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Embed a font into an application

This is a snippet for embedding a font into an application, which ensures if the user doesn't have the font file installed, it really doesn't matter

Submitted By: PsychoCoder

Actions:

Rating:

Views: 590

Language: VB.NET

Last Modified: January 1, 2008

Instructions: First, add the font file as a Resource, that way the font file follows the application. Second you need to add a reference to System.Drawing to gain access to the different font functionalities.

This particular snippet doesn't currently use this a as a Resource, but will be modified, improved to show how to parse a Resource File.

Snippet

'Namespace Reference
Imports System
Imports System.Drawing
'Global variables
Private Shared PFC As Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection
Private Shared NewFont_FF As Drawing.FontFamily
''' <summary>
''' Function to return a new font based on the font file passed to it
''' </summary>
''' <param name="name">Path to the new font file</param>
''' <param name="style">The FontStyle of the new font</param>
''' <param name="size">T size of the new font</param>
''' <returns>A new font</returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Private Function CreateFont(ByVal name As String, ByVal style As Drawing.FontStyle, ByVal size As Single, ByVal unit As Drawing.GraphicsUnit) As Drawing.Font
'Create a new font collection
PFC = New Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection
'Add the font file to the new font
'"name" is the qualified path to your font file
PFC.AddFontFile(name)
'Retrieve your new font
NewFont_FF = PFC.Families(0)
Return New Drawing.Font(NewFont_FF, size, style, unit)
End Function
'Example Usage
Label1.Font = CreateFont("pathtofontfile",12,FontStyle.Regular,GraphicsUnit.Point)

Copy & Paste

'Namespace Reference
Imports System
Imports System.Drawing

'Global variables
Private Shared PFC As Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection
Private Shared NewFont_FF As Drawing.FontFamily

''' <summary>
''' Function to return a new font based on the font file passed to it
''' </summary>
''' <param name="name">Path to the new font file</param>
''' <param name="style">The FontStyle of the new font</param>
''' <param name="size">T size of the new font</param>
''' <returns>A new font</returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Private Function CreateFont(ByVal name As String, ByVal style As Drawing.FontStyle, ByVal size As Single, ByVal unit As Drawing.GraphicsUnit) As Drawing.Font
    'Create a new font collection
    PFC = New Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection
    'Add the font file to the new font
    '"name" is the qualified path to your font file
    PFC.AddFontFile(name)
    'Retrieve your new font
    NewFont_FF = PFC.Families(0)

Return New Drawing.Font(NewFont_FF, size, style, unit)
End Function

'Example Usage
Label1.Font = CreateFont("pathtofontfile",12,FontStyle.Regular,GraphicsUnit.Point)

Comments
demac43 2008-01-06 13:45:23
I get an error message on the line - ..... = PFC.Families(0) System.ArgumentException was unhandled Message="Value of '0' is not valid for 'emSize'. 'emSize' should be greater than 0 and less than or equal to System.Single.MaxValue. Parameter name: emSize" ParamName="emSize" Source="System.Drawing" etc. I am looking to embed "Colonna.ttf" to use in a label. It has been added to resources Demac43 (novice class)
PsychoCoder 2008-01-06 16:22:49
Show me how you are calling it, I used this in an application before. Lets see if we can debug this for you :)
demac43 2008-01-07 01:38:40
Imports System Imports System.Drawing Public Class Form1 Dim ...... Dim ...... Private Shared PFC As Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection Private Shared NewFont_FF As FontFamily Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load Me.MaximizeBox = True ..... .....
demac43 2008-01-07 01:50:17
the error occurs at build time Function is written inside the class module Imports System Imports System.Drawing Public Class Form1 Dim ...... Dim ...... Private Shared PFC As Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection Private Shared NewFont_FF As FontFamily Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load Me.MaximizeBox = True ..... ..... lblTheHeader.Font = CreateFont("Colonna.ttf", 12, FontStyle.Regular, GraphicsUnit.Point) Private Function CreateFont(ByVal name As String, ByVal style As Drawing.FontStyle, ByVal size As Single, ByVal unit As Drawing.GraphicsUnit) As Drawing.Font PFC = New Drawing.Text.PrivateFontCollection PFC.AddFontFile(name) NewFont_FF = PFC.Families(0) Return New Drawing.Font(NewFont_FF, size, style, unit) End Function End Class regards demac43 ...
RodgerB 2008-01-20 06:36:54
@demac43: You have the size parameter mixed up with the style parameter. @PsychoCoder: Could you please explain how I can use this with a resource? Also, I have found if you make more than one request to use this function, as in calling it twice, it provokes an exception. I wanted to use the same font, just a different size! :P Thanks :).