FAQ: Common Questions About SnowB BMF Bitmap Font Generator
Find answers to frequently asked questions about SnowB BMF, the free web-based bitmap font generator. Learn about supported formats, performance, and more.
General
Section titled “General”What is SnowB BMF?
Section titled “What is SnowB BMF?”SnowB BMF is a free, web-based bitmap font generator. You can create, edit, and export custom bitmap fonts for games, web, and other applications directly in your browser.
Is SnowB BMF free?
Section titled “Is SnowB BMF free?”Yes. All features are available without registration or installation.
Which browsers are supported?
Section titled “Which browsers are supported?”Any modern browser with Canvas API support: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge (latest versions). For the best experience, keep your browser up to date.
Project Management
Section titled “Project Management”How do I save my work?
Section titled “How do I save my work?”Projects auto-save to IndexedDB when you navigate away or close the tab. For backup, click “Save” to download a .sbf file. That file works across browsers and devices. See Project Management for details.
I lost my work after refreshing the page. How can I prevent this?
Section titled “I lost my work after refreshing the page. How can I prevent this?”Refreshing should not cause data loss because IndexedDB persists automatically. If work is missing, check whether browser storage was cleared (“Clear browsing data”) or you were in a private/incognito window. Always keep a .sbf backup file.
Can I work on multiple projects at once?
Section titled “Can I work on multiple projects at once?”Yes. The tabbed workspace lets you create, open, and switch between multiple projects in a single browser tab. Click “New” or double-click the empty tab bar area to add a project. All projects auto-save to IndexedDB. See Project Management for details.
Font Formats & Exporting
Section titled “Font Formats & Exporting”What formats can I export my fonts in?
Section titled “What formats can I export my fonts in?”SnowB BMF supports six export formats:
- Text (.fnt, .txt): Widest engine compatibility. Works with Unity, Unreal, and Cocos2d-x.
- XML (.xml, .fnt): Structured format, good for web applications or custom parsers.
- Binary (.fnt): Most compact and fastest to load.
- JSON (.json): For web applications and custom parsers.
- C Header (.c): For embedded systems and MCUs with 8 pixel format options.
- MSDF Atlas JSON (.json): For msdf-atlas-gen compatible MSDF shader pipelines.
See Export Formats for full documentation.
Which export format is best for my game engine?
Section titled “Which export format is best for my game engine?”- Unity/Unreal/Cocos2d-x: Use the Text (.fnt) format.
- Custom Engines: Any format will work, but Binary (.fnt) offers the best performance.
See Export Formats for a complete comparison.
Are exported fonts compatible with Unity?
Section titled “Are exported fonts compatible with Unity?”Yes, the .fnt files work with TextMeshPro and NGUI. For sharp, pixel-perfect rendering, set the texture’s filter mode to “Point” (or “Nearest”) in Unity.
Font Quality & Rendering
Section titled “Font Quality & Rendering”Why does my font look blurry?
Section titled “Why does my font look blurry?”Usually caused by texture filtering. Set the filter mode to “Point” or “Nearest” in your game engine, and render text at integer positions without scaling. See Sharp Rendering for anti-aliasing tips.
How can I fix incorrect character spacing?
Section titled “How can I fix incorrect character spacing?”Check kerning pairs and baseline settings before exporting. See Kerning Pairs and Glyph Metrics for adjustment details.
How do I create a pixel-perfect font?
Section titled “How do I create a pixel-perfect font?”For a crisp, pixel-perfect look:
- Use a font designed for pixel art.
- Set the font size to match your target resolution exactly.
- Disable anti-aliasing and font smoothing.
- Ensure characters are aligned to the pixel grid.
See Sharp Rendering and Font Size for more tips.
Performance
Section titled “Performance”Why is the app running slowly or freezing?
Section titled “Why is the app running slowly or freezing?”Large character sets or complex fonts can cause slowdowns. To fix:
- Reduce the character set to only needed glyphs.
- Increase texture size, which reduces packing algorithm complexity.
- Close other browser tabs to free memory.
See Texture Packing and Character Sets for optimization tips.
I’m getting an “out of memory” error. What should I do?
