Wrong fonts displays

[Guest]

I spend a lot of time fighting with style sheets that slip in when I import a HTM file, but when I see my compiled HTML Help file on another PC, it does not have the particular font we use for communications. Instead all text is Times Roman. We use Myriad Web Pro, which is in the RH typestyle menu.

What gives? How can I easily ensure end users see the font I choose? I am not a programmer, how do I embed the font in the RH project?

[Guest]

Fonts can't be embedded in a help system like they can in, say, a Flash file.

HTML can use only what's on the user's computer, so the only way really would be to distribute Myriad Web Pro for your users to install on their computers, which I'm sure isn't a viable option. That is, unless the developers can run a process that will install it for them when they're installing the software (or run the help the first time if your help isn't distributed with an app). But if this font has to be purchased, that could be an obstacle to distributing it.

That's a bunch of ifs. The best approach probably is to use the closest standard font you can find.

Probably not what you were hoping for, but I hope it helps anyway.

--Ben

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

My guess is that the font you used isn't present on the other machines. There is no way I'm aware of that will allow you to "embed" your desired font in RoboHelp. The best you can hope for is to define and use a "Font Set". Basically you declare a list of fonts that are to be tried. If the first isn't found, the second is attempted. And so on.

It's normally best to use a font that is known to be present in various operating systems. For example, Helvetica would cover the Apple family. Arial or Verdana would cover the PC family and normally the "catch all" font is specified as Sans-serif.

If you decide to try Font Sets, note that simply declaring one isn't sufficient. After you declare one, you must then edit your style sheet to point to the Font Set as opposed to the individual font.

You mention "Compiled HTML Help". I'm assuming .CHM format here? I'm not sure if a Font Set would work inside a CHM, but it may.

Cheers... Rick

[Captiv8r]

Sorry Ben, didn't see you there. Looks like we were both answering at about the same time!

[Guest]

No worries--too much help is better than not enough... I think!

[Guest]

Yes, we create classic compiled HTML chm Help files. We support Windows Vista, XP Professional service pack 2, 2003, 2000 Professional service pack 4, 2000. How can I determine a typeface that is available from Win 2000 on?

[Guest]

See if this link helps. If you google "Windows 2000 default fonts," you'll get a lot of results.

[Guest]

My boss decreed that all Help files and manuals are Arial typeface to avoid this problem.

[Guest]

thanks, maybe he will choose something else from that list.