J.D. Casten: The Banzai Font Designer

Download BFD with .pdf Instructions The Banzai Font Designer (BFD evidencing a little juvenility) was never published, and was made a little too late, as the 8-bits were being replaced on the commercial market by the STs, etc. Being a font designer, it marks my creative transition to visual and language arts.
Zoom Edit Mono Edit Workbench Disk Utilities Frame Animator	The Banzai Font Designer was designed to be a complete font and graphics editor that will allow large scale projects to be completed quickly and accurately (all characters are magnified proportionately with true color representation in all six text modes). It contains all the time tested functions of a good font designer (plus some) and allows more flexibility for the programmer. It is hoped that this tool will help to convert inspiration with less perspiration into solid products, and to possibly allow for efforts that were previously almost impossibly difficult to do. REQUIREMENTS: 1. Any Atari computer with at least 40K. 2. A disk drive with single density. 3. Either Atari BASIC built in, or an inserted Atari Basic cartridge (or some other compatible cartridge). 4. One joystick controller or similar input device plugged into the #1 joystick jack. 5. Some knowledge of alternate character font use. LOADING INSTRUCTIONS: Boot up with the B.F.D. disk and it will run the program automatically. INSTRUCTIONS: The Banzai Font Designer is divided into four main editors that can be used in any of the six text modes accessible on the Atari. The editors are: the Zoom editor, the Mono editor, the Workbench editor, and the Animation editor. Also included is a Disk utility to do all Disk (and Cassette) I/O. All of these are contained within one large program, and you may switch quickly from one to another. B.F.D. also uses two redefine-able character sets and a 40 X 24 character workbench, all of which can be stored on disk. CHARACTER EDITING: Use the joystick to edit a character within a grid (in both Zoom and Mono editing modes). Moving the stick in any of the eight directions will move the flashing pixel cursor. Pressing the trigger will reverse the pixel the cursor is over (on and off). If in a multicolor text mode (4 and up), the pixel will turn on to the color selected. Repeatedly pressing the trigger over one pixel in these modes will change the pixel to other colors not selected. FUNCTIONS: Certain keyboard functions may be used while in the Zoom or Mono edit modes. To use these functions, press the key corresponding to the function desired: [1-5] - Choose color to use. [SHIFT] [2-7] - Choose text mode to use. (Note: [SHIFT]+[2]=[“], +[3]=[#], +[4]=[$], +[5]=[%], +[6]=[&], & +[7]=[‘].) [CONTROL][SHIFT] [1-2] - Choose set to edit. This option can be used at almost ALL times, including when using such functions as [C]opy, etc. (Remember: [SHIFT][2] is also [“].) [SPACE BAR] - Select another character to edit. Move the flashing cursor with the joystick to the character to edit and press the trigger. [A]nimation editor - Transfers control to the animation editor. [B]lank character - Erases the character being edited. [SHIFT][B]lank character – Erases a series of characters. First, move the cursor to the first in the series of characters to erase and press the trigger. Then, move the cursor to the last character in the series and press the trigger again. [C]opy character - Allows you to copy the image of another character onto the character being edited. Just move the flashing cursor to the character to copy and press the trigger. [SHIFT] [C]opy multiple - Allows you to copy a series of characters. First, move the cursor to the first character in the series of characters to copy and press the trigger. Then, move the cursor to the last character of that series and press the trigger again. Finally, move the cursor to the first character of the series of characters you wish to copy to and press the trigger. [D]isk utility - Transfers control to the Disk utility. [E]xpand character - Doubles the width of a character (using the character next to it in the set for the right half). [F]lip left over right - Flips the character being edited left over right to produce a mirror image. [CONTROL][F]lip top over bottom – flips the character being edited top over bottom. [G]rid on/off - Turns the grid on and off in the Zoom edit mode. [H]ex / Decimal option – Switches the number base that is in use. All important data will be displayed in the number base selected. [I]nvert - Inverts the character being edited. Ad[J]ust color - Allows you to change the hue and luminace of the color selected (see [1-5]). Move the joystick up and down to adjust the luminance, left and right to adjust the hue, and press the trigger when done. [K]ey in DATA - Allows values creating the character image to be typed in. Type in the values, press RETURN after each one, using the number base selected. To cancel this option, backspace into the arrow. [L]etter display - Changes the bottom portion of the Mono edit display to a letter display (if it is not already displayed). [M]ono edit - Switches you from the Zoom editor to the Mono editor. [N]ext character - Selects a new character to edit (the next one in the set). [O]verlay character - Allows you to overlay the image of another character on top of the character being edited, without erasing. Move the cursor to the character to overlay and press the trigger. [P]ull character - Allows you to shift all the pixels of a character in any direction (with wrap around). Use the joystick to pull the character and press the trigger when done. [CONTROL][Q]uit - To exit B.F.D. [R]estore - Restores the image of the character being edited to its original Atari image. [SHIFT] [R]estore multiple - Restores a series of characters to their original Atari values. Move the cursor to the first character in the series and press the trigger. Then move the cursor to the last in the series and press the trigger again. [S]witch - Allows you to switch one character with