Section titled “I’m getting an “out of memory” error. What should I do?”This happens with very large font atlases. Solutions:
- Reduce texture dimensions.
- Split your character set into multiple, smaller font files.
- Use the Binary export format, which is more memory-efficient.
Importing & Customization
Section titled “Importing & Customization”Can I import my own fonts?
Section titled “Can I import my own fonts?”Yes, upload .ttf, .otf, and .woff files. SnowB BMF cannot access system-installed fonts. See Font Import for details.
How do I use custom images as characters?
Section titled “How do I use custom images as characters?”- Import PNG images with transparency.
- Assign a Unicode value to each image.
- Adjust the position and scale of each image glyph as needed.
- Export the font. The image glyphs will be included in the atlas.
See Image Glyphs for a detailed guide.
What happens when I import a legacy project file?
Section titled “What happens when I import a legacy project file?”SnowB BMF converts legacy files automatically. Open the file, review the imported settings, and save as a new .sbf file.
New Features
Section titled “New Features”Does SnowB BMF support SDF/MSDF fonts?
Section titled “Does SnowB BMF support SDF/MSDF fonts?”Yes, as an experimental feature. Five rendering modes are available: Default (standard canvas rendering), SDF (Signed Distance Field using Felzenszwalb EDT), PSDF (Pseudo-SDF via msdfgen WASM), MSDF (Multi-channel SDF via msdfgen WASM), and MTSDF (Multi-channel + True SDF via msdfgen WASM). SDF fonts are resolution-independent, which makes them a good fit for game engines. Note: PSDF, MSDF, and MTSDF modes require uploading a font file first. See the SDF Rendering documentation for details.
What are gradient presets?
Section titled “What are gradient presets?”SnowB BMF includes 10 built-in gradient presets that you can apply with one click. You can also save your custom gradients as presets for reuse across projects, and delete presets you no longer need. Find the preset selector in the gradient section of the Fill settings panel. See Fill Styles for gradient configuration.
What is the Inner Shadow feature?
Section titled “What is the Inner Shadow feature?”Inner Shadow renders shadows inside glyph boundaries, creating engraved or embossed effects. You can use it together with outer shadows for layered depth. Configure color, blur, offset, and opacity in the Shadow settings panel. See Inner Shadow Effects for details.
Does SnowB BMF support variable fonts?
Section titled “Does SnowB BMF support variable fonts?”Yes. Import a variable TTF/OTF/WOFF file and you will see axis controls (weight, width, italic, custom axes) with real-time sliders. See Variable Fonts for details.
Can I import TTC (TrueType Collection) files?
Section titled “Can I import TTC (TrueType Collection) files?”Yes. Import a TTC file and a dialog lets you pick one or more fonts from the collection. See Font Import for details.
What is Ordered Grid packing?
Section titled “What is Ordered Grid packing?”A third packing mode alongside Auto and Fixed. It arranges glyphs in rows and columns with a configurable column count, giving you predictable grid-based layouts. See Texture Packing for details.
Does SnowB BMF work offline?
Section titled “Does SnowB BMF work offline?”Yes. As a PWA, it works fully offline after the first load. Install it for a native-like experience. Updates are detected automatically when you reconnect. See PWA & Offline for details.
Where can I find keyboard shortcuts?
Section titled “Where can I find keyboard shortcuts?”See Keyboard Shortcuts for the full list. Key shortcuts: Space+drag to pan, Ctrl+scroll to zoom, plus navigation shortcuts for faster editing.
Data & Storage
Section titled “Data & Storage”How does auto-save work?
Section titled “How does auto-save work?”Projects save to IndexedDB on beforeunload (page navigation) and visibilitychange (tab switch), stored as Protocol Buffer encoded data. Clearing browser data deletes saved projects, so always keep .sbf backups. See Project Management for details.
What is the xFractional setting?
Section titled “What is the xFractional setting?”An experimental feature that enables sub-pixel precision for glyph metrics using fixed-point numbers. When enabled, xAdvance, xOffset, and other metrics store fractional values for smoother text rendering at small sizes. Most users do not need to change this setting.