>The font number is used to provide some BASIC SIMPLE mappings between some
>common fonts (Pick your favorite 20 the get included with the Mac, Windows,
>and some common UNIX's). If I use "Geneva" on my Mac it gets assigned font #
>6. If I read it on my PC the PC doesn't know "Geneva" so it looks up font #6
>and gets "Arial". I am this first to admit that this is not a great
>solution. I have read about some technologies to develop Font Metrics and
>use things like Multiple Master technology for these things, but for a first
>simple solution this would work.
There is a system for font matching called Panose (the idea is somewhat
like Pantone's color matching system). It was created, if I remember
correctly, by Elseware, Inc. in Seattle. The basic idea is that a font
vendor can use the Panose system to associate a multi-digit number to a
font that captures its style (e.g. serif/non-serif, bold, slanted,
x-height, etc.). Some font vendors are already putting Panose numbers in
their fonts.
Paul R. Topping
President
Design Science, Inc.
4028 Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
USA
internet: ptopping@lightside.com
voice: 310-433-0685
fax: 310-433-6969