FONTEDIT font - Revision history

Jsummers at 15:39, 9 August 2025

2025-08-09T15:39:56Z

Sembiance: /* Software */

2025-02-16T21:34:14Z

‎Software

Sembiance: /* Sample files */

2025-02-16T21:33:58Z

‎Sample files

Jsummers: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Fonts |extensions={{ext|com}} |released=1988 }} '''FONTEDIT''' is a simple bitmapped font editor for DOS, developed by Michael J. M..."

2025-01-18T18:43:08Z

Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Fonts |extensions={{ext|com}} |released=1988 }} '''FONTEDIT''' is a simple bitmapped font editor for DOS, developed by Michael J. M..."

New page

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Fonts
|extensions={{ext|com}}
|released=1988
}}
'''FONTEDIT''' is a simple bitmapped font editor for DOS, developed by Michael J. Mefford. It was published in the 1988-09-13 issue of PC Magazine.

Its native font format is in the form of a [[DOS executable (.com)|COM]] file, which doubles as a font loader that can be executed independently.

== Format details ==
A font file normally contains two fonts. The second is what the software calls the "template". Its purpose is to aid in the editing process.

== Identification ==
For pristine files made by the original software, the first 99 bytes are always the same, except for the 9 bytes at offset 44. Files start with {{magic|eb 33 90}}, have text "{{magic|PC Magazine ■ Michael J. Mefford}}" at offset 10, and are exactly 8291 bytes in size.

A significant number of variant formats exist. All known variants start with byte <code>eb</code>, have <code>32</code> or <code>33</code> at offset 1, and have {{magic|b8 10 11 cd 10}} at offset {41 + {the byte at offset 1}}.

== Software ==
* FONTEDIT
** {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel/DISK1/DISC2/PCMAG/VOL7N15.ZIP|VOL7N15.ZIP}} - FONTEDIT, with source code, etc., and unrelated files.
** {{CdTextfiles|swextrav1993/disk3/scrnutil/fontedit.zip|fontedit.zip}} - FONTEDIT, with minimal accompanying files.
** {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel/DISK2/DISC1/SCREEN/ZAVT11.ZIP|ZAVT11.ZIP}} → FONTS.ZIP → FONTEDIT.COM (This variant has a small patch.)

== Sample files ==
* {{CdTextfiles|pier03/018/ftrfont.zip|ftrfont.zip}}
* {{CdTextfiles|pier03/018/weirdfnt.zip|weirdfnt.zip}}
* {{CdTextfiles|pier02/021a/tact529.zip|tact529.zip}} → TACFONT.COM
* {{CdTextfiles|swextrav1993/disk1/grprogs/tdstuff.zip|tdstuff.zip}} → 3FONTS.ZIP
* [https://archive.org/details/PCWorldInt1 PC World Interactive 1] → NOSTALJI/BBS/DOS/FONTM21.ZIP (most .COM files)

Variants:
* {{CdTextfiles|darkdomain/programs/dos/charsets/fnt_ace.zip|fnt_ace.zip}} → PROGRAM.1 (ZIP format) → *.COM (Message changed.)
* [https://archive.org/details/ftp.srk.fer.hr ftp.srk.fer.hr archive] → pub/msdos/programming/source/sfontkit.zip → FONTS/ (Message changed, second 0x90 byte deleted. Includes modified FONTEDIT.COM.)
* {{CdTextfiles|pier01/029a/lqvgashl.zip|lqvgashl.zip}} (Both 0x90 bytes deleted.)
* [https://archive.org/details/unica-hot-sound-and-vision Hot Sound & Vision] → hotsv/vision/progs/font.zip (Template deleted, weird font sizes.)

== Links ==
* [https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1988-09-13/page/n303/mode/2up Making Your Own Screen Fonts] - PC Magazine article, 1988-09-13, p. 305-.

[[Category:Executable envelopes]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |released=1988
 }}
-'''FONTEDIT''' is a simple bitmapped font editor for DOS, developed by Michael J. Mefford. It was published in the 1988-09-13 issue of PC Magazine.
+'''FONTEDIT''' is a screen font editor for DOS, developed by Michael J. Mefford. It was published in the 1988-09-13 issue of PC Magazine.
 Its native font format is in the form of a [[DOS executable (.com)|COM]] file, which doubles as a font loader that can be executed independently.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ** {{CdTextfiles|swextrav1993/disk3/scrnutil/fontedit.zip|fontedit.zip}} - FONTEDIT, with minimal accompanying files.
 ** {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel/DISK2/DISC1/SCREEN/ZAVT11.ZIP|ZAVT11.ZIP}} → FONTS.ZIP → FONTEDIT.COM (This variant has a small patch.)
 == Sample files ==

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 * {{CdTextfiles|swextrav1993/disk1/grprogs/tdstuff.zip|tdstuff.zip}} → 3FONTS.ZIP
 * [https://archive.org/details/PCWorldInt1 PC World Interactive 1] → NOSTALJI/BBS/DOS/FONTM21.ZIP (most .COM files)
 Variants: