Using fonts > 255 points

[90taobri@chasm.scar.utoronto.ca (Brian Tao)]

     I've discussed this briefly with Unknown, but I can't seem to get him
to understand what I'm saying, so I'll try again here.  ;-)

     Let's assume I have an all caps font with long, deep swashes and
serifs.  Is it possible for the *physical* height (i.e., the font bounds
rectangle) of the font to exceed 255 pixels?  I seem to remember (and I
don't have my Apple IIGS Technical Reference handy) that the height of the
font rectangle is a word value.  Even if this is a signed integer, that
allows for a 32767-pixel tall font.

    Secondly, am I correct in assuming there is no constant relationship
between "point size" and actual pixel height from font to font?  That is,
one font at 72 points may actually only be 65 pixels tall, but another at
the same point size (like that all caps font I mentioned) is really 90
pixels tall.

    If both assumptions are true, then it shouldn't be difficult to get
around the 255-point limit with Pointless.  It does *not* entail re-writing
portions of the system software, as long as the assumptions are valid for
the Font Manager and Print Manager.

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-- Real name: Brian Tao (Dept. of Exobiology, University of Toronto)
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