Previous ENVI User's Guide: File Management Next

Using Other TrueType Fonts with ENVI

ENVI allows you to use any text- or symbol-based TrueType font. After you download a TrueType font, you can install it so that it is available to ENVI.

Installing TrueType Fonts for ENVI

IDL and ENVI provide access to TrueType fonts through the resource file, ttfont.map, located in the IDL resource/fonts/tt subdirectory of your IDL installation. The ttfont.map file contains a listing of available font files. The following figure contains an example of the font resource file.

Figure 2-6: Sample ttfont.map File

Figure 2-6: Sample ttfont.map File

Field descriptions within this resource file are described in the following table.

Table 2-4: Field Descriptions of the Font Resource File

Table 2-4: Field Descriptions of the Font Resource File
Field
Description
Fontname
This column contains the name of the font that is available when working with features such a QuickMap.
Filename
This column contains the TrueType font filename.
Direct
This column indicates the Direct Graphics scale, a correction factor that is applied when rendering the font on a Direct Graphics device.
Object
This column indicates the Object Graphics scale, a correction factor that is applied when rendering the font on an Object Graphics device.


Note
For more information on scaling factors, see the "Fonts" Appendix in the IDL Reference Guide.

How to Install TrueType Fonts

To install TrueType fonts for use with ENVI, complete the following steps:

  1. Copy the font file, which has a .ttf extension, to the resource/fonts/tt subdirectory of your IDL installation directory.

    2.  


    Note
    On Windows, you can install the font file in your operating system's Fonts folder. In this case, you do not need to copy the file to the resource/fonts/tt subdirectory.

     


    Note
    Before you modify the ttfont.map file, create a backup copy so you can restore the defaults if necessary. Note also that applications that use text may appear different on different platforms if the scale entries in the ttfont.map file are altered.

     

  2. Modify the ttfont.map file using any plain text editor, listing the new font that you have added. Include the fields listed in the previous table, separating each field using white space (spaces or tabs).

    3.  


    Note
    If you installed the font in your operating system's Fonts folder, it is not necessary to list the newly installed font in the ttfont.map file on the Windows platform.

     

  3. Save the modified font resource file.

The font is now available for use with ENVI functions.

  ENVI Online Help (August 12, 2005)