Simulated Solid Typefonts

Simulated Solid Typefonts

      The purpose of simulating solid typefonts is to provide a
computer graphic artist who is designing page layouts the same sense
of control that type setters experience when using real pieces of
type.  A manual type setter can space the type with spacers and
construct complex arrangements of the real type which are made of
wood or lead.  The physical existence of the material controls and
guides the type layout.

      The figure shows a typical typefont and a typical application.
The character font, 1, is surrounded by an inviolable region
boundary, 2.  The computer program that is used to draw and
manipulate the characters can take into consideration the inviolable
boundaries of the character fonts used.  For example, when the
characters that form the word "WORD", 3, are moved about, any contact
by the inviolable boundary of one will cause the other character
fonts to move away.

      The procedure to be undertaken in the moving about of simulated
solid typefonts is to sequentially and continually check for
inviolable boundary overlap, and should an overlap occur, the older
or passive font can be automatically moved until its overlap with the
moving font is eliminated.  In the course of moving this passive
font, one or more other typefonts can be overlapped and should this
occur these typefonts can be automatically repositioned.  This
process can continue until all typefonts do not overlap.

      The repositioning and...