to font converter!

Now I've really confused myself LOL..What was my original question? LMAO

[Ivanopulo]

Bulldogz,
you can use the simple effects with your image. If you want to make it more interesting, you can
a) split the image into few images, import it into SWISH, and add different FX's to them.
For example "puzzle". You know that game. Small images are moving around, until they create one large complete image. Or "blinds". Each small image is turning on it's axis, until they create one large complete image.
There are lots of things you can do with it.
b) you can import the same image few times, and set different "transforming". For example a "mirror". One image is untouched, another is "rotated", using "transform" so it looks like it's a mirror image. In the intro for OLSC Service, there is an image of a desert, which was rotated 180 degrees, to have more road for a Ferrari.

The problem with a single image or dingbat, is that you can not split it just by using SWISH FX's.

[Bulldogz]

Ahhhhhhhh Now I see...DOH...the penny drops.

Thanks Ivan, I'll let you know when I get the next crazy Bulldogz Installment ready, this time it will be on a serious note instead of insane melodies that ramble through your brain for days LOL.

P.S My kids are still singing the Banana Splitz song LOL

[Ivanopulo]

Bulldogz,
I actually like the idea of making cartoons using SWISH. They are fun, and they create a variety.
You should post the link to your cartoon(maybe in a signature) so new members can see it,...and sing for few days.

[SailCat]

Another application of images that can be enlarged is a 'trick' with .SWF files that has not been mentioned often enough (I hope), in regard to the fact that the size of the movie can be specified to run larger (that is, 400 X 200 Can be specified [in HTML] to run at 600 X 300 [+150%]) without an increase in the size of the .SWF file.

This works beautifully *if* the quality of the original graphics is fine enough to with stand the enlargement without pixilization.

[lightcraft]

Originally posted by Bulldogz
Is there any picture format that can be converted to a font?
I heard a rumour that there is but haven't found anything that will convince me!!

__________________________________________________ __________
If you can't handle the bite, Don't challenge the Bulldogz
__________________________________________________ __________ so there isnt a way to transform an image to text (to get all the swish effects) without your image becoming monotone?