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10AUG03 - HVDOSFNT.TXT - A More Legible Font for the MS-DOS Full Screen
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The standard MS-DOS bitmap font - available on most VGA adaptors - leaves much
to be desired - particularly for programmers, screen designers, trainers using
video projectors, and users with heavy data entry needs.

The original font was better optimised for printing than screen display. Its
continued use on screens is an anachronism. Virtually all printed text is now
output with a built-in printer font or a Windows font.

This poor screen legibility is a particular problem for users with impaired
vision - or for anyone working in poor light conditions or using laptops.

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What is HVDOSFNT?

HVDOSFNT.COM is a command line utility which will temporarily replace the
standard MS-DOS screen font with Procon's proprietary High Visibility font - 
the HVFont. This font is optimised for screen display. It was originally 
designed for "in-house" use by screen designers, programmers, and data 
entry personnel to improve text legibility, help avoid data entry errors, 
and minimise eye fatigue.

We have now decided to make it available to our licenced software users.

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What is the HVFont?

Procon's High Visibility font differs from the MS-DOS standard - and similar
fixed pitch bitmap fonts - in several respects:-

    It is larger and "stronger". By reducing the font "leading" (the space
     between lines) the HVFont is able to use larger character glyphs and
     thicker stroke lines.

    It uses a special sans serif type face optimised for the MS-DOS screen
     8x16 pixel character grid.

    The SPACE character has a pixel set in two corners. This typically
     produces a "visual grid" in blank areas of the screen and input fields.
     While this effect may appear unusual at first, it is of considerable
     assistance in assessing field widths, aligning columns of text, designing
     screens and coding layouts, etc. Try it - most users get used to it and
     wouldn't give it up. (If you don't like it, suppress the feature with a
     command line switch - see below).

    The arithmetic PLUS, MINUS and EQUALS signs are much clearer.

    The FORWARD and BACK SLASH characters extend below character baselines to
     more clearly distinguish them from other glyphs.

    A clearly "Slashed" ZERO digit helps avoid confusion with the Capital 'O'.

    The Lowercase 'L' has a clearly extended base - to help avoid confusion
     with the ONE digit and Capital 'I' characters.

    The COLON and SEMICOLON symbols are particularly strong - and distinct.

    The VERTICAL BAR is thicker than normal.

    The Curly Braces {} and Square Brackets [] are deeper than normal.

    A EURO Currency symbol replaces the obsolete Spanish Cedilla character.
     The ASCII value (128) matches the value (0128) normally used for the Euro
     symbol in Windows ANSI fonts. (To enter it key <Alt><0128>).

    The Underline has been raised so that it more closely matches the
     character baseline - reflecting the practical fact that it not used on
     VGA screens to produce underlining but is commonly used as another
     character in program code variable names, etc.

    The Binary NUL character - which normally looks just like the SPACE
     character - appears as a thin hollow box. (Of little interest to most
     users - but a great aid to programmers and screen designers as it
     visually highlights the presence of embedded NULs).

    The ASCII 255 character - which also normally looks just like a SPACE -
     appears as a small Centred Dot.

    The Reverse Space character (ASCII 219) - normally represented as a solid
     block - has the left column of pixels set. An aid to programmers and
     screen designers who sometimes use this character to layout "dark space"
     on screens. The visible left boundary simplifies character counting and
     cursor positioning.

In all other respects the HVFont follows the MS-DOS standard - it uses the PC-8
8 bit character set (Codepage 437) and should display clearly on a variety of
monitors with any VGA compatible video card. It can be used in standalone MS-
DOS and full screen DOS boxes under all versions of Windows.

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What are HVDOSFNT's Limitations?

    If HVDOSFNT is loaded as a Memory Resident program (also called a
     "Terminate and Stay Resident" program - or "TSR" for short) it will
     consume about 4K of available DOS memory.

     HINT: In MS-DOS Mode - or Under Windows 95/98/Me - the command:
       LOADHIGH HVDOSFNT
     may load it into the High Memory Area - avoiding this small loss of
     conventional RAM. (The DOS command: MEM /c/p will show you where in memory
     your resident programs have been placed.)

    Any Memory Resident program that intercepts the video interrupt - as
     HVDOSFNT does - can cause conflicts with another video manipulating TSR.
     Some programs may not work correctly with HVDOSFNT in memory.

    Windows 2000 and XP will run HVDOSFNT in full screen CMD.EXE Console mode. 
     However, Windows XP does not always generate the correct video interrupts to 
     ensure that the screen is restored when you switch backwards and forwards 
     between applications.

    If HVDOSFNT is loaded with the /LOAD parameter (see below) it simply
     replaces the standard MS-DOS font - but does not remain in memory ensuring
     that other programs do not reverse the process.

     Some large and complex DOS applications reset the video mode in their
     startup code - effectively restoring the standard MS-DOS font and negating
     the installation of HVFont. (Examples: DBase II/III and IV, Lotus 123, and
     Procon applications like the DOS versions of PROBID, PROBILL and PROPLAN.)
     To get around this you must load HVDOSFNT into memory as a TSR.

    HVDOSFNT requires a VGA compatible adaptor. It will not work on MDA, CGA,
     or EGA cards. (Is there anyone out there still running machines WITHOUT
     VGA compatible cards?)

