How Windows 3.1 Performs Font Mapping (True Type)

Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q82754

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

This article discusses how Windows version 3.1 deals with font mapping and how various penalties affect the actual font that is chosen for a particular request.

This information is specific to Windows 3.1 with TrueType enabled.

MORE INFORMATION

All font mapping takes place only if the font and size requested does not exist on the target device (screen or printer).

If a TrueType font is requested, such as Times New Roman, then all point sizes are available. If a bitmap font is requested, such as MS Serif, then at the point sizes at which the bitmap exists the bitmap is used. At other point sizes, either the same bitmaps or "enlarged" versions of these bitmaps are used. If a font is requested that does not exist, such as Ribald, then the font mapper attempts to use a TrueType font so that the glyphs (characters) have a good appearance at all point sizes.

When a Windows application requests a font from Windows, it asks for it by name and other attributes. These other attributes are used by the font mapper. For example, if a "serif" font is requested then the font mapper uses Times New Roman. If a "sans serif" font is requested, Arial is used. If a fixed-pitched font is requested, Courier New is used. If a "script" or "decorative" font is requested then the font mapper chooses among all fonts (TrueType, bitmap, and vector) to find a good fit.

In special cases, the font mapper also uses the following fonts as a substitute for the corresponding TrueType font-pack equivalents. For example, if the font pack is installed and the user requests Avant Garde on a Hewlett-Packard (HP) LaserJet III, Windows automatically uses Century Gothic if Avant Garde is not available.

SubIt ArialPS                   Arial
SubIt Arial MT                  Arial
SubIt TimesNewRomanPS           Times New Roman
SubIt Helvetica                 Arial
SubIt Times                     Times New Roman
SubIt Times Roman               Times New Roman
SubIt Bookman                   Bookman Old Style
SubIt Palatino                  Book Antiqua
SubIt AvantGarde                Century Gothic
SubIt Avant Garde               Century Gothic
SubIt New Century Schlbk        Century Schoolbook
SubIt NewCenturySchlbk          Century Schoolbook
SubIt N Helvetica Narrow        Arial Narrow
SubIt Helvetica-Narrow          Arial Narrow
SubIt Zapf Chancery             Monotype Corsiva
SubIt ZapfChancery              Monotype Corsiva
SubIt Zapf Dingbats             Monotype Sorts
SubIt ZapfDingbats              Monotype Sorts

If both a bitmap font and a TrueType font exist for the same name, such as Symbol, then the bitmap font is used at sizes where bitmaps exist, and TrueType is used at all other sizes. To obtain TrueType in all cases, add the following line in WIN.INI under the [TrueType] section:

   TTifCollisions = 1

KBCategory: kbprint kbenv
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11 3.1 true type map winfont

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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