Get a file from my resource file and write it to disk

[JT]

Hi,

Here's my problem. I am using an obscure font in my Windows Form
application, so I want to ensure that people using the application
will have the text displayed as intended. I've included the ttf font
file in my resources file and I want to write it to disk so that I can
then use PrivateFontCollection.AddFontFile(string filename) to make it
available. This seems like a horrible way to do it but I haven't
figured out another way. I would love to use the .AddMemoryFont()
method, but I'm not sure how to do that either.

So here are my questions,

1) How can I read the font file from the resources file and write it
to disk? I've tried reading it a byte at a time and writing it with a
stream writer, but I can't figure out the encoding and so the file
winds up being twice or more times the size that it should be and is
not considered a valid font file format.

2) How can I read the font file from the resources file and then load
it from memory with the AddMemoryFont(IntPtr memory, int Length).
When I try to obtain the address of either the resource or the byte
array it returns, I'm told that not only is it only possible using the
unsafe keyword, but it can't be done anyway (Compiler Error CS0208).

I don't want to have to use a setup application to place the font file
on the disk because a setup app is otherwise not necessary for the
application and I'd still like to avoid needing to write the file to
the disk.

Thanks,

JT

[Peter Duniho]

On 2007-11-05 14:30:32 -0800, JT <[e-mail]:

[...]
So here are my questions,

1) How can I read the font file from the resources file and write it
to disk? I've tried reading it a byte at a time and writing it with a
stream writer, but I can't figure out the encoding and so the file
winds up being twice or more times the size that it should be and is
not considered a valid font file format.

You shouldn't be using an Encoder at all. Just store the font as a
binary resource, read it from the resource as bytes, and write the
bytes directly to a file. Use a FileStream directly instead of a
StreamWriter.

2) How can I read the font file from the resources file and then load
it from memory with the AddMemoryFont(IntPtr memory, int Length).
When I try to obtain the address of either the resource or the byte
array it returns, I'm told that not only is it only possible using the
unsafe keyword, but it can't be done anyway (Compiler Error CS0208).

AFAIK, you have to use unsafe code, as you've been told. Why you can't
get it to work I don't know, since you didn't post the code you tried.

I don't want to have to use a setup application to place the font file
on the disk because a setup app is otherwise not necessary for the
application and I'd still like to avoid needing to write the file to
the disk.

Unless the license for the font restricts you from installing the font,
IMHO it would be better to just install the font in a setup
application. I appreciate the temptation to keep the font isolated to
your own application, and if the font truly is unusable outside of your
application maybe that makes sense. But otherwise, why not allow the
font to be installed generally? Especially since doing so avoids all
of the hoops you have to jump through to use it otherwise.

Pete

[Mihai N.]

Here's my problem. I am using an obscure font in my Windows Form

application, so I want to ensure that people using the application
will have the text displayed as intended.

Almost 100% match to your problem (embeded font in .NET):
http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archiv...4/2137215.aspx
It is the last article in a serie of 4 and has links to the previous ones.
--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

[JT]

On Nov 5, 11:07 pm, "Mihai N." <[e-mail]:

Here's my problem. I am using an obscure font in my Windows Form
application, so I want to ensure that people using the application
will have the text displayed as intended.

Almost 100% match to your problem (embeded font in .NET):
http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archiv...4/2137215.aspx
It is the last article in a serie of 4 and has links to the previous ones.

--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

I don't know why my response didn't get posted before, but I followed
the link and it took me to a page with no content but maybe 50 links.
Can you provide a link to the actual article?

Thank you for your help.

[Mihai N.]

JT <[e-mail] in
news:11**********************@q5g2000prf.googlegro ups.com:

On Nov 5, 11:07 pm, "Mihai N." <[e-mail]:

Here's my problem. I am using an obscure font in my Windows Form
application, so I want to ensure that people using the application
will have the text displayed as intended.

Almost 100% match to your problem (embeded font in .NET):
http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archiv...4/2137215.aspx
It is the last article in a serie of 4 and has links to the previous ones.

--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

I don't know why my response didn't get posted before, but I followed
the link and it took me to a page with no content but maybe 50 links.
Can you provide a link to the actual article?

Thank you for your help.

This is the really link to the article:
http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archiv...4/2137215.aspx
Just checked it in IE and FireFox, it is ok.

Option two: Google "Rhymes with Amharic"
The article is the first hit.
--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

[Mihai N.]

I guess the point is that he's using a font that can't be

displayed on my PC

At least the regular paragraphs use "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"
(inherited from body)
There is no need to sign-in or anything.

All I can say is that the page looks ok to me in IE 6, IE 7 and FireFox,
on 4 different machines (2 XP, 1 Vista, 1 Mac OS X)
I don't know what tha problem is, why can't you see it.

I found 5 posts on the subject. The one
that matches the URL you gave me comes up blank (post # 4).

Right, those are the posts.

I will go look at these other four. Thank you for responding and at
least getting me close to something to look at.

That article does not seem to contain any crytical info.
But I have tried to create a PDF and attach it to this post.
--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

[Mihai N.]

I guess the point is that he's using a font that can't be

displayed on my PC

At least the regular paragraphs use "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"
(inherited from body)
There is no need to sign-in or anything.

All I can say is that the page looks ok to me in IE 6, IE 7 and FireFox,
on 4 different machines (2 XP, 1 Vista, 1 Mac OS X)
I don't know what tha problem is, why can't you see it.

I found 5 posts on the subject. The one
that matches the URL you gave me comes up blank (post # 4).

Right, those are the posts.

I will go look at these other four. Thank you for responding and at
least getting me close to something to look at.

That article does not seem to contain any crytical info.
But I have tried to create a PDF, you can find it here:
http://www.mihai-nita.net/Article4.rar
(I intend to delete it from there in about a week)
--
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Windows - SDK]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email