TypeServer QuickTour, Page 1 of 6


TypeServers, Bitmaps, Fonts and Strikes

TypeServer objects

TypeServer is based on an object-oriented programming model that makes it very simple use. At the upper level there are two basic components:

A TypeServer Server object - the TypeServer system itself, and
A Bitmap object - defining a target bitmap to where rasterized output text is to be drawn.

As part of its design, TypeServer builds on a hierarchy of two other components:

A TrueType Font object - a scaleable TrueType font, and
A font Strike object - a font strikeface that references a given TrueType Font and target Bitmap, and defines rendering settings for character size, spacing, orientation, color, transfer mode and other application-controllable attributes.

In C, TypeServer objects are referenced using "handles" that are identifiers returned by TypeServer to your program when an instance of that object is created. For C++, TypeServer objects correspond to a class instance of the associated object. The following table lists the C handle data types and C++ classes used with TypeServer:

Object Type C Handle(1) C++ Class(1)

Server TSSERVER tsCServer

Bitmap MGBITMAP mgCBitmap

Font TSFONT tsCFont

Strike TSSTRIKE tsCStrike

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NOTE:

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To avoid potential application and system name conflicts, TypeServer data types and structures are prefixed with "TS". Similiarly TypeServer C function names and C++ class names are prefixed with "ts" and "tsC", respectively. "Bitmap" data types and structures that are used across multiple Metagraphics products are prefixed generically with "MG". The generic prefix for Metagraphics C functions and C++ classes used across multiple products is "mg" and "mgC", respectively. (The Metagraphics C/C++ Programming Guidelines manual provides further information on the naming, documentation and coding conventions used with TypeServer and other Metagraphics products.)