doc-hex / binfonter

Build compressed data structures to render BDF fonts in C and Python

What Is This?

Seems like every embedded project needs a pretty font.

I wanted to use the fine fixed fonts from the X11 days.

This library can collect the data needed from BDF font files, and makes a very compact representation of those fonts which can be compiled into other programs.

It also support micropython (or python3) to acheive the same goals.

Font Files

We are using the X11 free fonts stuff, updated for Unicode: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/ucs-fonts.html

The useful ones (ie. not Asian) have been copied into this project so they don't disappear on us.

• ucs-fonts-75dpi100dpi.tar.gz
• ucs-fonts-fixed.tar.gz

Usage

• Copy the BDF fonts you want into ./assets.
• Experiment with tryout.py until you are happy with your choices.
• Pick the winner and adjust build.py so it makes it in ./gen subdirectory.

Size Limitations

• max width: 16 pixels
• max height: 32 pixels
• glyphs that are too big are removed, and shown in a list
• in most fonts, that is less useful stuff, like: DŽ Dž NJ DZ Dz ⁇ ₨ ℀ ℁ ℅ ℆ № ℡ ℻ Ⅶ Ⅷ ⅷ ⑴ ⑵ ⑶ ⑷ ⑸ ⑹ ⑺ ⑻ ⑼ ⑽ ⑾ ⑿ ⒀ ⒁ ⒂ ⒃ ⒄ ⒅ ⒆ ⒇ ⒑ ⒒ ⒓ ⒔ ⒕ ⒖ ⒗ ⒘ ⒙ ⒚ ⒛ ⒜ ⒝ ⒞ ⒟ ⒠ ⒢ ⒣ ⒦ ⒨ ⒩ ⒪ ⒫ ⒬ ⒮ ⒰ ⒱ ⒲ ⒴ ⩴ ⩵ ⩶ 🄐 🄑 🄒 🄓 🄔 🄕 🄖 🄗 🄙 🄚 🄛 🄜 🄝 🄞 🄟 🄠 🄡 🄢 🄣 🄤 🄥 🄦 🄧 🄨 🄩
• total size of all bitmap data must be less than 64k bytes (easy)

Other BDF Fonts

• Powerline Terminus

• Creep

• Large collection, with samples: Tecate

• Zevv-pepp

• plan9 collection

Useful Tools

• gbdfed is available on Brew

TODO

• combine test and tryout code into single exec
• add example drawing code