Defining new Characters in Java (Android)

Question

I am looking to apply an alphabet that does not exist in the UTF-Setup currently applied to all of my view elements and Swing components. To display these new characters, would I have to simply have each as its own image and then present the images adjacent to one another as in a character-like pattern, or is there any method by which to import letters from pictures to be added to something like a text area upon acting on a button? Basically, if I have a pictograph system, may I import these images as characters, or would I have to maintain them as pictures?

To give some specificity, picture, Klingon writing or Dragon language, something that certainly is not defined in the standard packages of Character sets.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Best way I can think of to do this is to create some font file (.ttf, .otf, etc.) representing your special alphabet and then proceed to follow the instructions in this answer here .

Downside is, there really isn't any easy way to create font files. Usually it involves many hours manually tracing symbols using a vector graphic editor and compiling those to a font file.

If your characters are already vector images, then most of the work will have already been done.