another. [T]urn - Turns the character 90 degrees counter-clockwise. [CONTROL][T]urn clockwise - Turns character 90 degrees clockwise. [U]ndo - Changes character to the image it had just prior to editing (to undo the work just done). [V]iew Workbench - Turns the bottom of the Mono edit screen into a display of the top of the workbench. [W]orkbench – Transfers control to the Workbench editor. [SHIFT][W]orkbench in Mono edit - Allows use of the workbench editor in the Mono edit display (see [V]iew). [Z]oom edit – Transfers control to the Zoom editor. [SHIFT] may also be applied to apply the following functions to multiple characters (as with [SHIFT][B]lank multiple and [SHIFT][C]opy multiple): [E]xpand, [F]lip Left-Right, [CONTROL][F]lip Up-Down, [I]nvert, [K]ey in data, [O]verlay, [R]estore, [S]witch, and [T]urn THE ZOOM EDITOR: At the top of the display, the Zoom editor magnifies characters to be edited from three lines of the 40 X 24 character workbench. Below this is a true size representation of the three lines. Shown below this is the character-set being edited. A text I/O line that displays certain information (such as the color being used) is at the bottom of the screen. A cursor grid is displayed on the magnification portion of the screen over the character to be edited. Use the cursor control keys (without holding down the CONTROL key) to move the grid, or move the pixel cursor off one side of the grid into the next character (for smooth drawing). The grid maybe moved all over the 40 X 24 character workbench, and will wrap around to the other side if you go off an edge. You may also move the grid by entering the workbench editor. Note: in text modes 6 and 7, the workbench is on only 20X24characters. THE WORKBENCH EDITOR: A flashing underline cursor shows the edit position on the screen. Type in characters using the keyboard, and press the joystick trigger to exit this editor. This editor supports ALL of the Atari cursor functions including: cursor left, cursor right, cursor up, cursor down, clear screen, insert space, back space, delete, insert line, and delete line. All of these functions operate properly in all six text modes. To get special characters displayed on the screen, hold down the START key and then type in the special character (Example: hold START and press RETURN). Note: Due to the Size of the text in some text modes, the lower workbench can not be edited from this editor. Line insert, and line delete will allow access to the lower parts of the workbench though. The joystick may also be used to move the cursor, and a text line at the top of the screen will tell if Inverse, lower case, upper-case, or control letters are set. THE MONO EDITOR: The Mono editor allows editing of single characters, one at a time, while showing specific information about that character as it is edited. The top of the screen shows the character (magnified in a grid), as well as the values used to create the image (the DATA), it's ATASII value, and it's internal value. The top display also shows the current text mode (2-7), the current set (1 or 2), the number base selected (Hex or Decimal), the color selected, and the character being edited from the original set. Shown below this is the set that is being edited. At the bottom of screen is either a letter display, or the top part of the workbench. The letter display shows three large images of the character being edited. The left image shows the character as it is edited. The middle image shows how it looked just before you edited it. The Right image shows the original Atari character. A display of the character in a few combinations is shown below these three images. The letter display may be replaced bya view of the top portion of the workbench. THE ANIMATION EDITOR: This editor allows you to animate up to fifteen 8 X 8character frames. There are two modes to this editor; animate and workbench. In the animate mode, you may change frames by pushing the joystick left and right, and adjust the rollover frame number by pushing the joystick up and down. The speed can Be changed by pressing the up and down arrow keys. A "copy last frame" function can be used by typing the left arrow key. Pressing the RETURN key returns you to the character editor. Pressing the trigger transfers control to the animation workbench. The animation workbench works the same as the regular workbench, but on a smaller scale. Pressing the trigger returns you to the animate mode. To edit a frame, select the frame in the animate mode with the joystick, and then press the trigger. Warning: The animation editor uses the workbench to store its frames. These frames may also be edited from the standard workbench editor. For an example of animation, use the [D]isk utility to [L]oad ANIMDEMO.SET and [CONTROL][L]oad ANIMDEMO.WRK. Then RETURN to the editor, enter the [A]nimator, and use the joystick to advance the frame number. DISK UTILITY: The disk utility allows for most standard disk functions, and allows for loading and saving files. The menu will show what options are available, and the prompts will ask you for specific information. At the Filespec prompt, type in The name of the file you wish to deal with. The asterisk “*” character may be used as a wildcard. To use other drives, put a D#: in front of your file name, n being the drive number. To abort a function, backspace into the Filespec prompt. All color values and the current text mode will be saved with the character set and workbench, and animation values will be saved with the workbench. The LOADER.LST program may be ENTERed into your BASIC programs for quick set loading. There are over two dozen fonts included on the disk, and some workbench examples. Hopefully, you will create many more of your own. 21 Fonts are included with The Banzai Font Designer: SLANT.SET COMPUTER.SET MODE3.SET SIMPLE45.SET SHADE45.SET JAGGED.SET CROOKED.SET FANCY.SET GREEK.SET SIMPLE.SET OUTLINE.SET ODD.SET CURSIVE.SET STENCIL.SET CHUBBY.SET DIGITAL.SET LINE.SET TYPE.SET WIDE.SET RAINBOW.SET BIGTEXT3.SET

Download BFD with .pdf Instructions

The Banzai Font Designer (BFD evidencing a little juvenility) was never published, and was made a little too late, as the 8-bits were being replaced on the commercial market by the STs, etc. Being a font designer, it marks my creative transition to visual and language arts.

Zoom Edit

Mono Edit

Workbench

Disk Utilities

Frame Animator

The Banzai Font Designer was designed to be a complete font and graphics editor that will allow large scale projects to be completed quickly and accurately (all characters are magnified proportionately with true color representation in all six text modes). It contains all the time tested functions of a good font designer (plus some) and allows more flexibility for the programmer. It is hoped that this tool will help to convert inspiration with less perspiration into solid products, and to possibly allow for efforts that were previously almost impossibly difficult to do.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Any Atari computer with at least 40K.

2. A disk drive with single density.

3. Either Atari BASIC built in, or an inserted Atari Basic cartridge (or some other compatible cartridge).

4. One joystick controller or similar input device plugged into the #1 joystick jack.

5. Some knowledge of alternate character font use.

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS:

Boot up with the B.F.D. disk and it will run the program automatically.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The Banzai Font Designer is divided into four main editors that can be used in any of the six text modes accessible on the Atari. The editors are: the Zoom editor, the Mono editor, the Workbench editor, and the Animation editor. Also included is a Disk utility to do all Disk (and Cassette) I/O. All of these are contained within one large program, and you may switch quickly from one to another. B.F.D. also uses two redefine-able character sets and a 40 X 24 character workbench, all of which can be stored on disk.

CHARACTER EDITING:

Use the joystick to edit a character within a grid (in both Zoom and Mono editing modes). Moving the stick in any of the eight directions will move the flashing pixel cursor. Pressing the trigger will reverse the pixel the cursor is over (on and off). If in a multicolor text mode (4 and up), the pixel will turn on to the color selected. Repeatedly pressing the trigger over one pixel in these modes will change the pixel to other colors not selected.

FUNCTIONS:

Certain keyboard functions may be used while in the Zoom or Mono edit modes. To use these functions, press the key corresponding to the function desired:

[1-5] - Choose color to use.

