Truetype ttf font and bitmap reprentation [closed]

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Closed 8 years ago.

1. Can a ttf font (True Type) contain the bitmap representation for a font ,instead of it's mathematical description (i,e vector representation) ? If so, how to identify whether a ttf font contain vector representation or bitmap representation?

2. Can a ttf font be created programmatically (by giving the math description in any language - say post script)

3. Any tool suggestions to create ttf fonts (manually or via program support)?

Answer 1

1. Yes, but its rare, see page 129 of the 1995 TrueType specification:

"‘Sbit only’ fonts, that is fonts with embedded bitmaps but without outline data, are permitted."

You can identify TT fonts with bitmaps because the font will contain EBLC, EBDT and EBSC tables.

1. Undoubtedly this is possible, the results would almost certainly be poor. Real fonts are 'tweaked' by typographers to give a pleasing result. Having said that, its probably no worse than the majority of TrueType fonts swilling round the net :-)

2. There are any number of font tool, FontForge is an example, all are in some sense manual tools as far as I'm aware.