topic Re: Font Style Issue in AutoCAD for Mac Forum

Font Style Issue

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 14:52:07 GMT

I just loaded AutoCAD onto a new computer and downloaded the Open Sans font (which we use in all drawings). I opened the "Show Package Contents" > "Resources" > "Font" folder within AutoCAD and added the .ttf files for Light, Bold, Regular, etc.

When I go into the Text Style... settings within the AutoCAD program, only Open Sans BOLD is showing up for all text types (Normal, Light, Bold, ....). All the text in my drawings is now bold and distorting all existing formatting.

How can I edit the path to the correct font file for Open Sans Regular?

Thanks for any help!

Re: Font Style Issue

pendean — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 15:13:30 GMT

As the Autodesk article linked below states
"...certain fonts will have a TTF extension but are in fact OpenType fonts, which are PostScript-based. Double-clicking the font file from within the Font folder in Windows will show the type. PostScript fonts are not supported in AutoCAD...."

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Some-TrueType-fonts-not-listed.html

Find out.

Re: Font Style Issue

Alfred.NESWADBA — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 15:28:34 GMT

Hi,

>> I opened the "Show Package Contents" > "Resources" > "Font" folder

Are you referring to AutoCAD on Mac? Because for Windows I would not know a folder "Show Package Contents\Resources\Font"

If it's Mac specific you might look into that forum >>>AutoCAD for Mac<<<

For Windows: copying TTF files is not enough, you need to right-click it and use option "Install"

- alfred -

Re: Font Style Issue

john.vellek — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 16:28:25 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Have you checked your FontBook to see if there are the same font files present? Sometimes you will find more than one instance of a font installed on your system will show this kind of behavior.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:22:25 GMT

Hi Murrill,

Where did you get Open Sans font?

Is it from:

https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Open+Sans?selection.family=Open+Sans

If yes, then that font(s) have issues in macOS.

I modified google Open Sans font set slightly for my own needs and now I get such result:

Do you need the same result?

Re: Font Style Issue

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 20:29:16 GMT

That is where I downloaded the font, and yes! I need the same result.

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 21:31:39 GMT

In the attachment you can find the set of Open Sans fonts adopted for use with AutoCAD for Mac.

But at first I have to say that it is not necessary to install fonts to AutoCAD application folder as you described in your initial post. You have to install them using Font Book app (or by coping them to ~/Library/Fonts folder - the Library folder in this path is inside your Home folder).

So before proceeding with installing my versions of Open Sans fonts you need to delete Open sans fonts you copied to ""Show Package Contents" > "Resources" > "Font" folder within AutoCAD".

Now you can unzip attached archive and install all fonts from it to your Home Fonts folder.

If you will look at Open Sans fonts in Font Book app now, you should see something like this:

Open Sans fonts are split in four groups unlike the case when you install "pure" Open Sans Google fonts, which looks in Font Book in such a way:

AutoCAD for Mac cannot handle styles variations in this last way.

So, now launch AutoCAD and try to use Open Sans fonts.

On Windows side you can still use Open Sans fonts from Google without modifications and you will be able to exchange drawings between two platforms without loosing formatting.

Re: Font Style Issue

laura-ashworth — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 08:36:19 GMT

Hi @maxim_k, I have a similar problem in that on my computer our standard office font (Novecentosanswide-Light) doesn't show up. It's fine on everyone else CAD and so are you able to help? We are all running Catalina AutoCad 2020 Mac LT.

See screenshot.

It shows in the font book as "light" but in the "text styles" defaults to regular, not light. See screenshot of CAD/Fontbook.

The font is also not there when I package drawings, even when font is set to export????

My drawings don't look like everyone else's and is becoming a problem in the office.

Huge thanks again if you can help.

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:53:21 GMT

Hi Laura,
>>>>>It's fine on everyone else CAD
Do the others use AutoCAD for Mac or AutoCAD for Windows?

>>>>It shows in the font book as "light" but in the "text styles" defaults to regular
But how it looks like in the drawing? Does it look different from "everyone else"? If yes - Can you provide screenshots of how it should look and how it looks on your Mac in drawings?

On the last screenshot you attached I see in "Location" section the path to the font and (Active copy) note after the path. Do you have other copy of "Novecento sans wide Light" font in Font Book which is disabled? Did you copy that font to Fonts folder inside AutoCAD application folder by chance?

Re: Font Style Issue

laura-ashworth — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:35:40 GMT

@maxim_k thankyou!

