Setting up Plancton4Metapost

class: middle

# Drawing fonts
            # using code

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# Agenda
            
            
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            1. What?
            
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            2. Getting to know the command line 
            
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            3. Setting up tools
            
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            4. Launching Plancton
            
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            5. Playing around

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# What?

* Font editing via code

* Metafont

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            developed by Donald Knuth for TeX

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            # Getting to know the command line (Gtktcl)
            
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            * using your computer with text
            
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            * launch apps or little programs (scripts)
            
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            * be careful but not anxious 
            
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            # Gtktcl
            
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            * open Terminal (or even better install iTerm2)
            
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            * try a few commands: 
            
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                * `pwd` prints the folder (print working directory)
                * `ls` lists files in current folder
                * `cd directory` move to another folder `directory` (change directory)
    
            
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            # Gtktcl
            
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            * open Terminal (or even better install iTerm2)
            
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            * try a few commands: 
            
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                * `touch filename.extension` creates file named `filename` with extension `extension` in the current folder
                * `mkdir directory` creates folder `directory` in the current directory
                * `command -h` or `man command` opens the manual of the command (please insert a command like `ls`)
        
            ???
            
            For man page type q to exit
            
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            # Setting up tools
            
            * you can install additional tools for the command line 
            
            * to help you: package managers i.e. homebrew
            
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            # Setting up tools (Homebrew)
            
            * to start:
            
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                * visit [brew.sh](https://brew.sh)
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                * follow download instructions
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                * this installs homebrew, a package manager for the command line
            
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            # Setting up tools (Additionals)
            
            * in your command line type the following:
            
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                * `brew install git` 
            --
            a version manager
            
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                * `brew install fontforge` 
            --
            type design app fontforge’s command line tools
            
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                * `brew install inkscape` 
            --
            vector app inkscape’s command line tools
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                * `brew install virtualenv`
            --
            a tool to run »virtual environments« (longer story)
            
            ---
            
                * `brew install texlive`
            --
            a TeX distribution
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            * `brew install python-lxml`
            --
            a module to process XML and HTML in Python
            
            
            ---
            
            class: middle

# Can we please start
            # drawing fonts?

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# Yes
            
            ---
            
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            # One last thing
            
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            # Plancton Editor
            
            * `git clone https://github.com/haw-type-design/plancton-editor.git`
            
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            * `cd plancton-editor`
            
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            * `virtualenv plancton-env`
            
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            * `source plancton-env/bin/activate`
            
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            * `pip3 install -r requirements.txt`
            
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            * `python3 plancton-server.py`
            
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            # Plancton Editor
            
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            * open your browser
            
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            * type `localhost:8088`
            
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            * you should get something like:
            
            ![Browser showing the plancton editor served at localhost:8088](img/plancton.png)
            
            
            ---
            
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            # What’s next?
            
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            # Quitting / Launching Plancton again
            
            ## Quitting
            
            * to quit Plancton close your browser
            
            * go to your Terminal and hit `Control C (^C)`
            
            
            ---
            
            
            # Quitting / Launching Plancton again
            
            ## Launching Plancton again
            
            * move to your plancton folder in Terminal i.e. Command and drag it to your Terminal
            
            * run the following commands in Terminal:
                
                * `source plancton-env/bin/activate`
                
                * `python3 plancton-server.py`
            
            
            ---
            
            # Next
            
            * familiarize with MF/MP commands i.e in this [manual](https://www.tug.org/docs/metapost/mpman.pdf)
            
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            * some more [background and info about MF](https://github.com/simonthi/haw-type-tools-resources/tree/main/metafont)
            
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            * draw some lettershapes
            
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            * show and tell us about your findings/drawings in next week’s class
            
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            * advisable: get familiar with Git and maybe get a Github Account