Embedding Fonts

protected fonts?

from WinCustomize Forums

     Are some fonts protected against being embedded? I have recently made a few DX themes that have embedded fonts that did not work on the computers that they were downloaded to. Including my laptop, which is running Vista, rather than XP, which I make them on. But I don't think it is a Vista thing. I really think it is a font protection thing. Just a theory. Does anyone out there in the world of skinning, or the font world, know anything about this?

    The most recent font in question is RedRightHand.ttf. Any info on fonts and font protection would be appreciated.  Thanx!   ;) 

skinning
2,645 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim,

can you walk me through how you are embedding fonts?  Do individual widgets work while themes fail?
Have you ever had a widget work with one font and not with another?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My process:
Install the font into my font directory.
In DX Builder, add it as a custom file on the Summary tab of any object.
On the States tab set your text to use that font.
Export

I took your hellboy start button and added the fonts there.  Then I changed the font on the child text to Red Right hand.ttf.  Exported adn copied the exe to a PC that didn't have the font.  I ran it and the font was there.

I'm using Vista to create the object and XP to run it.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim,

can you walk me through how you are embedding fonts? Do individual widgets work while themes fail?
Have you ever had a widget work with one font and not with another?
End of quote


To embed the fonts, I go to the summary tab, custom files, click add, browse to My Documents, where I previously put the font, click ok. Yes, I have had embedded fonts before, several times. Just seems like some fonts don't work.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I took your hellboy start button and added the fonts there. Then I changed the font on the child text to Red Right hand.ttf. Exported adn copied the exe to a PC that didn't have the font. I ran it and the font was there.
End of quote


Sounds as though you are using it as a widget (exe). I uploaded it as a .desktop. Dunno if that matters. Making it on XP, trying it on Vista and XP.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oddly enough, I embedded it into the same button that you did, and it worked. Previously, I had embedded it into a different button, not sure which. Is that not odd? Zubaz, do I need to reupload?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I figured that the button we both chose was the first one loaded/dispalyed . . seemed like a good choice.  I don't know if exporting as a desktop makes a difference.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I can't imagine it would make a difference into which object it was that you had added the custom file (they should really all be fine, in my experience). I personally will include any custom files into a parent object, so I know where to look if anything needs to be changed/removed in the future.

The point of the custom file process is to have DesktopX add a reference to some external file that needs to be included. When you add in images through the states tab, you are implicitly creating references to the images added there, so those will be automatically included.

If you rename the resulting .dxpack/.desktop file generated after exporting to .zip, you should be able to find any additional images/fonts/etc within there.

Glad to hear you were able to get it working though at least  :CONGRAT: 


Mike

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks like the last upload worked.  :)  Well done.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
 ;) 
Looks like the last upload worked. Well done.
End of quote


Thank you.