We are all using Autocad LT 2019 on Macs.

Yes, it looks completely different everyone else. My font displays as "regular" when it should be light. There is no option to change this that I can see. Drawings attached.

When I open my colleagues drawings the font shows as "regular". When they open mine, it displays as "light" as it should.

I'm am having to ask them to PDF drawings for me so the font displays correctly.

I have no other copy of the font in font in Font Book .

How do I find the fonts folder inside AutoCAD application folder??

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 20:28:22 GMT

>>>>>I have no other copy of the font in font in Font Book
Nevertheless, I am sure that "Novecento sans wide" font has a duplicate installed on your system. Evidence of this is the presence of "Active copy" record at the end of the font path:

Plus, "Novecento sans wide" font preview in AutoCAD looks incorrect jn screenshot you provided. Isn't it?

Only postscript based fonts, shows in such a way in font preview in AutoCAD, I know this exactly.

Plus on the same screenshot you can see "Novecento sans wide" font in Font Book, which is correct font, but it is TrueType based font, not Postscript based which you see in AutoCAD:

The bottom line:

You need to remove additional "Novecento sans wide" font from Font Book. I think it is "FONTSPRING DEMO - Novecento sans ..." font - it is above the correct "Novecento sans wide" font.

If it is not it, then try to find incorrect font in other place - switch view in Font Book to "all Fonts" and look through the font list, it should be there.

After you remove incorrect duplicate of "Novecento sans wide" font, be sure to restart AutoCAD and test PDF output.

Re: Font Style Issue

laura-ashworth — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 09:16:53 GMT

Thanks again but I still have the same problem. My colleagues have the exact same font installed on exactly the same set up and have no problems 😞

Ive gone through fontbook and removed the duplicate you spotted. Ive restarted my machine- but still the same problem.

Screenshot from my colleagues machine attached -its a bit fuzzy but shows the same set up as my computer with the same font type. Theirs works- mine doesn't.

As before- if my colleagues package a drawing the font is there- when I try this with the font ticked to package- its not there and exports a font called "Swiss" instead? Its like a ghost!

You mentioned the font could be in the CAD folder on the hard drive in your earlier note- where is this and could it be this??

Huge thanks for your time and help.

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:49:59 GMT

>>>>>when I try this with the font ticked to package- its not there and exports a font called "Swiss" instead?
How o you try it? Do you put it to User font section of Font Book? If yes, then there could be some problems with fonts on your Mac, but I'm not sure.

Let's try at first to exclude the case when incorrect font is inside AutoCAD application folder.
To drill inside AutoCAD application folder, you need to right-click on AutoCAD LT 2019.app and select "Show package contents", then open Contents -> Resources -> Fonts -> ttf folder. Look for incorrect Novecento font there.

BTW, after you cleaned up fonts in Font Book - do you still see "Active copy" at the end of the path to Novecento font?

Re: Font Style Issue

laura-ashworth — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 10:34:35 GMT

Hi @maxim_k Thanks for you help.

I thought the problem was fixed as on Friday I copied to font into the 2019 Resources -> Fonts -> ttf folder. As it wasn't there. I restarted CAD and the font was perfect and able to PDF drawings like my colleagues.

Ive opened CAD today and the problem is back. Any other ideas? This is really odd as all my setting are exactly the same as others in the office.

Theres only one copy of the font showing in Fontbook.

Re: Font Style Issue

maxim_k — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 10:55:26 GMT

Hi @laura-ashworth ,

>>>>> I copied to font into the 2019 Resources -> Fonts -> ttf folder.

It is not necessary to have this font inside AutoCAD application folder if it is already installed in FontBook.

Can you show how the font in question looks like in AutoCAD Text Style window now on your Mac?

I mean this window:

Do you see this font in other applications on your Mac, say in TextEdit.app? Can you use it in other apps - save to PDF from them?

And another one question: what input source do you use for typing on your Mac? U.S., British, or ...? Do users on other Macs use the same input source as you?

Re: Font Style Issue

fernQRSM4 — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:37:18 GMT

Hi @maxim_k ,

In your post, you mention that you've modified the font files for use in autocad. We're hAving a similar issue (only since upgrading the AutoCAD LT (Mac) 2018 and up. We have text styles that utilize a typeface with both bold and regular styles. AutoCAD is no longer recognizing the bold typeface, but it does show up like your latter screenshot in font book. How did you modify your font files so that the variants stack and aren't nested in fontbook; as you said this might be the issue?