TrueType Font Display Problem

[derek.96018]

Hello, I have been searching for a solution to this font display problem and just not coming up with the right threads to read. maybe some can answer the question or point me in the right direction.

The Problem:
I have assigned a TrueType Font... Eurostile ExtendedTwo to be exact.... to a font style and made changes to it to look like a client’s text in their logo. I have not been able to find a shx that looks the same, so I am back to this.

--The font displays on my computer correctly, but does not display correctly on others.

A little about our AutoCAD Setup:
Vanilla AutoCAD 2009
Fonts folder on the network with the SFSP pathed to that location (the default font path to the C-Drive is lower in the list)
All computers are pathed the same
Certain other support folders also reside on the server (such as the support folder)

I tried to find the font so as to make sure it is in the windows font folder as well as the two AutoCAD font folder locations and cannot find it at all. Also tried doing an etransmit to force the font to 'expose' itself, but it did not. I also tried looking in the Help menu to try to get a better understanding of how fonts work and I just did not find the right information.

Is there something I can do that would have an effect which would 'fix' all of the computers across our network?

Can someone please enlighten me ! thanks

[Tom Beauford]

What value do you have for FONTALT? If you have a drawing with a font assigned that can't be found in your support path it still shows in the Text Style dialog box, but it displays with the font saved in FONTALT. This is so text will display on your computer weather you have the required font or not. Try assigning the value of FONTALT as the font for your Text Style to see if it displays different.

If you assign a different font to the Text Style then try to change it back to Eurostile ExtendedTwo it will not be in the list anymore.

[derek.96018]

Hi Tom,

What value do you have for FONTALT?

This is what the command line says when I type in FONTALT:
Enter new value for FONTALT, or . for none <"@Arial Unicode MS">:
my computer let me set the value to Eurostile ExtendedTwo. The computer next to me said it was invalid. tried Eurostile ExtendedTwo.ttf and it said invalid as well.

Try assigning the value of FONTALT as the font for your Text Style to see if it displays different.

The font did not show up different for me (not surprising considering it shows up correctly to begin with) and on the other computer, like I mentioned above, I cannot set it as AutoCAD says that "Alternate Font File is invalid"

If you assign a different font to the Text Style then try to change it back to Eurostile ExtendedTwo it will not be in the list anymore.

No, I switched the font to something different in the Text Style editor window, hit Apply and closed out of there. Regen'd (text changed style) then reopened the Text Style editor window again and was able to switch it back to the Eurostile ExtendedTwo True Type font.

Other thoughts ?

[jaberwok]

If a TT font displays correctly on your computer then it must be installed in the \Windows\Fonts folder, acad pathing (I'm almost absolutely certain ) is irrelevant.
The same font needs to be installed to Windows on the other machines.
Bear in mind that the (TT) font name is not necessarily the same as the name of the file that contains the font.

[derek.96018]

Hello old friend...

If a TT font displays correctly on your computer then it must be installed in the \Windows\Fonts folder, acad pathing (I'm almost absolutely certain ) is irrelevant.

I hate to ask why it would be on my computer and not on the one next to me... both running XP (for now)... but I guess I have to !

The same font needs to be installed to Windows on the other machines.
Bear in mind that the (TT) font name is not necessarily the same as the name of the file that contains the font.

So I would like to just be able to put the font in my fonts folder (in AutoCAD's SFSP) on the server and have that sync to the other office and work correctly for the other users in my office, but sounds like it is a Windows issue ?.... How do I figure out what the name of the font in Windows is so I can ask my IT guy to help me out on this one ?

[jaberwok]

Google is your friend - see here.

I've no idea why it's on your computer but not on others in the office.

[Tom Beauford]

I tried to find the font so as to make sure it is in the windows font folder as well as the two AutoCAD font folder locations and cannot find it at all. Also tried doing an etransmit to force the font to 'expose' itself, but it did not. I also tried looking in the Help menu to try to get a better understanding of how fonts work and I just did not find the right information.

Is there something I can do that would have an effect which would 'fix' all of the computers across our network?

Can someone please enlighten me ! thanks

Sorry, when you said you couldn't find the font I thought it wasn't really there. You can find the name of the font file easy with lisp. For the font associated with the "Standard" text style enter

 (tblsearch "style" "standard")

on the command line. Mine returns:
((0 . "STYLE") (2 . "Standard") (70 . 0) (40 . 0.0) (41 . 1.0) (50 . 0.0) (71 . 0) (42 . 0.2) (3 . "swissl.ttf") (4 . ""))
In the text style dialog box "Standard" is assigned "Swiss 721 Lt BT" the font file is "swissl.ttf".

For the font associated with the "Eurostile ExtendedTwo" text style enter

 (tblsearch "style" "Eurostile ExtendedTwo")

to find the font file that Windows is using.

[derek.96018]

Hi Tom, thank you very much for your direction.

Sorry, when you said you couldn't find the font I thought it wasn't really there.

Maybe it was my misunderstanding.... I could not find the font file in the Windows fonts folder nor the AutoCAD fonts folder so I could try to see if it was missing on someone else's computer.

For the font associated with the "Eurostile ExtendedTwo" text style enter

 (tblsearch "style" "Eurostile ExtendedTwo")

to find the font file that Windows is using.

I did this and AutoCAD came back with:
(70 . 0) (40 . 0.0) (41 . 1.2) (50 . 0.0) (71 . 0) (42 . 8.0) (3 . "PS_14511.TTF") (4 . ""))

I then searched my C-Drive for the file PS_14511.TTF.
Much to my surprise the file showed up in C:\lj9050\Fonts (relating to our [old] Laserjet 9050 I am guessing) not in the Windows fonts folder nor the AutoCAD fonts folder. I would like to note that on the computer next to me was the same lj9050 folder with said TTF file (and the computer next to them as well....) So this is what I tried on the computer next to me:

1. I tried copying it to our AutoCAD fonts folder on the network; closed and re-launched AutoCAD
result: font still did NOT shown up correctly
2. I then tried copying the font file into the AutoCAD fonts folder on the C-drive; closed and re-launched AutoCAD
result: font still did NOT shown up correctly
For 1 and 2 above, I tried renaming the font file to Eurostile ExtendedTwo.TTF with the same results

OK, THEN THIS

3. I then tried copying the font file into the Windows fonts folder.
result: A Windows dialog box came up saying that the font was already installed and if I wanted to reinstall it, that I would need to un-install the font, then reload it. The only option was to select OK.

OK, fine. I did NOT do that. (things got fuzzy) Launched AutoCAD and there it was, the font was showing correctly. Did a repeat of step 3 on the next computer with the same result.

So, it is fixed, but I am not sure I learned anything as far as what was the cause. I was hoping for a global fix so every computer does not have to be adjusted individually. Thanks again Tom for the Lisp.

[jaberwok]

You fixed it - good.
So, installing your old Laserjet printer caused one (and probably more) ttf fonts to be installed but not to the normal \Windows\Fonts folder - which is a bit "naughty".
So Windows knew where to find it/them but AutoCAD didn't.
If there are other fonts in the \lj9050 folder I'd try just dragging them all into the normal location.

Also, you've now proved to yourself that ttf fonts are part of Windows, not AutoCAD. Acad just uses them, the same as other Windows applications do.

[Coloradomrg]

After I personally fought with the TTF issue a few years back I went ahead and copied all of the TTF fonts to my server folder with my autocad fonts. Windows and ACAD ignore them, but it allows me to fix a corrupted one on another workstation quickly!