WIP - Yet another Character Set Editor

[KingTrode]

Link in first post updated to latest version.

Update:-

Faster reset on Exit

"*" Option to reset to ROM character set now gives option of Upper case / Lower case character sets.

"F7" Export now does an Assembler source file export to "ASM.CHAREDIT" (user entered file name soon) of all 256 characters in format:-

BYTE $nn,$nn,$nn,$nn,$nn,$nn,$nn,$nn
BYTE ..
BYTE ..

This is a SEQ file.

As usual any feedback is most welcome

[Mike]

I've noticed you changed the character select cursor to a solid block. While this makes it easier to spot which character had been selected, I guess inverting the character below the cursor might even look better.

My second point is more of a design issue. The characters making up the frames don't match the position of the letters. It looks as if the letters are misaligned. That could be amended by shifting up the frame characters by one pixel.

Finally, LOAD"CHAREDIT",8 and RUN produces a ?SYNTAX ERROR.

[KingTrode]

I've noticed you changed the character select cursor to a solid block. While this makes it easier to spot which character had been selected, I guess inverting the character below the cursor might even look better.

My second point is more of a design issue. The characters making up the frames don't match the position of the letters. It looks as if the letters are misaligned. That could be amended by shifting up the frame characters by one pixel.

Finally, LOAD"CHAREDIT",8 and RUN produces a ?SYNTAX ERROR.

Hi Mike

Thanks as always for the feedback

Not sure when or how the LOAD"CHAREDIT",8 gremlin crept in - but I have fixed that and uploaded again

On the cursor front, that's what I am aiming for - let's call that cursor mk III - just that I have only gone to mk II ATM

Not quite sure what you mean about the characters making up the frames not matching the position of the letters - could you elaborate a bit more - sorry if it's me just not seeing the wood for the trees


Richard

[Mike]

that's what I am aiming for - let's call that cursor mk III

And Mk-IV then would be a blinking cursor?

Not quite sure what you mean about the characters making up the frames not matching the position of the letters [...]

Please take a look at this closeup:



With the "normal" character designs, the last row of the character is left free, so at least a one pixel gap separates them from the following line. With seven pixel high characters that means the fourth row from top is exactly the middle of the characters:

Code: Select all

...**...
..*..*..
.*....*.
.******. <-
.*....*.
.*....*.
.*....*.
........

Unfortunately, the frame characters in the CBM character set were not designed with this is mind:

Code: Select all

....*...
....*...
....*...
....*...
********
....*...
....*...
....*...

For this reason, there's a 3 pixel gap from "C" in the closeup to the frame-line above, and a 5 pixel gap to the frame-line below. That's what I meant with "misalignment" -

If you shift up the frame characters up by 1 pixel (inserting the missing pixel(s) in the bottom row) you'd get equal gaps of 4 pixels each.

Again, this is just a design issue; you can gladly put this at the end of your priorities list.

[KingTrode]

@Mike

I see what you mean now

I have amended the offending characters as it was only a two minute job, the changes will be reflected in the next upload.



Richard

[Jeff-20]

There are perfectly centered fonts in Fontastic, but of course, you can always just make your own. Not that I'm not honored to see mine in use.

[KingTrode]

There are perfectly centered fonts in Fontastic, but of course, you can always just make your own. Not that I'm not honored to see mine in use.

I'm currently using one of your fonts in CharEdit with some of my graphic chars appended on to it.

I think it is FONT1 the first one you released a week or two ago, it caught my eye so I popped it in there.

[KingTrode]

Link in first post updated to latest version.

Update
--------
You may now enter your own filename when exporting a character set to an "ASM" source file (prefixed with "ASM.")

Improved select mode cursor mk III

Updated help screen

Some minor cosmetic changes.

As usual - any feedback/comments most welcome

[KingTrode]

Link in first post updated to latest version.

Update (two in one day )
--------

Added 4 more features to "Edit Mode"

Shift + 1 = Scroll current column up (with wraparound)
Shift + 2 = Scroll current column down (with wraparound)
Shift + 3 = Scroll current row left (with wraparound)
Shift + 4 = Scroll current row right (with wraparound)

Update "Edit Mode" help screen accordingly.

Any feedback/comments are always welcome


Richard

[GreyGhost]

I was wondering where the character set was stored in memory while the program is running. I'm not sure how to use the export file that your program creates yet and was wanting to grab the set straight from memory using Vice. Also, in what form is the set saved onto the disk? I noticed its smaller than the exported file.

[KingTrode]

I was wondering where the character set was stored in memory while the program is running. I'm not sure how to use the export file that your program creates yet and was wanting to grab the set straight from memory using Vice. Also, in what form is the set saved onto the disk? I noticed its smaller than the exported file.

Hi there

It's been a while since I touched this project so hopefully the following info is correct (if not let me know and I will dig out the source code and take a look) :-

The non export version of the file is a raw binary file (8 bytes per character), the first 2 bytes of the file contain the load address which is what you are looking for to do the memory dump from VICE.

The export file is a .SEQ file containing one line per character in assembler source code format - "BYTE $xx, $xx, $xx, $xx, $xx, $xx, $xx, $xx".

Again this is off the top of my head, hope this helps


Regards

KingTrode