Private Font and GDI+

[mms_]

Below is my code to attempt to use a private otf font with GDI+

It does not work.

Any ideas?

Option Explicit


Dim gdiplusToken As Long

Dim stat As Long

Dim graphics As Long
Dim privateFontCollection As Long
Dim fontFamilyPrivate As Long
Dim fontPrivate As Long


Private Sub Form_Load()

    Form1.Caption = "GDI+ (Use Private Font)"
    Form1.Width = Screen.TwipsPerPixelX * 600
    Form1.Height = Screen.TwipsPerPixelY * 465
    Form1.BackColor = &H8000000F
    Form1.ScaleMode = vbPixels
    
    Picture1.Appearance = 0
    Picture1.Left = 16
    Picture1.Top = 16
    Picture1.Height = 366
    Picture1.Width = 552
    'Picture1.Font = "courier new"
    Picture1.AutoRedraw = True
    Picture1.ScaleMode = vbPixels
    
    Command1.Width = Picture1.Width
    Command1.Height = 25
    Command1.Left = Picture1.Left
    Command1.Top = Picture1.Top + Picture1.Height + 10
    Command1.Caption = "Use Private Font"

    ' Initialize Windows GDI+
    Dim GdiplusStartupInput As GdiplusStartupInput
    GdiplusStartupInput.GdiplusVersion = 1
    GdiplusStartupInput.DebugEventCallback = 0
    GdiplusStartupInput.SuppressBackgroundThread = False
    GdiplusStartupInput.SuppressExternalCodecs = False
    Dim status As GpStatus
    status = GdiplusStartup(gdiplusToken, GdiplusStartupInput, 0)
    If status <> Ok Then
        MsgBox "Error loading GDI+!", vbCritical
        Call GdiplusShutdown(gdiplusToken)
    End If

End Sub


Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)

    ' Clean up resources used by Windows GDI+
    Call GdiplusShutdown(gdiplusToken)
    
End Sub


Private Sub Command1_Click()
    stat = GdipCreateFromHDC(Picture1.hdc, graphics)
    Call GdipSample
    stat = GdipDeleteGraphics(graphics)
End Sub


Private Sub GdipSample()

    'Picture1.Cls
    stat = GdipGraphicsClear(graphics, &HFFFFFFFF)                  'clear to white
    
    stat = GdipNewPrivateFontCollection(privateFontCollection)
    Debug.Print "GdipNewPrivateFontCollection = " & stat

    stat = GdipPrivateAddFontFile(privateFontCollection, StrPtr(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf"))
    Debug.Print "GdipPrivateAddFontFile = " & stat
    
    stat = GdipCreateFontFamilyFromName(StrPtr(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf"), privateFontCollection, fontFamilyPrivate)
    Debug.Print "GdipCreateFontFamilyFromName = " & stat
    
    stat = GdipCreateFont(fontFamilyPrivate, 48, FontStyle.FontStyleRegular, UnitPixel, fontPrivate)
    Debug.Print "GdipCreateFontFamilyFromName = " & stat
    


    Dim blackBrush As Long
    stat = GdipCreateSolidFill(&HFF000000, blackBrush)
    Dim rctf As RECTF
    stat = GdipDrawString(graphics, StrPtr("Private Font String"), -1, fontPrivate, rctf, 0, blackBrush)
    Debug.Print "GdipDrawString = " & stat
 
   
    
    Picture1.Refresh

End Sub

[mms_]

So I guess the first question is...
Why does this line

stat = GdipPrivateAddFontFile(privateFontCollection, StrPtr(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf"))

return a "File Not Found" error when I've definitely put that otf file in the app folder?

[fafalone]

How is the function declared? Is it actually a Long or did you declare the path argument as String?

[mms_]

This is the declare I am using

Public Declare Function GdipPrivateAddFontFile Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal fontCollection As Long, ByVal filename As String) As GpStatus

[fafalone]

Yup that's the problem-- you're passing a Long to a String.

Change the declare to ByVal filename As Long.

