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Java2D: An Introduction and Tutorial

5. Using Local Fonts in Java2D

5.1 Local Fonts: Overview

You can use the same logical font names as in Java 1.1, namely Serif (e.g. Times), SansSerif (e.g. Helvetica or Arial), Monospaced (e.g. Courier), Dialog, and DialogInput.

You can also use arbitrary local fonts if you first look up the entire list, which may take a few seconds. Lookup the fonts via the getAllFonts or getAvailableFontFamilyNames of GraphicsEnvironment. E.g.:

  GraphicsEnvironment env =
    GrapicsEnvironment.getLocalGraphicsEnvironment();

Then:

  env.getAllFonts();

or:

  env.getAvailableFontFamilyNames();

The best way would be to loop down getAvailableFontFamilyNames, checking for your name, having several backup names to use if the first choice is not available. If you pass an unavailable family name to the Font constructor, a default font (SansSerif) will be used. Despite a misleading description in the API, trying to use an available local font in JDK 1.2B4 without first looking up the fonts as above gives the same result as asking for an unavailable font: a default font instead of the actual one.

5.2 Example 1 -- Printing Out All Local Font Names

Download the source:
ListFonts.java.

import java.awt.*;

/** Lists the names of all available fonts with Java2D in Java 1.2.
 *  1998 Marty Hall, http://www.apl.jhu.edu/~hall/java/
 */

public class ListFonts {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    GraphicsEnvironment env =
      GraphicsEnvironment.getLocalGraphicsEnvironment();
    String[] fontNames = env.getAvailableFontFamilyNames();
    System.out.println("Available Fonts:");
    for(int i=0; i<fontNames.length; i++)
      System.out.println("  " + fontNames[i]);
  }
}

5.3 Example 2 -- Drawing with Local Fonts

Download the source:
FontExample.java
(plus GradientPaintExample.java,
ShapeExample.java,
WindowUtilities.java,
and ExitListener.java if you don't have them from the previous examples).

import java.awt.*;

/** An example of using local fonts with Java2D in Java 1.2.
 *  1998 Marty Hall, http://www.apl.jhu.edu/~hall/java/
 */

public class FontExample extends GradientPaintExample {
  public FontExample() {
    GraphicsEnvironment.getLocalGraphicsEnvironment().getAllFonts();
    setFont(new Font("Goudy Handtooled BT", Font.PLAIN, 100));
  }

  protected void drawBigString(Graphics2D g2d) {
    g2d.setPaint(Color.black);
    g2d.drawString("Java 2D", 25, 215);
  }

  public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
    clear(g);
    Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
    drawGradientCircle(g2d);
    drawBigString(g2d);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    WindowUtilities.openInJFrame(new FontExample(), 380, 400);
  }
}

5.4 Drawing with Local Fonts: Example Output

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This tutorial was prepared by Marty Hall for work in the Research and Technology Development Center of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, for courses in the Johns Hopkins Part-Time MS Program in Computer Science, and for various industry seminars and courses.

© 1998 Marty Hall.Java 1.2beta4 version.

This article first appeared in November, 1998 and is reprinted with permission of the author.

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