MSX Font Editor

A MSX's font editor for PC and screens 0/1 mosaic creator.

1. Introduction

This project aims at developing a font editor for PC, where it is possible to read, edit and save MSX 8x8 fonts.

In addiction, the editor is able to render PC fonts to export them in MSX format and generate character mosaics for screens 0 and 1.

It is based on the old Alfabeto Plus project, using a modern programming environment like Java, improving the program, the interface and introducing the character mosaic tool.

2. The former project

The Alfabeto Plus was the former project designed to edit MSX fonts. It was quite simple to use, where we could open, edit and save MSX 8x8 fonts on PC. In addition, we could render PC fonts in the editor to export to MSX.

3. Current version: MSX Font Editor
This program was coded in Java language and it is able to run in several platforms using the same binary file.

The program interface is quite simple and intuitive to use, presenting buttons with icons and tooltips.

Major news:

Now it is possible to open and edit several fonts at the same time without loosing the work. This is due to the fact of each font has it own buffer, where it is possible to undo or redo the last operation in both font and character areas.
The PC font rendering algorithm is now able to fit properly the characters on their spaces, without being necessary to make manual adjustments.
The new mosaic tool makes possible to generate images on screens 0 and 1.
From version 1.3, May 2020:
- Possible of multiple character selection.
- Mouse drag enabled to multiple selection.
- Mouse drag enabled to fill/erase character's pixels.
- Possible to copy and paste characters between fonts.
- Possible to modify only selected characters.
From version 1.4, April 2021:
- Character shift tools.
- Double click to copy character to editor.
- Double click to copy edited character to font.
From version 1.5, April 2021:
- Possible to set screen 1 octets colors.
- Added pixel rotating on shift tools.
- Some file formats added.
- Possible to export font as gif.
- Mouse use wizard.
From version 1.6, November 2021:
- New tool for searching fonts inside files.
- ASCII code reference tool.
- Bug fix for clearing bit on character editor (version 1.6.1).

The great new feature is the mosaic tool, where it is possible to import monochromatic images from PC (black & white) and place them at ASCII table, making possible to generate image mosaics on screens 0 and 1.

4. Manual

Click here to access the MSX Font Editor manual.

5. Download

Program - Version 1.6.2 - 07/2022

mfe_v1.6.2_bin.zip [PC Java] - MSX Fonte Editor Java binaries.
mfe_v1.6.2_src.zip [Source PC Java] - MSX Fonte Editor source code.
uml.gif - Project's UML diagram.

Tutorial:

img2shp - tutorial on how to generate images to use on mosaic tool.

Obs: the program img2shp can be found at tools section.

Misc:

exemplos.zip - Some mosaic examples for MSX, including the original image.
fontes.zip - Two MSX font files.
intvz_font.zip - Intellivision font for MSX.

Author: Marcelo Silveira
License: GNU-GPL v. 3.x - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt.