Comments on: How to use Font Symbols (Embedded Fonts) with ActionScript http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript Luck is the residue of good design. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:33:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Stiller http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258403 David Stiller Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:54:07 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258403 <strong>To Killian ...</strong> <blockquote>Is there a reason that specifying TextFieldType.INPUT will not work when using the stylesheet method?</blockquote> I can only conjecture, I'm afraid, and my hunch is that input fields simply don't or can't accept HTML text. But at least the <code>TextFormat</code> class still works with user input! <strong>To Artur ...</strong> <blockquote>In your first paragraph in this topic you state that Flash automatically embeds fonts in static text fields. The reason I’d want to embed my fonts is to make sure that they show up correctly on computers that do not have the fonts installed, correct?</blockquote> That's it, exactly. :) <blockquote>So, what if I use static text and the user’s computer does not have the font installed? Flash says that there is no need to embed static text, however if I don’t, won’t Flash use a substitute font on that user’s computer?</blockquote> The reason you don't have to embed fonts for static text fields is becasue Flash automatically embeds their outlines for you. Flash does that because it knows exactly what character outlines to include — because the text is static (it doesn't change) — but dynamic and input text fields require embedded fonts because Flash doesn't know which character outlines to include: in those cases, the character choice is up to ActionScript or user input. To Killian …

Is there a reason that specifying TextFieldType.INPUT will not work when using the stylesheet method?

I can only conjecture, I’m afraid, and my hunch is that input fields simply don’t or can’t accept HTML text. But at least the TextFormat class still works with user input!

To Artur …

In your first paragraph in this topic you state that Flash automatically embeds fonts in static text fields. The reason I’d want to embed my fonts is to make sure that they show up correctly on computers that do not have the fonts installed, correct?

That’s it, exactly. :)

So, what if I use static text and the user’s computer does not have the font installed? Flash says that there is no need to embed static text, however if I don’t, won’t Flash use a substitute font on that user’s computer?

The reason you don’t have to embed fonts for static text fields is becasue Flash automatically embeds their outlines for you. Flash does that because it knows exactly what character outlines to include — because the text is static (it doesn’t change) — but dynamic and input text fields require embedded fonts because Flash doesn’t know which character outlines to include: in those cases, the character choice is up to ActionScript or user input.

]]> By: Artur Trzebunia http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258034 Artur Trzebunia Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:13:25 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258034 This is an additional comment to my previous comment on embedding fonts in Flash. I found this info in the Flash help file that I find a bit confusing: When you embed fonts, Flash stores all of the font information in the SWF file so the font is displayed properly even if it's not installed on the user's computer. If you use a font in your FLA file that isn't installed on a user's system, and you don't embed the font in the SWF file, Flash Player automatically selects a substitute font to use instead. NOTE: You need to embed a font only if you're using dynamic or input text fields. If you use a static text field, you don't need to embed the font. So, what if I use static text and the user's computer does not have the font installed? Flash says that there is no need to embed static text, however if I don't, won't Flash use a substitute font on that user's computer? Thanks in advance for clarifying this for me. This is an additional comment to my previous comment on embedding fonts in Flash.

I found this info in the Flash help file that I find a bit confusing:

When you embed fonts, Flash stores all of the font information in the SWF file so the font is displayed properly even if it’s not installed on the user’s computer. If you use a font in your FLA file that isn’t installed on a user’s system, and you don’t embed the font in the SWF file, Flash Player automatically selects a substitute font to use instead. NOTE: You need to embed a font only if you’re using dynamic or input text fields. If you use a static text field, you don’t need to embed the font.

So, what if I use static text and the user’s computer does not have the font installed? Flash says that there is no need to embed static text, however if I don’t, won’t Flash use a substitute font on that user’s computer?

Thanks in advance for clarifying this for me.

]]> By: Artur Trzebunia http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258026 Artur Trzebunia Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:43:56 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-258026 Hello David, I needed some clarification on embedding fonts in Flash and since your blog site was so helpful for another issue I recently had, I thought I'd research the topic here. In your first paragraph in this topic you state that Flash automatically embeds fonts in static text fields. The reason I'd want to embed my fonts is to make sure that they show up correctly on computers that do not have the fonts installed, correct? In other words, is that the primary reason for embedding fonts? Thanks. Hello David, I needed some clarification on embedding fonts in Flash and since your blog site was so helpful for another issue I recently had, I thought I’d research the topic here.
In your first paragraph in this topic you state that Flash automatically embeds fonts in static text fields. The reason I’d want to embed my fonts is to make sure that they show up correctly on computers that do not have the fonts installed, correct? In other words, is that the primary reason for embedding fonts?

Thanks.

]]> By: Killian http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-218789 Killian Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:35:22 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-218789 Hello David, I've been successfully embedding fonts since I read this posting earlier this year and would like to thank you. I do however, have a question: Is there a reason that specifying TextFieldType.INPUT will not work when using the stylesheet method? Hello David,
I’ve been successfully embedding fonts since I read this posting earlier this year and would like to thank you. I do however, have a question: Is there a reason that specifying TextFieldType.INPUT will not work when using the stylesheet method?

]]> By: David Stiller http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-155445 David Stiller Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:07:49 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-155445 Amy, That threw me at first, too, but the feature is essentially still present. In AS3, what you're looking for is a property instead of a method (see <code>TextField.defaultTextFormat</code>). Amy,

That threw me at first, too, but the feature is essentially still present. In AS3, what you’re looking for is a property instead of a method (see TextField.defaultTextFormat).

]]> By: Amy http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-155347 Amy Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:06:41 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-155347 David, I find it interesting that "setNewTextFormat" is not listed in the AS3 language reference. Can you shed some light on this? David, I find it interesting that “setNewTextFormat” is not listed in the AS3 language reference. Can you shed some light on this?

]]> By: David Stiller http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-144196 David Stiller Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:13:07 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-144196 <strong>To annie ...</strong> Ah, those are good ideas for a blog or two. Thanks! :) <strong>To Wes ...</strong> Ha, sweet! Glad to help. <strong>To mark ...</strong> Super. Glad to hear that! To annie …

Ah, those are good ideas for a blog or two. Thanks! :)

To Wes …

Ha, sweet! Glad to help.

To mark …

Super. Glad to hear that!

]]> By: mark http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143974 mark Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:44:22 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143974 Thanks David - I was having trouble with this but your post cleared it up for me! mark Thanks David – I was having trouble with this but your post cleared it up for me!

mark

]]> By: Wes http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143754 Wes Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:20:52 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143754 Thanks David! It took me 5 minutes to implement this rather than an hour of digging through my AS3 books. Thanks David! It took me 5 minutes to implement this rather than an hour of digging through my AS3 books.

]]> By: annie http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143732 annie Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:43:17 +0000 http://www.quip.net/blog/2008/flash/actionscript-20/how-to-use-embedded-fonts-with-actionscript#comment-143732 Thanks for the font runthrough, David..especially the CSS part. I'd love to see a post on the file size ramifications of embedding fonts and possible external solutions/dynamic font loading :) Thanks for the font runthrough, David..especially the CSS part.

I’d love to see a post on the file size ramifications of embedding fonts and possible external solutions/dynamic font loading :)

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