[OptionBase1]

If the filename is a string, why are you passing StrPtr(filename) in the call?

[wqweto]

Check out this GdipPreparePrivateFont helper function implementation. You can use it like this:

        GdipPreparePrivateFont LocateFile(PathCombine(App.Path, "External\fa-regular-400.ttf")), m_oFont.Size, m_hFontAwesomeRegular, m_hFontAwesomeColRegular
        GdipPreparePrivateFont LocateFile(PathCombine(App.Path, "External\fa-solid-900.ttf")), m_oFont.Size, m_hFontAwesomeSolid, m_hFontAwesomeColSolid

You can cache the font collection (m_hFontAwesomeColRegular and m_hFontAwesomeColSolid in code above) in a static variables and reuse these in all instances of your class/user-control so the font file is loaded once to reduce redundancy/memory usage.

You can destroy the font (m_hFontAwesomeRegular and m_hFontAwesomeSolid in code above) with regular GdipDeleteFont API call as these don't unload the font files actually but are placeholders for size and other font properties requested.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

OK thanks wqweto
I will try to understand, and play with what you suggested this evening.

So the problem is GdipPrivateAddFontFile is not receiving the correct path to the otf file?

[fafalone]

I don't know if that's your *only* problem but yes that's why you're getting file not found from GdipPrivateAddFontFile; the declare needs to be As Long instead of As String.

[mms_]

OK so I fixed the declare but same error (FileNotFound)

I tried something different.
I copied Arial.ttf from my fonts folder and placed copy into app folder and everything works.

So it looks like problem is that otf not supported?
I'm sure I read somewhere that it was.

[OptionBase1]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/...on-addfontfile

Comments seem to indicate the File Not Found error is also thrown when the filetype is unsupported, which apparently can happen with otf files. I didn't read through the whole thread, and it is a C# related thread, but maybe there's stuff in there that might help you out.

[-Franky-]

According to the table at the bottom of the page, 2 OTF font types are supported. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...collection-use

[mms_]

OK so using these two declares

Public Declare Function GdipNewPrivateFontCollection Lib "gdiplus" _
                (fontCollection As Long) As GpStatus
Public Declare Function GdipPrivateAddFontFile Lib "gdiplus" _
                (ByVal fontCollection As Long, ByVal filename As Long) As GpStatus

with wqweto's code from post #7

Private Sub Command1_Click()
   stat = GdipCreateFromHDC(Picture1.hdc, graphics)
   Call GdipPreparePrivateFont
   stat = GdipDeleteGraphics(graphics)
End Sub

Private Sub GdipPreparePrivateFont()

   'Picture1.Cls
   stat = GdipGraphicsClear(graphics, &HFFFFFFFF)                  'clear to white
    
    
   '-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ' wqweto code
    
   Dim hNewFontCol  As Long
   Dim hFamily      As Long
   Dim lNumFamilies As Long
   Dim hNewFont     As Long
    
   stat = GdipNewPrivateFontCollection(hNewFontCol)
   Debug.Print stat
    
   stat = GdipPrivateAddFontFile(hNewFontCol, StrPtr(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf"))
   Debug.Print stat
   '-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
   Picture1.Refresh

End Sub

I get the following result in the immediate window

0 
10    [File Not Found]

However, using

   stat = GdipPrivateAddFontFile(hNewFontCol, StrPtr(App.path & "\Arial.ttf"))

works!!!

Some background:

I am trying to use above code on a Windows7 Professionial machine with Administrator Lock on Fonts Folder
(hence trying to use PRIVATE font files).

I know the font file PetalumaScript.otf is OK, because I can use the same font file with GDI+ and all works OK
on a Windows10 Professional machine also with Administrator Lock
(The font file is placed in the System Fonts Folder on this Windows10 machine
because Windows10 seems to allow regular user to install fonts in this folder).

Any more ideas with this current approach?

Any other ideas as to how to use otf font file on Windows7 machine where font can't be installed in System Fonts Folder?

