load_bitmap_font(3)             Allegro manual             load_bitmap_font(3)



NAME
       load_bitmap_font - Grabs a font from a bitmap file. Allegro game
       programming library.

SYNOPSIS
       #include <allegro.h>


       FONT *load_bitmap_font(const char *filename, RGB *pal, void *param)

DESCRIPTION
       Tries to grab a font from a bitmap. The bitmap can be in any format
       that load_bitmap understands.

       The size of each character is determined by the layout of the image,
       which should be a rectangular grid containing all the ASCII characters
       from space (32) up to the tilde (126). The way the characters are
       separated depends on the color depth of the image file:

       paletted (8 bit) image file Use color 0 for the transparent portions of
       the characters and fill the spaces between each letter with color 255.

       High (15/16 bit) and true (24/32 bit) color image file Use bright pink
       (maximum red and blue, zero green) for the transparent portions of the
       characters and fill the spaces between each letter with bright yellow
       (maximum red and green, zero blue).


       Note that in each horizontal row the bounding boxes around the
       characters should align and have the same height.

       Probably the easiest way to get to grips with how this works is to load
       up the `demo.dat' file and export the TITLE_FONT into a PCX file. Have
       a look at the resulting picture in your paint program: that is the
       format a font should be in.

       Take care with high and true color fonts: Allegro will convert these to
       the current color depth when you load the font. If you try to use a
       font on a bitmap with a different color depth Allegro will do color
       conversions on the fly, which will be rather slow. For optimal
       performance you should set the color depth to the color depth you want
       to use before loading any fonts.

RETURN VALUE
       Returns a pointer to the font or NULL on error. Remember that you are
       responsible for destroying the font when you are finished with it to
       avoid memory leaks.


SEE ALSO
       register_font_file_type(3), load_font(3), load_bitmap(3),
       set_color_depth(3), grab_font_from_bitmap(3)



Allegro                          version 4.2.3             load_bitmap_font(3)
