NAME

       load_bitmap_font - Grabs a font from a bitmap file. Allegro game programming library.

SYNOPSIS

       #include <allegro.h>

       FONT *load_bitmap_font(const char *filename, RGB *pal, void *param)

DESCRIPTION

       Tries to grab a font from a bitmap. The bitmap can be in any format that load_bitmap understands.

       The  size  of each character is determined by the layout of the image, which should be a rectangular grid
       containing all the ASCII characters from space (32) up to the tilde (126). The  way  the  characters  are
       separated depends on the color depth of the image file:

       paletted  (8  bit)  image  file  Use  color 0 for the transparent portions of the characters and fill the
       spaces between each letter with color 255.

       High (15/16 bit) and true (24/32 bit) color image file Use bright pink (maximum red and blue, zero green)
       for the transparent portions of the characters and fill the spaces between each letter with bright yellow
       (maximum red and green, zero blue).

       Note that in each horizontal row the bounding boxes around the characters should align and have the  same
       height.

       Probably the easiest way to get to grips with how this works is to load up the `demo.dat' file and export
       the TITLE_FONT into a PCX file. Have a look at the resulting picture in your paint program: that  is  the
       format a font should be in.

       Take  care with high and true color fonts: Allegro will convert these to the current color depth when you
       load the font. If you try to use a font on a bitmap with a different color depth Allegro  will  do  color
       conversions on the fly, which will be rather slow. For optimal performance you should set the color depth
       to the color depth you want to use before loading any fonts.

RETURN VALUE

       Returns a pointer to the font or NULL on error. Remember that you are responsible for destroying the font
       when you are finished with it to avoid memory leaks.

SEE ALSO

       register_font_file_type(3alleg4),   load_font(3alleg4),  load_bitmap(3alleg4),  set_color_depth(3alleg4),
       grab_font_from_bitmap(3alleg4)