[SHIFT] [2-7] - Choose text mode to use. (Note: [SHIFT]+[2]=[“], +[3]=[#], +[4]=[$], +[5]=[%], +[6]=[&], & +[7]=[‘].)

[CONTROL][SHIFT] [1-2] - Choose set to edit. This option can be used at almost ALL times, including when using such functions as [C]opy, etc. (Remember: [SHIFT][2] is also [“].)

[SPACE BAR] - Select another character to edit. Move the flashing cursor with the joystick to the character to edit and press the trigger.

[A]nimation editor - Transfers control to the animation editor.

[B]lank character - Erases the character being edited.

[SHIFT][B]lank character – Erases a series of characters. First, move the cursor to the first in the series of characters to erase and press the trigger. Then, move the cursor to the last character in the series and press the trigger again.

[C]opy character - Allows you to copy the image of another character onto the character being edited. Just move the flashing cursor to the character to copy and press the trigger.

[SHIFT] [C]opy multiple - Allows you to copy a series of characters. First, move the cursor to the first character in the series of characters to copy and press the trigger. Then, move the cursor to the last character of that series and press the trigger again. Finally, move the cursor to the first character of the series of characters you wish to copy to and press the trigger.

[D]isk utility - Transfers control to the Disk utility.

[E]xpand character - Doubles the width of a character (using the character next to it in the set for the right half).

[F]lip left over right - Flips the character being edited left over right to produce a mirror image.

[CONTROL][F]lip top over bottom – flips the character being edited top over bottom.

[G]rid on/off - Turns the grid on and off in the Zoom edit mode.

[H]ex / Decimal option – Switches the number base that is in use. All important data will be displayed in the number base selected.

[I]nvert - Inverts the character being edited.

Ad[J]ust color - Allows you to change the hue and luminace of the color selected (see [1-5]). Move the joystick up and down to adjust the luminance, left and right to adjust the hue, and press the trigger when done.

[K]ey in DATA - Allows values creating the character image to be typed in. Type in the values, press RETURN after each one, using the number base selected. To cancel this option, backspace into the arrow.

[L]etter display - Changes the bottom portion of the Mono edit display to a letter display (if it is not already displayed).

[M]ono edit - Switches you from the Zoom editor to the Mono editor.

[N]ext character - Selects a new character to edit (the next one in the set).

[O]verlay character - Allows you to overlay the image of another character on top of the character being edited, without erasing. Move the cursor to the character to overlay and press the trigger.

[P]ull character - Allows you to shift all the pixels of a character in any direction (with wrap around). Use the joystick to pull the character and press the trigger when done.

[CONTROL][Q]uit - To exit B.F.D.

[R]estore - Restores the image of the character being edited to its original Atari image.

[SHIFT] [R]estore multiple - Restores a series of characters to their original Atari values. Move the cursor to the first character in the series and press the trigger. Then move the cursor to the last in the series and press the trigger again.

[S]witch - Allows you to switch one character with another.

[T]urn - Turns the character 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

[CONTROL][T]urn clockwise - Turns character 90 degrees clockwise.

[U]ndo - Changes character to the image it had just prior to editing (to undo the work just done).

[V]iew Workbench - Turns the bottom of the Mono edit screen into a display of the top of the workbench.

[W]orkbench – Transfers control to the Workbench editor.

[SHIFT][W]orkbench in Mono edit - Allows use of the workbench editor in the Mono edit display (see [V]iew).

[Z]oom edit – Transfers control to the Zoom editor.

[SHIFT] may also be applied to apply the following functions to multiple characters (as with [SHIFT][B]lank multiple and [SHIFT][C]opy multiple): [E]xpand, [F]lip Left-Right, [CONTROL][F]lip Up-Down, [I]nvert, [K]ey in data, [O]verlay, [R]estore, [S]witch, and [T]urn

THE ZOOM EDITOR:

At the top of the display, the Zoom editor magnifies characters to be edited from three lines of the 40 X 24 character workbench. Below this is a true size representation of the three lines. Shown below this is the character-set being edited. A text I/O line that displays certain information (such as the color being used) is at the bottom of the screen. A cursor grid is displayed on the magnification portion of the screen over the character to be edited. Use the cursor control keys (without holding down the CONTROL key) to move the grid, or move the pixel cursor off one side of the grid into the next character (for smooth drawing). The grid maybe moved all over the 40 X 24 character workbench, and will wrap around to the other side if you go off an edge. You may also move the grid by entering the workbench editor. Note: in text modes 6 and 7, the workbench is on only 20X24characters.

