[andycogbill]

Hello!

Having trouble with embedded fonts and aliasing.

I am working way to becoming a Flash ActionScript master (is that even a feasible profession?) and have had the hardest time figuring out how to display a nice cool, CRISP bitmap font in my dynamic text fields. Obviously, if I don't embed, the user is gonna see the default font (NO one has the same, if any, bitmap fonts installed), but the problem is that when I embed my fonts in Flash (MX) they get aliased!

So... how do I get it so that my fonts (whose content is loaded from, say, an XML or TXT file) don't alias in dynamic text fields?

Thanks a bunch for your help.

[gray]

make sure the fonts/mcs the text is inside is place on whole pixles (not 369.4 etc) - in rare cases it may have to be placed on .5

make sure you are using the correct font size for the font (not all pixel fonts are 8pt)

[inkywillow]

The Definetive Guide can be found in the FAQ section over at

http://www.fontsforflash.com/
http://www.fontsforflash.com/userguide/

Have Fun now

[andycogbill]

I love this forum. Thanks guys.

Now about the validity of a profession in Flash... is it even possible? I mean, if I have a good sense of motion / animation and become an expert at ActionScript programming, would it be legitimate (i.e. not suicidal) to be a Flash specialist?

Are careers available for people who are Flash experts? Of course I am an expert in HTML, JS, and CSS along with extended experience with PHP/MySQL, but I am not a programmer and don't want to be one for the rest of my life. Flash seems to be the perfect solution.... is it too perfect?

[gray]

might have to learn some director too

[andycogbill]

I have tried everything and the pixel fonts are still not working. I am having to resort to device fonts, and that is not a good thing. I have read 3 tutorials on how to use pixel fonts in Flash and they all same the same things, but when I try to use the knowledge it doesn't work! Sure, I can get the fonts to look nice on my machine but I need to embed. Why does Flash automatically anti-alias?? arrrrgh

Thoughts? I really want a crisp font (obviously for usability) but I don't want to be stuck to "Use device fonts". Does anyone have a sample .fla or something with a font file attached?

Thanks much.

[gray]

are you saying you dont know how to embed the font?

[andycogbill]

Originally Posted by gray

are you saying you dont know how to embed the font?

For the sake of thoroughness, I'll tell you what I'm doing step-by-step:

-Create New Text Field (either in UI or ActionScript, neither seems to work)

-Dynamic text, display as HTML, set font as one of the TrueType pixel fonts installed on my machine

-Place at coordinates (full pixels)

-Use ActionScript to set string value of the dynamic text field (myTextField.htmlText = "my string to be displayed"

-Click on Character... in the Properties inspector with the Text field selected and choose "Embed All Characters" or whatever I need.

Publish movie.

It's aliased on my machine and it's even worse on the machine without the font installed. What gives?

[gray]

have you tried the .5 co-ordinates as I said earlier? (NOT full pixels, x: 345.5 etc)

[andycogbill]

Originally Posted by gray

have you tried the .5 co-ordinates as I said earlier? (NOT full pixels, x: 345.5 etc)

Oh yes. Still anti-aliasing, still looks like crap. I mean, I want it to look like what is on www.fontsforflash.com: really crisp, like it would in a web page, 'cause that is what my site will be.

I'm pretty close to giving up.

[gray]

can you send me a fla and I'll try to fix it?

[andycogbill]

http://community.middlebury.edu/~aco...new/antiAlias/

You are very nice for doing all this. I really appreciate your time!

[gray]

it looks as though you've resized the text box using the scale/free transform tool.. i think thats the problem.. you have to double click and use the bottom right corner to resize the text area.. and that font does like to be on x: .5

i'll put them up here in a sec

www.grahammorley.com/andy

[flatcat]

If you know html/css/js/php and stuff you can stand a pretty good chance at finding a career doing web design, but by no means is every site you're going to do going to be flash. If you can handle doing html, css, js, etc. now and then in combination with regular flash work, you will have a very marketable skillset. If you can get some print knowledge you should stand a very good chance at getting a job. However nothing is ever guaranteed in the current industry environment :\

[Mr Fred]

back to the flash career debate

depends i think on what your strengths are. You say you are an expert in HTML, JS, and CSS along with extended experience with PHP/MySQL. - none of this says to me anything about design.

good flash = good design skills. the client/customers/peers/me dont give two hoots generally about backend stuff. generally

So what i am saying is -

if your site can with your skills pull in 15 xml feeds, redirect the content to a database and tell me what i had for lunch last tuesday- great but if it consists of two tweens, a mask and a gradient circle bouncing then............

maybe you should become a web development guru.

[gray]

living in london also helps (ime*)


(*in my experience - new one for ya bill )

[Mr Fred]

helps for what - bad skin, attitude, high rent and no money

really helpful

[tomson]

Originally Posted by japanmik

helps for what - bad skin, attitude, high rent and no money

really helpful

Hey less of the high rent comments please - some of us have huge mortgages.

sheesh

[Mr Fred]

sorry

[andycogbill]

well, now that I have internet connection again I can send my thanks to all for their comments.

However, graham... if I look at your .swf on a machine without the font installed all I see is a default unispaced font (i.e. courier new or something very similar). what's up?