    It currently only works in standard VGA 80x25 line text mode.
     (Future developments: Support for 50 line mode and even more unusual
     screen sizes like 28, 30 and 43 lines and 100x37 and 40x35.)

    It has NOT been tested in DOS screens under OS/2 or Linux.

    You no longer have the Spanish Cedilla character. (It is not used in
     modern Spanish so this is probably not too serious).

    HVDOSFNT - as the name implies - will only work under Windows when you use
     MS-DOS Mode or a "Full Screen DOS" box. If you run MS-DOS - or a DOS
     application - in a Window's "Window" and run HVDOSFNT it will successfully
     load the HVFont. However, as this bitmap font is only used in Full Screen
     mode you won't see any effect until you switch to that mode!

     Why is this?

     A Window's "Window" always uses a Windows's Terminal font - not the MS-DOS
     bitmap font or the HVFont loaded by HVDOSFNT. (If you also want both more
     flexibility - and legibility - in your Windows's Terminal fonts, look at
     our Windows font package HVWINFNT.)

If these limitations are significant in your work, you should look at more 
permanent solutions like those offered by our HVCPIFNT and HVVCBIOS packages.

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How do I use HVDOSFNT?

Place the files HVDOSFNT.COM and HVDOSFNT.TXT in a convenient subdirectory -
preferably one included in your PATH statement so you don't have to type the
full path name.

You can also rename the executable file to HV.COM if you prefer typing short
commands. Then (if HVDOSFNT.COM is renamed HV.COM) typing:

   -----------------------------------------------------------------
   HV            Loads HVDOSFNT.COM into RAM as a "TSR" program.
   HV /BLANK     Ditto - but uses BLANK as the Space character
   HV /LOAD      Temporarily Loads HVFont as the DOS Font
   HV /UNLOAD    Uninstalls TSR, Restores standard MS-DOS Font
   HV /RESTORE   Ditto
   HV /ASCII     Displays an ASCII Table (without changing the font)
   HV /HELP      or anything else - shows a HELP screen
   -----------------------------------------------------------------

The standard Unix/Linux command line switch character (the MINUS sign) can be
used in lieu of the DOS/Windows standard Forward Slash, or the switch character
can be omitted entirely. Additionally, only the first character of a switch
option is significant. So, for example:

   -----------------------------------------------------------------
   HV /B         Loads HVFont with a BLANK Space character
   HV -a         Displays the ASCII Table
   HV U          Unloads the HVFont
   HV ?          Produces the HELP screen
   -----------------------------------------------------------------

The /B - Use the BLANK character for spaces option is provided for those users
who find the "dotted grid" effect of the special Space character disconcerting.
The only HVFont character effected is ASCII 32 - the space.

The /A - Display an ASCII Table option does not change the current font. It
just shows the complete PC-8 character set for that font - and a legend to
allow you to match characters to their Hexadecimal ASCII values.

This allows you to check the full character set and the appearance of a
particular font (and will even work with Window's Terminal fonts).

It also places a special character marker in the four corner positions of the
80x25 screen. (Very useful when adjusting analog monitors for image size and
position.)

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How do I use HVDOSFNT in a Windows "DOS Box"?

You can automate the process of loading HVDOSFNT and running a program in a
full screen "DOS Box" under Windows.

The easiest way to do this is with a DOS Batch file and Windows desktop PIF
file. The PIF file can be placed on the Windows desktop so that you just double
click the displayed icon with the mouse.

Two sample files (HV-BID.PIF and HV-BID.BAT) have been included to provide you
with templates for setting up your programs in this way.

The files are setup to run the DOS version of PROBID. They can be copied and
amended appropriately to run similar applications. Change both (edit HV-BID.BAT
with a text editor - HV-BID.PIF by selecting File Properties from Window's
Explorer) to reflect the correct directories for Windows, HVDOSFNT, the program
etc., on your particular machine).

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Licence:
This utility is provided free of charge ONLY to LICENCED users of PROBID,
PROBILL or PROPLAN.

Other users are authorised to install and examine the software for a maximum
period of 30 days after which they must remove it or obtain a specific licence
from Procon by contacting us by email at: sales@procon.com.au.

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Warranty:
This program is supplied AS IS without any warranty, expressed or implied,
including, but not limited to, fitness for any particular purpose.

    * * *  In other words, if you use it, you do so at your own risk! * * *

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Support:

Licenced Procon users of PROBID, PROBILL or PROPLAN - with a current support
agreement - can contact us by email at support@procon.com.au.

PLEASE NOTE:
We CANNOT provide assistance in resolving problems with hardware, Operating
Systems, or software setup.

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Suggestions:
If you have any suggestions for improvements in any of our programs please
contact us through our website - or by email at support@procon.com.au.

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Copyright:
The software, fonts and documentation are all the property of:
   Procon Construction Systems
   3/5-7 Victoria Parade
   MANLY  NSW 2095
   AUSTRALIA

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Update History:
   0.90 -  7/2000 - Internal Use Only.
   1.00 -  4/2002 - Extended Help Screen. Public Release.
   1.01 - 10/2002 - Modified some accented characters.

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