Font Installer Utility

[boxig]

Font Installer

==========

If you are using a font which is not to be found on the user's computer, the user will see other fonts and this may change the look of your presentation. One way is to make images for your texts but if you have a lot of text, it can make your show heavy, and demand from you extra work. To be sure user sees our font, we have to put this font on his computer. Here comes the "Font Installer" which can install one font file. (If there will be a demand, I can make it install more fonts in the future.)

This utility will copy a Font file (.ttf) from your CD to the Font folder of the user. Your font file and this utility must be in the same folder. Do not run the exe if you didn't make the things below.

Very easy to use:

Open "Font.txt" and you'll see one first line: \FontName.TTF

Leave the \ as it is and write the name of your font file. Example: if your font file is "mama.ttf", you write:

\mama.ttf

Remember to include a copy of your font file on the CD.

(If you can not copy the font file, do this: drag the font file to your project folder. This will remove the file from your font folder to your destination folder. Now copy the file from your destination folder and paste back to your own fonts folder).

In the root of your CD you put these files:

1. Your presentation.

2. "Font_Installer.exe"

3. "Font.txt"

4. "autorun.inf"

5. Your Font file.

Since this utility was not created originally for PTE, here is how to do the rest. When Igor, as he promised, will add a new action called: "Run application and go to next page" , all you will have to do is use this action at the first page. Ok, since we have to improvise, we can do it only in this way:

Link the "Font_Installer.exe" to a button with "Run application..." action. Call the button something like "Install Fonts" or "Use original Fonts" or whatever, so the user will understand the point. You can also tell user in your "Readme" the name of the font in case he want to remove it. (When Igor will add the desired action, I'll make an improved version).

You can try it on your computer first:

Instead of CD use a folder. Drag your font to your project folder. Do not copy it back to your font folder since you want to check that it will be put there by the utility (but make a copy somewhere, just in case). Now run your show and see if your text is ok. Go to your font folder and check if the font file was installed. Notice that font name and font file name are not the same.

Download from my site (333 kb in zip)

Let us know that it works or if there is a problem.

Please check my other 70 (!) utilities and programs.

Thanks

[think(box)]

Thanks Boxig - I have indeed encountered the missing font problem. You are correct that Igor can give us the cleanest long-term fix. I have a nice way to hide such actions as font installations from the user that can be used for any number of special, hidden tasks:

I make a mini-P2E show with one picture and short music selection from a template format with button definitions. I call this short P2E show from Autorun.inf to install the show to HD, remove show from HD, run show from CD only, or provide installation help. Those are the four buttons in the one-screen installer P2E show. A specialized help file is part of the template.

Since the "Install" and "Preview Show from CD" buttons run a DOS .BAT file in a Programs folder on the CD, I can put whatever supporting actions may be needed in those .BAT files. The .BAT files are parameterized so that content never changes. I just list parameter values in a unique .PIF (shortcut to .BAT file) as the only unique work to make a given show. The .PIF shortcut specifies to close the DOS box upon completion so that the user isn't left wondering what to do with it. Things like font installation are just a command in the .BAT file that the user never has to worry about. One caution to anyone using .BAT procedure files, be sure to use only commands that exist in command.com, like copy, delete, rename and more (see help). If you do this your show installer will work on every windows platform, including 95, 98, 98SE, ME, XP, 2000.

Until Igor adds "Run app and goto next slide", your font installation application will be handy - thanks for all of the nice helper app's!

Cheers,

[boxig]

Hi Bill,

Where is your "mini-P2E show" ? If no url can you sent it to me ? Igor promised and when he will do this the PTE will allow much more and better options.

Granot