Font Weight Variants - AutoCAD 2014

[InfrequentFlyer]

Hi,

when I use the "Multiline text" command and choose the font, the options I have are the standard font and not their variants. Lets take for instance Open Sans, their variants are:

Open Sans Bold

Open Sans Bold Italic

Open Sans Extra Bold

Open Sans Extra Bold Italic

Open Sans Italic

Open Sans Light

Open Sans Light Italic

Open Sans Regular

Open Sans Semibold

Open Sans Semibold Italic

The one that's displayed is Open Sans and the options to modify them are the standard "Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Underline or Overline".

Any solution to access the different weights of the same font?

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Autodesk Forums!

Hi,

In Mac OS fonts interpreted in a different manner than in Windows. So when you install "Open Sans" font family in Mac OS you can see all font variations in Font Book application, Texedit application and others, but not in AutoCAD for Mac (unfortunately).

In order to be able to use Light, SemiBold and extra bold variations in AutoCAD for Mac you need do "split" them from Regular by editing TTF files in font editing application (Glyphs, FontLab Studio) - give them different Font family name and link italic style to regular font (for example link "Open Sans Light Italic" as italic style to "Open Sans Light")

As a result you will get the possibility to use them in addition to regular Open Sans font in AutoCAD for Mac:

Maxim

[earthsquare]

Hi,

Found this software Transtype4 where you can split and add fonts as diferent families.
Its lil tricky but the user interface is nice and its easy to do.

@maxim_k, thanks for the info.
@InfrequentFlyer, thanks for raising the question.

Regards

Sree
Landscape Architect

[AlexB5SE8]

Good Morning Maxim,

I have noticed you are the resident expert in Autocad LT Mac issues and I am hoping you can help me with an issue. I can't seem to find an answer for it anywhere, although similar queries have been answered. I am using Autocad LT 2017.

The Issue;

I have split the Fira Sans font family into Fira Sans Light - Light and Fira Sans Regular - Regular as suggested by your answer, which has allowed me to use those two font variants as desired. These fonts appear as they should when using the usual Cmd+P function and 'Save as PDF' using the print dialogue box. However, when I use the 'Batch Publish' DWG to PDF option the Fira Sans Light - Light gets replaced with what looks like the Fira Sans Regular - Regular variant. This is incredibly frustrating as 'Batch Publish' not only saves a lot of time but also gives me the options to exclude layer information, book marks etc resulting in a significantly smaller more user / contractor friendly PDF whilst still retaining the quality. I have tried every option / tick box variant I can think of / see available in the 'Batch Publish' dialogue box and nothing works.

Please refer to attached PDFs for the 'Batch Publish' and the print 'Save as PDF' versions to see what I mean. As you can see the 'Save as PDF' version is a significantly larger file. I have also tried keeping my Fira Sans Regular - Regular font which works fine when using 'Batch Publish' and downloading only the Fira Sans Light font from the font family to see if that works and no joy. Any advice / solutions you could offer would be much appreciated, 

Kind Regards,

Alex.

[maxim_k]

Welcome to Autodesk Forums!

Hi Alex,

What do you see in FontBook application under "Kind" for Fira fonts you have on your system:

And - can you attach here the drawing itself (DWG)?

Maxim

[AlexB5SE8]

Afternoon Maxim,

Exactly as you have highlighted although I have split the Fira Sans Regular (see attached screen shot). Split both previously to no avail.

Please also refer to attached DWG, with bound Xref.

Kind Regards,

Alex.

[maxim_k]

Hi Alex,

Sorry, but in the drawing you attached there is no text objects created with text style which uses Light style of Fira font. So I cannot check your problem.

Maxim

[maxim_k]

At the same time, I created simple test drawing with Fira Regular and Light fonts (which I created on my side), then I tested output to PDF from Print window and with Batch Publish and got the same acceptable results. Look at the attached PDF files.

I have another one question:

What setting for  USEQUARTZFONT system variable do you have in AutoCAD on your side?

Maxim

[AlexB5SE8]

Morning Maxim,

Your test text looks perfect. The font style simply called Fira Sans is the light version. I have tried a few different ways of splitting / not splitting the font variations and that drawings shows the latest attempt. 

First I split the fonts into Fira Sans Regular - Regular and Fira Sans Light - Light,

Then I deleted all Fira Sans and split into Fira Sans Light - Light and downloaded only Fira Sans Regular under the normal non-split family.

And finally I deleted all Fira Sans and split into Fira Sans Regular - Regular and downloaded only Fira Sans Light under the normal non-split family.

None of those seemed to work. Previously I had found out about the USEQUARTZFONT setting which was the issue to start with as I couldn't get any PDF output without the font looking terrible. So, thanks to one of your other answers, I set I set USEQUARTZFONT to '0', which I believe is the correct setting.

What doesn't make sense to me is that I can get a perfect output using the print PDF option, but the file size is always large and it takes an age creating individual PDFs, but the output from Batch Publish changes the font. Is there any possibility you can attached / email me your working Fira Sans split font files for me to test, just incase it is a problem with my splitting them incorrectly? (not sure the forum lets you attach font files?)

Kind Regards,

Alex.

[maxim_k]

When you set USEQUARTZFONT=0, all text objects on PDF output from Print window are converted to outlines. That is why the size of PDF file grows.

I attached my versions of Fira font in ZIP archive. Be sure to remove all instances of Fira font in FontBook app before installing fonts from my archive. Don't forget also to quit AutoCAD before installing new fonts.

Maxim

[AlexB5SE8]

Thank you Maxim,

Just removed my Fira Sans fonts from Font Book, installed your ones, did a quick restart and test Batch Publish.

Worked perfectly...

I have a feeling my original font splitting might have been a bit dodgy / corrupted the font file and the USEQUARTZFONT setting was masking it by converting the text into outlines in the save as PDF output.

Thank you so much for your help, this has been annoying me for months. Apologies that it was such a trivial matter in the end, I think I had assumed the fonts themselves must be fine because they were producing good results through the save as PDF output. Obviously I was wrong.

Thanks again Maxim 'the AutoCAD superhero',

Kind Regards,

Alex.

[kadziolka.marlena]

Hi,

I want to use the following fonts in AutoCad LT 2022: Open Sans Light, Open Sans Semibold, Open Sans Italic and other fonts in this group. Unfortunately, only Open Sans Regular appears in AutoCad. 

How can I install the other types? In Windows is possible. On Mac no? 

[maxim_k]

Hi @kadziolka.marlena ,

Your question already answered in this thread.

Please look here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-for-mac-forum/font-weight-variants-autocad-2014/m-p/4873696#M...

or here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-for-mac-forum/font-weight-variants-autocad-2014/m-p/6233812#M...