ALEX-FRACTION FONT
Windows 3.0 and Adobe Type 1 (ATM compatible)

After getting tired of creating fractions in Pagemaker, Ventura and other applications, I decided to create a font to solve my problems.

This font does not have all the characters found in a standard font and the character mapping has been changed somewhat to accomodate the logic behind the design. The idea was to avoid the extensive use of the ALT key in conjunction with a numeric code.

Although I considered to design the most used fractions, it wouldn't solve my problems if I would come across a fraction such as 3/16 or 14/189. All right, these fractions are not usual but who knows when the day will come that you're going to say:"I wish there was an easy way to do it."

Logic:

The keyboard is not designed to accomodate two sets of digits which can addresses independently from each other. Yet, every digit has a character above it accessed through the use of the SHIFT key.

A fraction is formed by the numerator (top number) and the denominator (bottom number).
So to keep it easy to remember, the character above the ONE, which is the EXCLAMATION, was replace with another ONE. This way the ONE is mapped twice in this font and that applies to all 10 digits from ONE to ZERO.

Of course all those useful characters were moved to other locations. You'll the character mapping at the end of this document.

Creating Fractions:

As an example, if you had to enter the following fraction:	1/2

	- Hold down the SHIFT key and type 1
	- Release the SHIFT key and type / (front slash)
	- Now type 2

That's it. If your fraction was 1/16 you'd repeat the same 3 steps and type 16 instead of 2.

A problem remained. What if I had to create a fraction which had an integer before it. I had to create a third set of numbers. Full size numbers.

And to keep it simple I assigned them to the keys directly below the original numbers.
For instance the letter Q is directly below the number ONE. So this became a full size ONE, and so on.

As an example, if you had to create a fraction like:	1 3/4

	- Type Q (for a full size ONE)
	- Hold down the SHIFT key and type 3
	- Release the SHIFT key and type / (front slash)
	- Now type 4

Voila! As simple as I could make it.

The character design is based on the famous Helvetica typeface because it holds well when used on laser printers. Yet, it looks fabulous on an imagesetter.

Alex-Fraction Character Set

digits Numerator	Digits Denominator	Regular Digits
! = 1				1 = 1				q = 1
@ = 2				2 = 2				w = 2
# = 3				3 = 3				e = 3
$ = 4				4 = 4				r = 4
% = 5				5 = 5				t = 5
^ = 6				6 = 6				y = 6
& = 7				7 = 7				u = 7
* = 8				8 = 8				i = 8
( = 9				9 = 9				o = 9
) = 0				0 = 0				p = 0

Other Characters:

_ = _				, = ,				E = (
- = -				[ = [				F = plus/minus
+ = +				] = ]				G = division
= = =				{ = {				H = multiplication
| = |				} = }				? = ?
\ = \				~ = ~
/ = /				` = `
? = ?				A = %
< = <				B = perthousand
> = >				C = $
. = .				D = )


Installing This Font

This font is compatible with Windows 3.0 and ATM. It has been tested with Pagemaker and Write and I don't see any problems arising with any Windows application.

If you have ATM use its installation facilities to add this font to the system. Keep in mind that you must edit the WIN.INI in order for Windows to download the font when in use.

ATM adds the following line to your Font list under the [PostScript, XXXX] heading:

	softfontXX=c:\psfonts\afract__.pfm

You shoudl change to read:

	softfontXX=c:\psfonts\afract__.pfm, c:\psfonts\afract__.pfb

If you don't have ATM you should do the following:

	- copy the files AFRACT__.PFM and AFRACT__.PFB to your fonts directory
	(e.i., PSFONTS)
	- Add the following line to your font list under the {PostScript,XXXX] heading:
	softfontXX=c:\psfonts\afract__.pfm,c:\psfonts\afract__.pfb

NOTE: the comma after PFM must be there to separate one entry from the other

Well now comes the begging. It took me quite some time to figure out this one and to eventually design it. I'm not taking the position that if you don't pay you MUST not use it.
I am leaving that entirely up to you.

If you feel that my work was worthwhile, please send $5.00 to:
		C. Alexandre
		2392 Sun Valley Circle
		Silver Spring, MD 20906

Incentives tend to keep me thinking about other ways to improve fonts and in a constant search for quality solutions. If this proves successful, I'll continue to design faces. By the way I do have several faces that I have designed.

Even if you dont' send any money, drop me a note and I'll promise to keep you informed about new faces that may tickle your fancy, not your wallet. You may fax it to (301) 598-3671.

Thanks.