Using unusual fonts?

Galaxyblue · February 4th, 2004, 03:10 PM

Hi all!

I am currently designing a craft site for a customer and she wants me to use a font called Papyrus...

Rather than creating all the text in fireworks as gifs is there anyway round this so the text will show as papyrus on other peoples computers?

Thanks in advance

Sarah xxx

PS, am using dreamweaver, cannot do CSS in Notepad as yet even though received a private lesson from a very lovely chappie :wink:

Rob · February 4th, 2004, 03:18 PM

You can embed font's within flash files, and also within web pages (internet explorer only... as far as I know)

To embed a file in IE, first you need an application called 'WEFT' (Microsoft Web Embedding Fonts Tool)
You can download this here:-
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/web/embedding/weft/

When you use WEFT, it creates a "font object."
The font objects are compressed and subsetted so that they contain only the characters used by a particular site or page.

They are also privately installed by Internet Explorer 4.0 onwards so that they can't be accessed by other applications, and they can't be linked to sites that don't have permission to use them.

Once you have your WEFT font object, you can add a small descriptor to your CSS, and you are away!!
The descriptor will look alot like this:-

Code:

<STYLE TYPE="text/css">
@font-face {
font-family: Papyrus;
font-weight: normal;
src: url(Papyrus.eot); }
</STYLE>

This code tells Internet Explorer 4.0 onwards, to use the Papyrus.eot font object whenever the Papyrus font is specified within the page. The browser will use the font object regardless of whether the font is specified using the FONT FACE tag, a linked or inline Cascading Style Sheet, or some other method.

Hope this helps!

Galaxyblue · February 4th, 2004, 03:27 PM

Thanks Rob, am going to download the program now and give it a go... stand by for a barrage of questions

Webforumz Staff · February 4th, 2004, 04:46 PM

I would suggest you don't embed fonts like that because it won't show up in anything other than IE which is quite a few browsers (myself included because I use opera). Either stick to the standard webfonts or make the header text, etc in that font and use it as an image and simply tell your client that there is no feasible way to get everyone to see this font. That is a limitation of the web that has obvious disadvantages, but at least it means that we can all actually read websites and there are less compatability problems.

Galaxyblue · February 4th, 2004, 04:55 PM

hi Sirkent, and thanks for your reply...

What percentage of the internet users do you think use IE? I haven't got a problem using embedded fonts if only a small majority will see the site in basic web fonts and the majority see the papyrus font...

If I can get it working... I am having a few problems... have uploaded the .eot but it isn't working at the moment :sad:

Rob · February 4th, 2004, 05:44 PM

Embedding font's is totally ok. As long as you have an alternative specified that looks ok, then I dont see a problem.

Webforumz Staff · February 4th, 2004, 06:17 PM

I would agree with rob on that point. Always use an alternative. I was assuming that you didn't know about that, sorry if you do.

Galaxyblue · February 4th, 2004, 06:27 PM

Hi Sirkent, yes Rob had already advised me that I would need an alternative font for users of other browsers.

Good that it has been raised though - may help some other people.

Thanks again

Sarah x

Galaxyblue · February 5th, 2004, 08:24 AM

Right am so stuck on this is it untrue...

I have embedded the fonts as I need to... however, I am not sure I am using the right directory...

It gives me the option to choose a directory either on my hard drive, or http: This is what is says:

Only web pages located under the roots listed will be able to use the font objects created by weft. Add additional roots here:

Now, do I specify the folder on D where I hold the website, or the URL link of the site on the internet?

It also says that it automatically adds the code to your pages... which it hasn't.

Then I have the option:

Font objects may only be used from pages under this root:

And, again, I have the option to specify a c/d folder or a URL.

HELP :sad:

Thanks in advance

Sarah x

u2orange · February 5th, 2004, 09:55 AM

I believe the software will be referencing the root of your website, i.e.,

If your sites path on your drive was "D:\virtualroot\webforumz.com" then you would need to put the font file there as this is the root of your website.

HTH
u2o

Galaxyblue · February 5th, 2004, 08:18 PM

Thanks for the reply u2o, I shall give that a try tomorrow... I must admit I didn't save the fonts in the root directory <bang head>

Sarah x