5 ms·

For anyone who is interested in fonts that are literally intended to be used with router bits, there is an old font format called SHX (not the GIS thing) for th

For anyone who is interested in fonts that are literally intended to be used with router bits, there is an old font format called SHX (not the GIS thing) for this. I had been looking for such a thing for some time, and then I stumbled upon this post: https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25298 https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25.... It's useful for CNC tasks where you really want to minimize the total path length of a given string. This National Park typeface is kind of funny to me, because it originates from a similar practical constraint, but adapting it to the finite-width OTF format eliminates the practical aspect of it. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I realize it's still useful.

hpoe 5y ago
Took me several moments and a visit to the article to realize that this was not talking about a font that was somehow more efficient to be routed around network paths but was instead about a router tool and the bit on a router that makes impressions in wood.
- junon 5y ago
  I never realized the overlap in terminology before, that's quite interesting. "Router bits" and "shortest path".
  - afandian 5y ago
    I believe the etymology of 'router' (sending network packets along a route) and 'router' (cutting wood) are different. They are pronounced differently in British English, at least. Rout, via Old English 'wrotan' https://www.etymonline.com/word/router https://www.etymonline.com/word/router Route, via Old French 'rute' https://www.etymonline.com/word/route https://www.etymonline.com/word/route
  - mgdlbp 5y ago
    Also 'router table' vs 'routing table'.
  - NWoodsman- 5y ago
    Logically, one cannot create routes without a router and correspondingly, a router bit ;)
JKCalhoun 5y ago
Wish they had named the font Pantograph.
jofer 5y ago
> "not the GIS thing" And now I'm imagining tons of people searching for "shx" and going "Well, a shapefile sounds like something that could be a font... How do I convert this?"
NelsonMinar 5y ago
See also: vector / stroke fonts for use with pen plotters. Often stored in SVG font format. The big difference a typical computer font like OpenType draws the shape of the outline of the character, whereas a router font draws the shape of the centerline.
- clsec 5y ago
  As an ex CNC router operator & engraver in the signage industry I used all types of fonts. Anything that wasn't vector based had to be converted and/or scanned and vectorized. And yes, bit size, offset (for routing, not engraving), nesting (for routing), path & kerning are all important aspects that have to be considered when setting up a job. When I started in 1990 all of that was a lot harder because we were using DOS on a Commodore but those things can be easily manipulated using today's software. And yes, to a comment below about kerning. From a signage perspective that is definitely an engraving font and it has serious kerning issues. Fortunately that can be adjusted with signage software.

hpoe 5y ago

Took me several moments and a visit to the article to realize that this was not talking about a font that was somehow more efficient to be routed around network paths but was instead about a router tool and the bit on a router that makes impressions in wood.

junon 5y ago
I never realized the overlap in terminology before, that's quite interesting. "Router bits" and "shortest path".
- afandian 5y ago
  I believe the etymology of 'router' (sending network packets along a route) and 'router' (cutting wood) are different. They are pronounced differently in British English, at least. Rout, via Old English 'wrotan' https://www.etymonline.com/word/router https://www.etymonline.com/word/router Route, via Old French 'rute' https://www.etymonline.com/word/route https://www.etymonline.com/word/route
- mgdlbp 5y ago
  Also 'router table' vs 'routing table'.
- NWoodsman- 5y ago
  Logically, one cannot create routes without a router and correspondingly, a router bit ;)

JKCalhoun 5y ago

Wish they had named the font Pantograph.

jofer 5y ago

> "not the GIS thing" And now I'm imagining tons of people searching for "shx" and going "Well, a shapefile sounds like something that could be a font... How do I convert this?"

NelsonMinar 5y ago

See also: vector / stroke fonts for use with pen plotters. Often stored in SVG font format. The big difference a typical computer font like OpenType draws the shape of the outline of the character, whereas a router font draws the shape of the centerline.

clsec 5y ago
As an ex CNC router operator & engraver in the signage industry I used all types of fonts. Anything that wasn't vector based had to be converted and/or scanned and vectorized. And yes, bit size, offset (for routing, not engraving), nesting (for routing), path & kerning are all important aspects that have to be considered when setting up a job. When I started in 1990 all of that was a lot harder because we were using DOS on a Commodore but those things can be easily manipulated using today's software. And yes, to a comment below about kerning. From a signage perspective that is definitely an engraving font and it has serious kerning issues. Fortunately that can be adjusted with signage software.