Hello,

I tried BitmapFont.createSprite() for reducing draw call.

'new TextField()' makes good results.
A Multichannel Distance Field font is normally displayed.
But drawcall increases (my project, up to 960) when repeated.
'BitmapFont.createSprite()' makes bad results.
The font is not normally displayed.
But drawcall keeps a little (only 1) when repeated.
I tried 'new TextField()' with batchable=true,
drawcall keeps a some (my project, about 50) when repeated.

'new TextField()' increasing drawcall

BitmapFont.createSprite() keeps drawcall 1, but unreadable

If possible, I want to use 'BitmapFont.createSprite()' with Multichannel Distance Field Fonts.

Thank you.

My trying process:

	bash $ echo ABCZ > charlist.txt
	bash $ msdf-bmfont -t msdf -o NotoSerif-Bold.png -i charlist.txt --smart-size NotoSerif-Bold.ttf
	bash $ mxmlc -compiler.library-path+=starling.swc Main.as

My env:

Adobe AIR SDK 32 (32.0.0.116 Windows)
Starling 2.6
Flash Player 32
Windows 10 64bit ver1903

Code:

class Game extends Sprite
{
	[Embed(source = "NotoSerif-Bold.png")]
	private static const FontTexture:Class;
	[Embed(source = "NotoSerif-Bold.fnt", mimeType = "application/octet-stream")]
	private static const FontXML:Class;
	public static var font:BitmapFont;
	private var count:int = 0;
	
	public function Game():void {
		if (stage) init();
		else addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);
	}
	private function init():void {
		removeEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);
		
		var texture:Texture = Texture.fromEmbeddedAsset(FontTexture);
		var xml:XML = XML(new FontXML());
		font = new BitmapFont(texture, xml);
		TextField.registerCompositor(font, font.name);
		
		addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, onEnterFrame);
	}
	
	private function onEnterFrame(e:Event):void {
		if (count > 100) return;
		count++;
		var str:String = ["A", "B", "C", "Z"][count % 4];

		var text1:TextField = new TextField(40, 40, str, new TextFormat(font.name, 20, 0xffffff, "left", "top"));
		text1.x = int(count * 20 % stage.stageWidth);
		text1.y = int(count * 20 / stage.stageWidth) * 20;
		addChild(text1);
		
		var font2:BitmapFont = TextField.getBitmapFont(font.name);
		font2.type = BitmapFontType.MULTI_CHANNEL_DISTANCE_FIELD;
		var text2:Sprite = font2.createSprite(40, 40, str, new TextFormat(font.name, 20, 0xffffff, "left", "top"));
		text2.x = int(count * 20 % stage.stageWidth);
		text2.y = int(count * 20 / stage.stageWidth) * 20 + stage.stageHeight / 2;
		addChild(text2);
	}
}