[fafalone]

Use one of the online OTF to TTF converters then use TTF?

[-Franky-]

FontForge should also be able to convert OTF to TTF. https://fontforge.org/en-US/

[mms_]

Is someone able to confirm that otf font files cannot be used?

I find it strange that GDI+ can use this file correctly if placed in system fonts folder, but not somewhere else.

What about using AddFontResourceEx api?
If that is a possibility I would need some sample code.

[mms_]

It is quite clear from the Microsoft documentation that -Franky- linked in post #12 that otf font files are supported.
I don't want to give up on this.

[wqweto]

It is quite clear from the Microsoft documentation that -Franky- linked in post #12 that otf font files are supported.
I don't want to give up on this.

I can successfully load Petaluma.otf, PetalumaScript.otf and PetalumaText.otf with GdipPreparePrivateFont here on Win11.

Btw, there are other useful helpers in that module e.g. GdipPrepareFont uses GdipCreateFontFromDC to convert StdFont objects to GDI+ font handles easily in 5 lines of code.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

OK thanks for taking the time to test wqweto
Just to confirm... those 3 fonts only reside in app folder, and not in System Fonts folder on your machine?

Are you saying that, because it works for you in Windows11, same code must work for me on my Windows7 machine?

And as an aside, do glyphs from Petaluma.otf display correctly using the private font method? (it uses non-standard codepoints)

Btw, there are other useful helpers in that module e.g. GdipPrepareFont uses GdipCreateFontFromDC to convert StdFont objects to GDI+ font handles easily in 5 lines of code.

I will wait until I confirm that GdipNewPrivateFontCollection does not work with otf files on Windows7, before starting with this.
But thanks for giving me some new hope.

[wqweto]

Not working on Win7, just tested with this:

'--- Form1
Option Explicit

'--- for GdipCreateFont
Private Const UnitPoint                     As Long = 3

Private Declare Function GetModuleHandle Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetModuleHandleA" (ByVal lpModuleName As String) As Long
'--- gdi+
Private Declare Function GdiplusStartup Lib "gdiplus" (hToken As Long, pInputBuf As Any, Optional ByVal pOutputBuf As Long = 0) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipNewPrivateFontCollection Lib "gdiplus" (hFontCollection As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipPrivateAddFontFile Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFontCollection As Long, ByVal lpFileName As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipGetFontCollectionFamilyList Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFontCollection As Long, ByVal lNumSought As Long, aFamilies As Any, lNumFound As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateFont Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFontFamily As Long, ByVal emSize As Single, ByVal lStyle As Long, ByVal lUnit As Long, hFont As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteFont Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFont As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeletePrivateFontCollection Lib "gdiplus" (hFontCollection As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateFromHDC Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hDC As Long, hGraphics As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteGraphics Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hGraphics As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateStringFormat Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFormatAttributes As Long, ByVal nLanguage As Integer, hStringFormat As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteStringFormat Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipSetStringFormatAlign Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal eAlign As StringAlignment) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipSetStringFormatLineAlign Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal eAlign As StringAlignment) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateSolidFill Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal lColor As Long, hBrush As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteBrush Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hBrush As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDrawString Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hGraphics As Long, ByVal lStrPtr As Long, ByVal lLength As Long, ByVal hFont As Long, uRect As RECTF, ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal hBrush As Long) As Long

Private Enum StringAlignment
   StringAlignmentNear = 0
   StringAlignmentCenter = 1
   StringAlignmentFar = 2
End Enum

Private Type RECTF
   Left                 As Single
   Top                  As Single
   Right                As Single
   Bottom               As Single
End Type

