INF: Using a Fixed-Pitch Font as the System Default

ID Number: Q68114

3.00 3.10

WINDOWS

Summary:

In versions of Microsoft Windows earlier than version 3.0, the system

font is fixed pitch; beginning with Windows version 3.0, the system

font is proportional. This change can causes difficulties when

applications developed for earlier versions of Windows are moved to

version 3.0. Below is an explanation of how to use a fixed-pitched

font as the system default. Because this technique affects all

applications in the system, however, it should be used with caution.

More Information:

To change the default system font to any value, modify the fonts.fon=

entry in the [boot] section of the SYSTEM.INI file. The module name of

any font listed here, specified in the module definition (DEF) file

for the font dynamic-link library (DLL) must be FONTS. If the font DLL

has a different module name, Windows does not boot, and the debugging

version of Windows displays a FatalExit (RIP) code of 0x0401 on the

debugging monitor or terminal.

Therefore, to take advantage of this technique, create a custom font

with the proper module name. Install the font and modify the

SYSTEM.INI file so that Windows uses that font as the system default.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10