Designing perfa fonts

  1. On the Tools menu, point to EngView Font, and then click New Perfa Font.

A perfa font project opens with five default drawings — A; {term}*; {space}*; {missing}* and {BoundingRect}* — and accompanying parameters*.

WARNING: Do not rename these drawings and parameters.

Drawing the PERFA symbols

IMPORTANT: In the perfa font project, draw each symbol in an individual drawing. This means that a perfa font will have as many drawings as is the number of its symbols. The first symbol drawing (A) is loaded by default. If you are creating a symbol other than CAPITAL A, rename the drawing by double-clicking it.

  1. In the tabular area, in the Expression cell assign a value to the parameter H. This global parameter controls the height of the symbol plates.

NOTE ON UNIT CONVERSION: A parameter's expression uses a three-argument function: unitconv(Arg 1; "Arg 2"; "current"), Arg 1 is a value; Arg 2 sets the measurements units for the Arg 1 value when it was set; Arg 3=current guarantees that when you apply the font to a structure, the Arg 1 value will be converted in currently used metric units. See the following example:

unitconv(25,00; "mm"; "current"). Here, the program treats the parameter's value (25) in the metric units set in the second argument (mm). When we leave the third argument "current," when we apply the font to a structure in a project whose metric units are millimeters, the font height will stay 25 mm high and will be presented in millimeters. If, on the other hand, we apply the font to a structure in a project whose metric units are inches, the font height will stay the same but presented as 13/64 inches (25 mm).

  1. Assign a value to the parameter W. This local parameter controls the width of the symbol's plate and plays a role in the calculation of the perfa text's overall length.
  1. Assign a value to the parameter ExternalLeading. This global parameter controls the vertical distance (spacing) between symbols' cells in multi-line texts (pictured).

Now begin drawing the symbol's circles, creating the shape of the symbol as you want it to be.

IMPORTANT: Pay attention to the side of the drawing on which you are creating the symbol — the dieboard's front or rear side. See the image below for guidance of how drawing sides affect symbols' orientations.

  1. Draw the inner circles in the perfa style. Each circle represents one pin. Then (1) in the tabular area go to the Layers & Objects tab and create a DebossPerfa layer (an imprint layer), (2) in Position, select Rear, and then (3) assign the circles to the DebossPerfa layer.
  2. (Optional) Draw all outer circles in the Perfa Contour style. In the 1up drawing, they make the symbol readable when you zoom out. Then (1) in the tabular area, go to the Layers & Objects tab and create an Auxiliary layer with the name Perfa Contour, (2) in Position, select Rear, and then (3) assign the circles to this layer.
  3. (Optional) Draw fastening holes in the Dieboard style. These represent the holes for any fasteners that will hold the symbol's plate to the die. Then (1) in the tabular area, go to the layers & Objects tab, and create an Auxiliary layer with the name DB. Assign the holes to this layer.

IMPORTANT: The layers created in Steps 5–7 must be assigned to the group Article (pictured).

  1. Assign a value to the parameter Cost. This is the price of the current symbol. It will be used in the calculation of the perfa text.
  2. Name the symbol's drawing.

IMPORTANT: The name must be identical with that of the symbol drawn in it. For example, a drawing of the symbol for the capital letter F must be named a capital letter F.

Drawing the fastening symbols (used for MINI perfa fonts)

Fastener plates represent holes through which bolts or other fasteners will pass to hold the perfa text to the dieboard. These holes are used mainly in MINI perfa fonts, which use smaller-sized plates.

  1. Open the {term} drawing, and begin drawing the fastener circles. Use the Dieboard style. Then (1) in the tabular area, go to the Layers & Objects tab and create an Auxiliary layer with the name DB, (2) Assign the circles to this layer.

IMPORTANT: The layer must be assigned to a group Article (pictured).

The result:

  1. Assign a value to the parameter W. This local parameter controls the width of the plate and plays a role in the calculation of the perfa text's total length.
  2. Assign a value to the parameter Cost. It controls the price of the plate. It will be used in the calculation of the perfa text.
  3. Assign the value Yes to the parameter Term. This parameter tells the program that this font will use additional fastening plates. As a result, this symbol will appear automatically on both end of the perfa text.

NOTE: If the perfa font does not use fasteners — for example, a Standard perfa font — there is no need for you to draw anything in the {term} drawing. In this case, the value of the parameter Term must be No. See the following picture for how a MINI perfa font (left) uses fastener plates and how a Standard perfa font (right) does not.

Drawing the missing symbols

You can draw symbols that will mark any symbols you may type but the program will not recognize. If you are typing a symbol that the program does not recognize because the selected font has no such symbol, the program will use the missing symbol to indicate it.

  1. In the {missing} drawing, draw the symbol that you want to mark unrecognized symbols.
  1. Assign a value for the parameter W.

Drawing the space

  1. If the perfa font will have a plate for a space — for example, a blank plate with no pins — in the {space} drawing, assign a value to the parameter W and leave the drawing empty.

Drawing the bounding rectangle for the guide rail

If, when using the perfa font, you want to visualize the size of the guide-rail that holds the text, in the {BoundingRect} drawing drag the base component 99 Perfa Font Guide Rail.evb. It will resize automatically around the perfa text. Find the component in Individual Components\90 Parts\97 Text Areas (pictured).

  1. While you are positioning the component, make sure the control point (at pointer's end) lies on the origin of the coordinate system point (Oxy).
  1. Click to position the component.
  1. Assign values to the margins (LM, RM, TM, BM), which will define the size of the guard-rail.
  1. Assign a value to the parameter RailCost, which defines the price of the guide-rail. NOTE: The formula behind the price — (TextL+LM+RM)/1000*RailCost+CostOverhead) — takes it that RailCost is a price per linear meter. If you will use a different metric, edit the formula to suit your case.
  2. (Optional) Assign a value to the parameter CostOverhead.

The drawing has two local parameters:

TextL EngView fills the parameter's expression according to the size of the typed text; it adds each value of the parameter W, assigned to each symbol in the perfa text.

TotalRailCost The total cost of the guide-rail. You can edit the parameter formula as your case requires. The parameter plays a role in the calculation of the perfa text's price.

Saving the perfa font

After you have defined the perfa font, you proceed by saving it and making it ready for use. Perfa fonts are saved as EVFNT files in your installation's Perfa Fonts folder. By default, the path is C:\EngViewWork7\Settings\EngView Fonts\Perfa Fonts.

  1. On the File menu, click Save.

The Save As dialog box appears opening the Perfa Fonts directory.

  1. Give the perfa font file a name that makes sense to you, and then click Save.
  2. To begin using the font, restart the program. After you restart, you will see your new font in the contextual edit bar when you start typing perfa texts (pictured).