Private m_hFontPetaluma     As Long
Private m_hFontColPetaluma  As Long

Private Sub Form_Initialize()
    Dim aInput(0 To 3)  As Long
    
    If GetModuleHandle("gdiplus") = 0 Then
        aInput(0) = 1
        Call GdiplusStartup(0, aInput(0))
    End If
    GdipPreparePrivateFont App.Path & "\PetalumaScript.otf", 12, m_hFontPetaluma, m_hFontColPetaluma
    If m_hFontPetaluma = 0 Then
        MsgBox "Cannot load " & App.Path & "\PetalumaScript.otf", vbCritical
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Click()
    Dim hGraphics       As Long
    Dim hStringFormat   As Long
    Dim hBrush          As Long
    Dim sText           As String
    Dim uRect           As RECTF
    
    If GdipCreateFromHDC(hDC, hGraphics) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateStringFormat(0, 0, hStringFormat) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipSetStringFormatAlign(hStringFormat, StringAlignmentCenter) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipSetStringFormatLineAlign(hStringFormat, StringAlignmentCenter) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateSolidFill(&HFFFF0000, hBrush) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    sText = "This is a test"
    uRect.Right = ScaleWidth / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    uRect.Bottom = ScaleHeight / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
    If GdipDrawString(hGraphics, StrPtr(sText), -1, m_hFontPetaluma, uRect, hStringFormat, hBrush) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
QH:
    If hBrush <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteBrush(hBrush)
        hBrush = 0
    End If
    If hStringFormat <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteStringFormat(hStringFormat)
        hStringFormat = 0
    End If
    If hGraphics <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteGraphics(hGraphics)
        hGraphics = 0
    End If
End Sub

Public Function GdipPreparePrivateFont(sFileName As String, ByVal lFontSize As Long, hFont As Long, hFontCollection As Long) As Boolean
    Dim hNewFontCol     As Long
    Dim hFamily         As Long
    Dim lNumFamilies    As Long
    Dim hNewFont        As Long
    
    If hFontCollection = 0 Then
        If GdipNewPrivateFontCollection(hNewFontCol) <> 0 Then
            GoTo QH
        End If
        If GdipPrivateAddFontFile(hNewFontCol, StrPtr(sFileName)) <> 0 Then
            GoTo QH
        End If
    Else
        hNewFontCol = hFontCollection
    End If
    If GdipGetFontCollectionFamilyList(hNewFontCol, 1, hFamily, lNumFamilies) <> 0 Or lNumFamilies = 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateFont(hFamily, lFontSize, 0, UnitPoint, hNewFont) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    '--- commit
    If hFont <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteFont(hFont)
    End If
    hFont = hNewFont
    hNewFont = 0
    If hFontCollection <> 0 And hFontCollection <> hNewFontCol Then
        Call GdipDeletePrivateFontCollection(hFontCollection)
    End If
    hFontCollection = hNewFontCol
    hNewFontCol = 0
    '--- success
    GdipPreparePrivateFont = True
QH:
    If hNewFont <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteFont(hNewFont)
        hNewFont = 0
    End If
    If hNewFontCol <> 0 And hFontCollection <> hNewFontCol Then
        Call GdipDeletePrivateFontCollection(hNewFontCol)
        hNewFontCol = 0
    End If
End Function

Compiled project and font: PetalumaTest.zip

Apparently .otf fonts load correctly on Win8, Win10 and Win11 but fail on Win7.

> Just to confirm... those 3 fonts only reside in app folder, and not in System Fonts folder on your machine?

Yes.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

Thank you wqweto for going through all that trouble!!

I can comfortably abandon the idea of using this approach on a Windows7 machine,
knowing it truly will not work, and not that it does work, but I was doing something wrong.

Btw, there are other useful helpers in that module e.g. GdipPrepareFont uses GdipCreateFontFromDC to convert StdFont objects to GDI+ font handles easily in 5 lines of code.

Am I correct in assuming that using AddFontResourceEx along with what's contained in above, I should be able to get this working on Windows7?

[Schmidt]

It is quite clear from the Microsoft documentation that -Franky- linked in post #12 that otf font files are supported.

In the table at the end of the page, it is clearly stated,
that otf-support (for Adobe-Formats) does not work on Win7, only from Win8 onwards.