THE WORKBENCH EDITOR:

A flashing underline cursor shows the edit position on the screen. Type in characters using the keyboard, and press the joystick trigger to exit this editor. This editor supports ALL of the Atari cursor functions including: cursor left, cursor right, cursor up, cursor down, clear screen, insert space, back space, delete, insert line, and delete line. All of these functions operate properly in all six text modes. To get special characters displayed on the screen, hold down the START key and then type in the special character (Example: hold START and press RETURN). Note: Due to the Size of the text in some text modes, the lower workbench can not be edited from this editor. Line insert, and line delete will allow access to the lower parts of the workbench though. The joystick may also be used to move the cursor, and a text line at the top of the screen will tell if Inverse, lower case, upper-case, or control letters are set.

THE MONO EDITOR:

The Mono editor allows editing of single characters, one at a time, while showing specific information about that character as it is edited. The top of the screen shows the character (magnified in a grid), as well as the values used to create the image (the DATA), it's ATASII value, and it's internal value. The top display also shows the current text mode (2-7), the current set (1 or 2), the number base selected (Hex or Decimal), the color selected, and the character being edited from the original set. Shown below this is the set that is being edited. At the bottom of screen is either a letter display, or the top part of the workbench. The letter display shows three large images of the character being edited. The left image shows the character as it is edited. The middle image shows how it looked just before you edited it. The Right image shows the original Atari character. A display of the character in a few combinations is shown below these three images. The letter display may be replaced bya view of the top portion of the workbench.

THE ANIMATION EDITOR:

This editor allows you to animate up to fifteen 8 X 8character frames. There are two modes to this editor; animate and workbench. In the animate mode, you may change frames by pushing the joystick left and right, and adjust the rollover frame number by pushing the joystick up and down. The speed can

Be changed by pressing the up and down arrow keys. A "copy last frame" function can be used by typing the left arrow key. Pressing the RETURN key returns you to the character editor. Pressing the trigger transfers control to the animation workbench. The animation workbench works the same as the regular workbench, but on a smaller scale. Pressing the trigger returns you to the animate mode. To edit a frame, select the frame in the animate mode with the joystick, and then press the trigger. Warning: The animation editor uses the workbench to store its frames. These frames may also be edited from the standard workbench editor. For an example of animation, use the [D]isk utility to [L]oad ANIMDEMO.SET and [CONTROL][L]oad ANIMDEMO.WRK. Then RETURN to the editor, enter the [A]nimator, and use the joystick to advance the frame number.

DISK UTILITY:

The disk utility allows for most standard disk functions, and allows for loading and saving files. The menu will show what options are available, and the prompts will ask you for specific information. At the Filespec prompt, type in

The name of the file you wish to deal with. The asterisk “*” character may be used as a wildcard. To use other drives, put a D#: in front of your file name, n being the drive number. To abort a function, backspace into the Filespec prompt. All color values and the current text mode will be saved with the character set and workbench, and animation values will be saved with the workbench. The LOADER.LST program may be ENTERed into your BASIC programs for quick set loading. There are over two dozen fonts included on the disk, and some workbench examples. Hopefully, you will create many more of your own.

21 Fonts are included with The Banzai Font Designer:

SLANT.SET
COMPUTER.SET
MODE3.SET
SIMPLE45.SET
SHADE45.SET
JAGGED.SET
CROOKED.SET
FANCY.SET
GREEK.SET
SIMPLE.SET
OUTLINE.SET
ODD.SET
CURSIVE.SET
STENCIL.SET
CHUBBY.SET
DIGITAL.SET
LINE.SET
TYPE.SET
WIDE.SET
RAINBOW.SET
BIGTEXT3.SET