c64-keyboard-font README

The project's README from github.com/szabadkai/c64-keyboard-font. As one markdown file: README.md.

C64 Keyboard

A font recreated from photographs of classic Commodore 64 keycaps, with cleaned-up shapes and consistent proportions.

C64 Keyboard font preview

Try it in your browser · Download TTF · OTF · Webfont · Complete package

Use it

Install the TTF or OTF, then select C64 Keyboard in your application.

To try it out, open the online preview, or download and extract the complete package and open preview.html. Click a function-key or PETSCII button to insert its symbol into the type tester, then copy the text into your application and select C64 Keyboard.

If you have an earlier version installed, replace it with version 1.112 and restart applications that still show the old font. The former U+E000 symbol and the U+E020–U+E028 key-name legends are no longer included.

Included

Lowercase input displays as uppercase. This recreates printed key legends, including smooth geometric reconstructions of the PETSCII graphics, rather than the screen bitmap font.

The source keyboard

The Central European Commodore 64 keyboard the font was reconstructed from

The lettering comes from my own Commodore 64, a Central European unit. Its keycaps are the reference for every letter, number, and symbol in the font.

PETSCII front legends

PETSCII reference sheet

Open the online preview or preview.html and use the PETSCII buttons to insert the symbols, then copy them from the type tester. Left legends correspond to Commodore + key, right legends to Shift + key in uppercase/graphics mode. Pi on the up-arrow key also works with Commodore.

These are reconstructed outlines: identities and key assignments come from the Ultimate Commodore 64 Reference; frame thickness, curves, and print proportions are inferred from the keyboard photograph. They are not exact photo traces. Pi is unframed as on the key.

The preview handles the special character codes for you. Copied symbols need this font to display correctly. See the PETSCII key map and encoding guide for codes and keyboard combinations.

Editable outlines are in glyphs/, with build tools in scripts/.

Build instructions · Version history

License

To the extent possible under law, Levente Szabadkai dedicates the copyright and related rights he holds in this repository to the public domain under CC0 1.0 Universal. This covers the font files, editable outlines and traces, build scripts, preview, documentation, mappings, and specimen images. You may use, modify, and redistribute these contributions, including commercially, without attribution.

The close-up photographs used for tracing are not included. CC0 does not grant rights held by others in the historical keycap designs or any trademarks. C64 Keyboard is an independent, unofficial reconstruction and is not endorsed by Commodore.

c64-keyboard-font (szabadkai/c64-keyboard-font)

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634 ·GitHub
C64-keyboard-font
What is this?C64 Keyboard is a font that recreates the printed letter and symbol legends from a real Commodore 64 keyboard, traced and cleaned up from photographs of the actual keycaps. It ships as desktop TTF/OTF files, a webfont, editable outlines, and a specimen for previewing the glyphs.
Is this a direct photo trace or a redrawn font?It's a cleaned-up reconstruction rather than a literal trace: shapes are smoothed into consistent proportions, and even the PETSCII graphic glyphs are geometric reconstructions inferred from the keycap photo rather than exact photo traces.
How do I install and use it?Install the TTF or OTF file and select 'C64 Keyboard' in your application, or skip installing anything and try it live in the online browser preview, or download the complete package and open preview.html locally.
Do I need to do anything special if I already have an older version installed?Yes — replace it with version 1.112 and restart any app that still shows the old font. Two older glyphs (the previous U+E000 symbol and the U+E020–U+E028 key-name legends) have been removed in this version.
Can I use this on a website as a webfont?Yes, a webfont version is included alongside the TTF and OTF, and the project also offers a live browser preview so you can test the glyphs before downloading anything.
What characters and symbols does the font include?Uppercase letters, numbers, punctuation, arrows, £ and π, selected accented letters including Hungarian characters, function-key labels f1-f12, and all 63 PETSCII graphic front legends. Lowercase input is displayed as uppercase.
How do I type the PETSCII graphic symbols?Open the online preview or preview.html, click the PETSCII buttons to insert symbols into the type tester, then copy the text into your own app with the font selected. Left legends map to Commodore+key, right legends to Shift+key.
Where did the letterforms actually come from?They were traced from the author's own Commodore 64, a Central European unit — its physical keycaps served as the direct reference for every letter, number, and symbol in the font.
Can I edit or extend the font myself?Yes, editable outlines live in the glyphs/ folder with accompanying build tools in scripts/, and the repo includes build instructions and a version history for anyone wanting to modify it.
What are similar projects?source-han-sans, Macintosh-Skeletal-Filled, libron, awesome-design, inter, Iosevka, Hack, devicon
Which topics is it in?webfont, ascii-art, encoding, typeface, unicode, history, assets, retro, fonts, design-tools, creative-tools, font
Creator
szabadkai
Size
11.4 MB
Stars
634
Updated
CommitOct 07Releasev1.112Oct 07
Age
12d
Commits · 90 Days