Olaf

[mms_]

In the table at the end of the page, it is clearly stated,
that otf-support (for Adobe-Formats) does not work on Win7, only from Win8 onwards.

I guess I have to assume the fonts I want use the Adobe CFF format and not True Type format

So two more possibilities then.
1. Now that I have working code to use GDI+ Private Fonts from wqweto, try on-line otf to ttf convertor suggested by fafalone
2. Try wqweto's suggestion to "convert StdFont objects to GDI+ font handles" and see if that will work

I will start with 2. first

[wqweto]

No, 2. is not working under Win7, just tested with this:

'--- Form1
Option Explicit

Private Declare Function GetModuleHandle Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetModuleHandleA" (ByVal lpModuleName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetDC Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function ReleaseDC Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal hDC As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SelectObject Lib "gdi32" (ByVal hDC As Long, ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
'--- gdi+
Private Declare Function GdiplusStartup Lib "gdiplus" (hToken As Long, pInputBuf As Any, Optional ByVal pOutputBuf As Long = 0) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateFontFromDC Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hDC As Long, hCreatedFont As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteFont Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFont As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateFromHDC Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hDC As Long, hGraphics As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteGraphics Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hGraphics As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateStringFormat Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hFormatAttributes As Long, ByVal nLanguage As Integer, hStringFormat As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteStringFormat Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipSetStringFormatAlign Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal eAlign As StringAlignment) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipSetStringFormatLineAlign Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal eAlign As StringAlignment) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipCreateSolidFill Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal lColor As Long, hBrush As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDeleteBrush Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hBrush As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GdipDrawString Lib "gdiplus" (ByVal hGraphics As Long, ByVal lStrPtr As Long, ByVal lLength As Long, ByVal hFont As Long, uRect As RECTF, ByVal hStringFormat As Long, ByVal hBrush As Long) As Long

Private Enum StringAlignment
   StringAlignmentNear = 0
   StringAlignmentCenter = 1
   StringAlignmentFar = 2
End Enum

Private Type RECTF
   Left                 As Single
   Top                  As Single
   Right                As Single
   Bottom               As Single
End Type

Private m_hFontPetaluma     As Long

Private Sub Form_Initialize()
    Const STR_FONTNAME  As String = "Petaluma Script"
    Dim aInput(0 To 3)  As Long
    Dim oFont           As StdFont
    
    If GetModuleHandle("gdiplus") = 0 Then
        aInput(0) = 1
        Call GdiplusStartup(0, aInput(0))
    End If
    Set oFont = New StdFont
    oFont.Name = STR_FONTNAME
    oFont.Size = 12
    If oFont.Name <> STR_FONTNAME Then
        MsgBox "Missing font " & STR_FONTNAME, vbCritical
        Exit Sub
    End If
    GdipPrepareFont oFont, m_hFontPetaluma
    If m_hFontPetaluma = 0 Then
        MsgBox "Cannot load " & STR_FONTNAME, vbCritical
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Click()
    Dim hGraphics       As Long
    Dim hStringFormat   As Long
    Dim hBrush          As Long
    Dim sText           As String
    Dim uRect           As RECTF
    
    If GdipCreateFromHDC(hDC, hGraphics) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateStringFormat(0, 0, hStringFormat) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipSetStringFormatAlign(hStringFormat, StringAlignmentCenter) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipSetStringFormatLineAlign(hStringFormat, StringAlignmentCenter) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateSolidFill(&HFFFF0000, hBrush) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    sText = "This is a test"
    uRect.Right = ScaleWidth / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    uRect.Bottom = ScaleHeight / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
    If GdipDrawString(hGraphics, StrPtr(sText), -1, m_hFontPetaluma, uRect, hStringFormat, hBrush) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
QH:
    If hBrush <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteBrush(hBrush)
        hBrush = 0
    End If
    If hStringFormat <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteStringFormat(hStringFormat)
        hStringFormat = 0
    End If
    If hGraphics <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteGraphics(hGraphics)
        hGraphics = 0
    End If
End Sub

