TrueType Font works in notepad but no other program

General Questions
#1

I downloaded this TrueType font. Tried to install it in my Win98 system, it would not work at all. I have no idea why, but I didn’t bother trying to figure it out.

I went to my Windows XP system. The font installed and it works in Notepad. But not in any other program where I’ve tried to use it, including IE, Opera, Firefox (all latest or near-latest versions), and Paint Shop Pro 8.

In PSP and IE it just shows up as boxes, in Firefox and Opera it goes to the default font.

I’ve also noticed in passing that the same thing occurs with some other fonts that (presumably) came with the system.

This is just driving me crazy. Does anybody have any idea what is causing this, and what I can do about it?

#2

Sounds like a badly-designed font. Can you see all of its characters in Character Map? Are they mapped to the correct keys? Compare where, for example, a lower case “a” is in this font compared to a lower-case “a” in System or MS Sans Serif, 2 of the most basic fonts your PC uses.

#3

Here’s what I usually do with a TrueType, and don’t think I’m insulting your intelligence or anything, but you didn’t really say HOW you installed it.
I open up the folder where I saved the font, then in another window open up control panel --> Display Themes --> fonts. I then drag the newly- saved True Type into the fonts menu, and voila, I got my font.
If you did that, then I’m sorry you had to waste your time reading that and I’d have to agree wtih KneadToKnow. :slight_smile:

#4

KneadToKnow: No, in character map all I see are those boxes. But (I forgot to mention this) I can see it in Windows Font Viewer, the default program XP uses when you double click on a font file.

Also, noodling around just now I discovered that it works just fine with MSPaint. What the eff? What the effing eff???

Wonderwall6129: Yes that’s how I installed it, except I didn’t go through Control Panel, I opened the fonts folder directly, but I’m pretty sure it works the same.

#5

Did you just drag the font into the fonts folder? In my experience, you need to go to FILE - INSTALL NEW FONT from within the fonts folder.

#6

I tried that just now, it said “…is already installed.”

#7

This is a long shot, but are your video drivers up to date?

#8

I got this XP system just last summer. Do I really need bleeding-edge drivers for a font?

#9

Could you post a link to the font (assuming it’s freely available)? Then we’d be able to try installing it on our machines to determine whether it’s your computer or the font itself that’s wonking up the hizzle.

#10

No, but corrupted video drivers can cause all kinds of unusual and nearly inexplicable problems in Windows. You’d be surprised at the kinds of crazy stuff I’ve fixed by re-installing video drivers.

#11

This is a completely random guess, but that XP system wouldn’t happen to be using any additional languages, IMEs, or similar things, would it?

I remember one really annoying thing about Notepad is that it didn’t support Unicode and would sometimes do funky things with fonts that more modern programs wouldn’t; and in this case maybe it’s doing the same thing in reverse…?

If that doesn’t work, maybe you can download a freeware font editor, import all the characters, and save it as a new TTF?

And yeah, a link would be great!

#12

Well. Even if there’s a good chance that might work, I don’t think it would be worthwhile, as re-installing drivers scares me.

I don’t know what an IME is, I’ve never seen it use any language other than english. The OS came pre-installed so I suppose there could be another one.

That’s an idea I’ll keep in mind.

Ok, it is a free font and I will link to it, but not before this

WARNING: THIS IS A “DINGBAT” STYLE FONT IN WHICH ALL THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY SILHOUETTES OF NAKED WOMEN. IT IS NOT PORNOGRAPHIC BUT NOT SAFE FOR WORK OR SMALL CHILDREN OR WHATNOT.

Here it is.