Re: Question on Portable Xy

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from Harry Binswanger  on
Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:26:37 -0400


> The MakePortableXy4.zip "ReadMe.1st" file says take
> certain steps if and only if you use softfonts.
> Are the Speedo .SPD fonts "softfonts"?

No. Softfonts are first-generation bitmapped printer fonts in
*fixed* sizes and weights -- H-P (i.a.) sold them for a bundle
back in the 80s. You know if you have them, because to use them
you must LOAD a "soft font list file" with an ";SF;" header.
Probably the only reason to continue to use old bitmapped fonts
is that you have special ones -- I wrote my own, and they
contain personalized Dingbat-type characters, so I LOAD a bunch
of these fonts with certain printers. I venture that you can
probably ignore this option.

Speedos are scalable printer *and* screen fonts. "Extra"
Speedos (in addition to the three families distributed with Xy4,
which are automatically included), i.e. the extra ones that you
can DL from www.xywrite.com, should be repackaged in the
MakePortableXy4.zip BTFONTS subdirectory if you want to include
them in your build of Portable Xy4 -- see Step 6 in ReadMe.1st
(which answers your question).

May I make a suggestion? Don't "fuss it". On first use, just
do a default build (RUN PORTBILD.PM), & don't customize
ANYTHING! The resulting PortableXy4.exe is a *throwaway file*.
It takes about 5 seconds to make it (and less to delete it).
Just dump PortableXy4.exe in an **empty temporary directory**,
run it, then command "editor" to launch Xy4 and test your
portable installation. You'll see right away what you've got,
and you'll perceive what (if anything) is missing that you might
want to add by way of personalization. If you don't like that
particular build of PortableXy4.exe, trash it and make a
different one!

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Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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