Public Function GdipPrepareFont(oFont As StdFont, hFont As Long) As Boolean
    Const FUNC_NAME     As String = "GdipPrepareFont"
    Dim hDC             As Long
    Dim pFont           As IFont
    Dim hPrevFont       As Long
    Dim hNewFont        As Long
    
    On Error GoTo EH
    Set pFont = oFont
    If pFont Is Nothing Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    hDC = GetDC(0)
    If hDC = 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    hPrevFont = SelectObject(hDC, pFont.hFont)
    If hPrevFont = 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    If GdipCreateFontFromDC(hDC, hNewFont) <> 0 Then
        GoTo QH
    End If
    '--- commit
    If hFont <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteFont(hFont)
    End If
    hFont = hNewFont
    hNewFont = 0
    '--- success
    GdipPrepareFont = True
QH:
    If hNewFont <> 0 Then
        Call GdipDeleteFont(hNewFont)
        hNewFont = 0
    End If
    If hPrevFont <> 0 Then
        Call SelectObject(hDC, hPrevFont)
        hPrevFont = 0
    End If
    If hDC <> 0 Then
        Call ReleaseDC(0, hDC)
        hDC = 0
    End If
    Exit Function
EH:
    Debug.Print Err.Description, FUNC_NAME
    Resume QH
End Function

It errors out with "Cannot load " & STR_FONTNAME

Apparently GDI+ loads OS even provided fonts natively i.e. using it's own parsing code and .otf fonts are unsupported under Win7.

The sample code above works in IDE here under Win11.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

I just tested this and it works

 Dim res As Long
 res = InstallFont(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf")
 Text1.font.name = "PetalumaScript"
 Text1.font.size = 24
 Text1.Text = "My Test String"

I was hoping I could take that font and load into GDI+

[mms_]

wqweto
I will try your new code on my Win7 machine this evening (don't have access now)

[mms_]

wqweto
Your "convert StdFont objects to GDI+ font handles" does not work on my Wib 7 set-up either... but I guess you knew that already
I had to try for myself to be sure

I'm confused however...
you get "Cannot load Petaluma Script" error,
I get "Missing Font Petaluma Script" error.
Where was I supposed to place the font?

[wqweto]

> Where was I supposed to place the font?

I usually drag&drop (or copy/paste) the .otf files to Control Panel->Fonts folder. I guess you could right click->Install font files in Explorer too.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

But point is, if user doesn't have access to System Fonts Folder (because of Administrator restrictions),
he would put into a Private Fonts folder.
For sake of testing, I was placing in app.path folder.

With your code, I see no way to set the path.
So when I run your code, it truly can't find the file I believe.

[wqweto]

There are two helpers: GdipPrepareFont and GdipPreparePrivateFont. First one "converts" an StdFont object to GDI+ hFont, second one loads a font file directly and returns GDI+ hFont.

For GdipPrepareFont parameter you'll need the font to be accessible to StdFont -- generally GDI fonts. I'm not sure you can use AddFontResource[Ex] to load a private font file for the process and have it available for usage as StdFont (might be possible, never done it).

Your error message means that If oFont.Name <> STR_FONTNAME Then check is failing, most likely STR_FONTNAME is not available for usage as StdFont.

Anyway, the sample above tests with Petaluma fonts installed in Control Panel->Fonts and is failing under Win7 so whether AddFontResource[Ex] works or not actually does not matter in this case.

cheers,
</wqw>

[mms_]

ok thanks

So to test, I can just simply add 1 line, namely AddFontResource[Ex] to the start of Form_Initialize() in your code in post #24 ?

I will test this evening on Win7 when I have access to computer

[mms_]

I can confirm that executing

res = AddFontResourceEx(App.path & "\PetalumaScript.otf", FR_PRIVATE, 0&)

directly before a call to wqweto's helper function GdipPrepareFont changes nothing,
the otf font is not available for use with GDI+

I will move on to possibility 1. convert file as suggested by fafalone (I will try on weekend)