Changing XP Shell Font...questions...

[SiN]

mhm...i was playing around this earlier tonite, but not having much luck..was going to give up, but BoCo's thread about the 'Ok' button inspired me....

neways -

the reg entry is this -

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]

"MS Shell Dlg"="Microsoft Sans Serif"
"MS Shell Dlg 2"="Tahoma"

(btw, them's are .FON and .TTF respectively)

What i want to do *ideally* is change to the font i use for eveything else, which is a Type 1 font.

So far i've tried -
1. changing the keys to the Type 1 font. No workie.
2. Converting the T1 to TTF. (using FontLab). looked like shit.
3. Converted the T1 to open type. looked better in the sample, but still didn't work when i changed the regkeys.

Sooo...what i wonder is -
Font File type - does this matter and can either .ttf or .fon work for either of the keys....or?
Converting - working on obtaining a prog called TransType (made by FontLab company) that assumably will do a good conversion..
but still not sure, if i should bother with conversion, or just find a font that i like almost as much, that already exists as .ttf/.fon...?

Thanks for any help

[longjohns]

i am also trying to change fonts in windows, and having little luck. i'm after either a font i could use on the system which looks like arial with cleartype, or the font used in ableton live.

the ableton folders have some font files in the .fnt format. i found a web page (http://www.xploiter.com/programming/c/borland/737.html) which explains (i think) how to compile these into a .fon file using c++. i don't know shit about programming, nor do i have the language.

anyways, i know i'm no help to you but thought i'd post my situation as well in case some knowledge gets dropped here.

what is the significance of that registry key? there seems to be some discrepancy between the fonts i see there and what is available to me in display properties. if anyone can enlighten me here, i'd appreciate it!

[charliex]

The fontSubstitution registry key just replaces all references to one font to the other, you can substitute a non ttf font, but a non ttf wont be able to do all the rotations in word/page apps etc., and may not work in some apps, TTF fonts are much better.



the link you posted lj is how to convert a set of .fnt files generated by resource workshop, a tool for generating fonts etc, into a .fon file, using an assembler, not C++, tasm or masm or nasm should work ok, if you have the right .fnt files, usually theres one for each size and style and you need an .rc file with the right info to create it, its a royal pain, and better to use one of the many font creation programs.

as for converting a fon to a ttf, its probably never going to look as good as a native ttf, the info just isn't there to do a great conversion.

[cheerios]

ummm... you guys are trying to change the font for the command prompt, right?
open a prompt.
click the little icon in the upper left and click properties
click font
adjust accordingly
chose "modify shortcut" or whatever the option is that ISN'T "change just this window"
rejoice.

why does everyone run to the registry automatically??? I never did get that.

[longjohns]

personally, i'm not trying to change the font in the command prompt, i'm trying to get access to different fonts than are offered in display properties - appearance - advanced

[cheerios]

sorry longjohns, that sounded like what SiN was trying to do, inititally.

[SiN]

nope, i kno how to change cmd.exe's font..

hm, i think i need to take a screenshot..bbiab.

[SiN]

k, took a screenie to show what i mean -

the font circled in green is the sysfont (honestly not sure if is Tahoma or MS Sans Serif, all i kno is i don't like it)

the font circled in red is the font i use for everything else..
is my favorite font, but is Type 1...but i think i found some decent True Type fonts...

i think i'll now go try again, i suppose..

[SiN]

i've got it changed now, seems to work...

but, i've decided TrueType fonts at 10 point (i think) just look like crap.