Methods for storing, generating, and displaying characters to a graphics computer terminal

This creative project investigates a method for translating a run-length encoded data file of letterforms into bit mapped images. Each letterform is broken (cracked) into primitive strokes. Each primitive stroke is represented by equally spaced runlength spline points within a 72 unit counting system. The strokes are ordered from left to right, allowing a direct scan-line conversion using an on-off character fill. Most commercial letterforms are stored in an outline format. Outline letterfomrs must be converted to vector edges, and then quick sorted into two dimensional arrays of edges for scan-line conversion (no overlapping outlines are allowed). The author's method stores primitives in a left to right ordered format that eliminates the sorting routine.In order to display the letterforms as a body of text, an interpreted description language was developed. The language command structure is embedded in the text file and interpreted at run time. The language controlls the sizing and placement of letterforms at five levels. The page attributes controlls the placement of page margins, column margins, windows, headers, footers, etc. The Paragraph attributes controlles first word indents, paragraph indents, widow lines, etc. The line attributes controlles the text line length, inter word and character spacing, line leading, additional line indents, type of line justification and hyphenation, etc. No attributes were established at the word level. The character attributes controlles the type size, type style, degree of slant (poor man's italic), expansion or contraction, etc.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 1987