How to create two very simple bitmap fonts?

Question

I have a very specific font creation requirement. I know that I should start studying this subject, installing a font editor and then creating the fonts I need. However, I want to start with a small test as a proof of concept, and the fonts required for the test are extremely simple ones. These are my requirements for the test:

• The fonts must be bitmap (raster) fonts that will be used in the command-line cmd.exe text window of Windows XP and 8 (like "Terminal" font). I think they must have .FON extension.
• The first font must have 1x1 pixels size and two characters: one with the only pixel on, and another one with the only pixel off.
• The second font must have 2x2 pixels size and five characters: with no pixels on, with one pixel on, with two pixels on (in diagonal), with three pixels on and with all pixels on.

I don't know what is the minimum size for bitmap fonts. If these sizes are valid, could someone give me an advice on the easiest method I could follow in order to get these fonts? Exist a very simple font editor that I easily could install? Could these particular font files be directly created with a program I could write? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You may download FontEdit program, that is a very simple font editor, and modify the included SAMPLE.FNT file to create the fonts you want. Yes, a 1x1 font size is valid, but in order to successfully install a font for the command-line window, you must follow the Necessary criteria for fonts to be available in a command window.

This is a summary of those requirements for bitmap fonts, besides another ones I found searching the web:

• The font must be a fixed-pitch font.
• The font cannot be an italic font.
• If it is not a TrueType font, it must be OEM_CHARSET.
• If it is not a TrueType font, the face name must be "Terminal".
• Point size should be between 5 and 72.

To install the font, right-click on the font file and select "Install", or open Fonts via Control Panel and drag and drop the font file. Note that you can keep installed just one bitmap font with "Terminal" face at a time, that is, the installation of a second font (for example, a different size) replaces the previous one.