PRB: Unable to Choose Kanji Font Using CreateFontIndirect

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API) included with:

      - Microsoft Windows 95 version 4.0
  

SYMPTOMS

You have difficulty getting the Japanese font handle in Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK) for Japanese Windows 95. If you use CreateFontIndirect() to create the font handle, only the English font is selected. You are unable to select Kanji (the main system of writing in Japan) fonts such as MS Mincho and MS Gothic.

CAUSE

The lfCharSet field in the LOGFONT structure is not set to "SHIFTJIS_CHARSET".

RESOLUTION

Specify SHIFTJIS_CHARSET as the value for lfCharSet field.

MORE INFORMATION

In Windows 95, Japanese fonts cannot be selected without the lfCharSet field being set to SHIFTJIS_CHARSET. This standard was not enforced in Japanese Windows NT and Japanese Windows 3.1, So an application with lfCharSet set to a value other than SHIFTJIS_CHARSET might be able to select Japanese fonts under Japanese Windows NT and Japanese Windows version 3.1 using CreateFontIndirect(), but not under Japanese Windows 95.

ShiftJIS is a double-byte character set (DBCS) unique to the Japanese version of Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows version 3.1. It requires a specialized font, keyboard input, and DBCS string-handling support.