Can't use 'Light' typefaces

[Anonymous]

I've noticed in the text style editor, Autocad hides fonts that are not called 'Regular', 'Italic', 'Bold' or 'Bold italic'.  I want to use lighter type faces for larger text, like drawing numbers.  Has anyone ever noticed this? Can it be changed?

[maxim_k]

Welcome to the Autodesk Forums!

Hi,

If you mean you cannot use Dfont, OTF or Font Suitcase Mac specific fonts, than indeed - AutoCAD doesn't support them. It can show only four standard typefaces from such font files.

If you want to use other font faces you need to split initial font (Dfont, OTF or Font Suitcase) to multiple TTF files - each file will contain one font face.

You can accomplish splitting with DfontSplitter application:

http://peter.upfold.org.uk/projects/dfontsplitter

After you split initial Mac specific font, you need to remove it from Fonts folder and substitute with multiple TTF files you got from DfontSplitter, but be careful with System fonts (in /System/Library/Fonts and /Library/Fonts folders) - I don't recommend to split them.

Maaxim

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the prompt reply Maaxim,

My fonts are in seperate .ttf files.  I have also discovered that if I remove all the fonts, except the ones that are msissing, one 'Regular' font is listed.  This is a very frustrating problem.  Is there some way to alter .ttf file metadata so that they appear to Autocad as seperate fonts?

Thanks, Matt

[maxim_k]

Hi Matt,

What font you are trying to use in AutoCAD?

Maxim

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi Matt,

Seems I have found the solution for you on this page:
http://fontforge.github.io/fontinfo.html
Look for "Preferred Family" explanation in TTF Names section:

"This is to get around a quirk of windows where only four Style names are allowed per family, so font families with more than four styles would get different family names above, but the preferred family name would be the same. This should only be specified if it differs from the family"

In fact TTF fonts in AutoCAD for Mac handled the same way as in Windows version: you can see only four Style names per family, so in order to be able to use other typefaces (Styles) such as Light or Extra Bold you need to modify existing TTF files by changing "Preferred Family" property of the font.

You can do this in commercial application such as Glyphs, but you can also use FontForge application:

http://fontforge.github.io/en-US/downloads/mac/

Open your TTF font in FontForge.app, save it as FontForge source file (.SFD), go to menu Element -> Font info:

 

Than open TTF names section and edit "Preferred Family" field by adding new information to it, for example for Light font face you can add Light to the preferred name:

Save .SFD file and use menu File -> Generate fonts to generate new TTF file:

Now if you put this new file to the Fonts folder on your Mac you will be able to use this typeface in AutoCAD for Mac.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Hey Maaxim,

Thanks for the prompt reply. The fonts I'm wishing to use are separate
.ttf files, though when I look at them with Font Book, they appear as
font family containing different weights and typefaces.

Other fonts which are separate files also appear as a font family and
are also hidden in Autocad.

Also, where is this type of granular/specific information on Autocad
for Mac found?

[maxim_k]

Have you read my previous post about FontForge application?
The only one way to enable additional typefaces for AutoCAD is to edit TTF fonts in font authoring application as I described in my previous post.

Macim

[earthsquare]

Thank you very much.

[kristina_critien_14]

HiMaxim - Thanks for your in depth steps. Once I try and generate as part of the last step i'm getting this warning ( shown in images below ) 

Could you help me please as it's really frustrating trying to sort this out. 

Thanks you 

[maxim_k]

Hi @kristina_critien_14 ,

Usually I select "Yes" to proceed anyway. Do you get the correct font in this case?

If you need Montserrat-Light.ttf -  look >>>>HERE<<<<

Renaming "Preferred family" to Montserrat-Light works for me fine.

[kristina_critien_14]

For some reason i'm still not managing and its taken me an afternoon. Is there any way I could contact you against payment and have you check it out for me yourself please?

[maxim_k]

We are all ordinary AutoCAD users here, just like you. 😉

No payment - see attached archive with the font file