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Creating font symbols

To use a font as a shared library item, you can create a font symbol in the Library panel. You then assign the symbol an identifier string and a URL where the document containing the font symbol will be posted. In this way, you can link to the font and use it in a Flash application.

Note: When using font symbols for dynamic or input text, you must also embed the font outline information. See Setting dynamic and input text options.

For information on linking to a shared font symbol from other documents, see Using shared library assets.

To create a font symbol:

  1. Open the library to which you want to add a font symbol.
  2. Select New Font from the options menu in the upper right corner of the Library panel.
  3. In the Font Symbol Properties dialog box, enter a name for the font symbol in the Name text box.
  4. Select a font from the Font menu or enter the name of a font in the Font text box.
  5. If you want to apply a style to the font, select Bold or Italic.
  6. Click OK.

To assign an identifier string to a font symbol:

  1. Select the font symbol in the Library panel.
  2. Do one of the following:
  3. Under Linkage in the Linkage Properties dialog box, select Export for Runtime Sharing.
  4. In the Identifier text box, enter a string to identify the font symbol.
  5. In the URL text box, enter the URL where the SWF file that contains the font symbol will be posted.
  6. Click OK.

To use the font in a Flash application, copy the font symbol into the destination FLA file. For more information, see Copying library assets between documents.

Comments


MrMiles said on Mar 9, 2005 at 4:38 AM :
When exporting a font as a symbol in a shared library, is there any way
to specify the font ranges that get embedded, in a similar manner to
selecting ranges for TextFields on the Stage (http://
livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/mx2004/main_7_2/wwhelp/wwhimpl/
common/html/
wwhelp.htm?context=Flash_MX_2004&file=00000413.html)?

As far as I can tell, when exporting a shared library font symbol, Flash
embeds a given set of characters that, I presume, is dependant on the
system’s location? EG. Exporting the shared font library SWF on a UK
system embeds a set of Western European characters; exporting the
same SWF on an Israeli system embeds a Hebrew character set.

So, rather than having to send my shared library files off to someone in
another country, is it possible for me to specify which character set
should be embedded?
haruni said on Apr 15, 2005 at 6:26 AM :
I have exactly the same problem trying to embed fonts dynamically. There's only movieClip.embedFonts command, but it just doesn't specify which range. And shared Font's Symbol properties are poor. Help?
No screen name said on May 29, 2005 at 8:38 AM :
I think (but not sure) that flash is embedding whole font.. noboby to try it?
No screen name said on Jun 20, 2005 at 11:40 AM :
flash is definetly NOT embeding whole character set, because it is driving me mad with eastern european symbols like ľščťž right now. So only way is to embed statically using text field properties and forget using different typefaces in one textfield, unless all texts and inputs are in Latin-1.
I would really appreciate if somebody could prove me the opposite.
cylhark at work said on Jun 24, 2005 at 8:16 AM :
Hello, i'm french and my english is not very good so excuse me.

When i want to "Export for Runtime Sharing" a font i would have a variable (like myFontURL) and not an URL(ex: url/font.swf). I need it because i can't know the swf's URL exactly. the web page is generated (PHP) and it sends flashVars (ex: myFontURL=url/font.swf)

Is there anything i can do to have something like this?
Thanks
pnoguera said on Jul 1, 2005 at 1:03 AM :
Hello:

Enyone knows why <b> tags do not work with myTextField.embedFonts = true and "Arial" in my library, and works fine with myTextField.embedFonts = false?

Thank you.
MrMiles said on Jul 1, 2005 at 1:27 AM :
pnoguera,

Make sure you have included the Bold style of the font when creating your library font symbol (step 5, above, under "To Create a font symbol"). Else, the bold weighting of the font won't be embeded, hence the <b> tags not working.

When you set embedFonts to false, Flash will use your system's fonts, rather than those embedded in the movie. Problem with that is that it won't work for users who don't have that particular font installed on their system, substituting it with a default system font.
I see dead people said on Aug 9, 2005 at 12:45 PM :
I've had the same problems with the <b> tags not working as well. Of course I'm forced to still use Flash 6 at work, but I can get the <b> tag to work in Flash 7 when using the <TextFormat> tags or css.

In Flash 6 when I add the bold style to my font in the library, it just bolds everything.

Is there any other way to do this in Flash 6 player?

Thanks

Paul Nevins
Multimedia Designer III
Sprint
issasik said on Sep 20, 2005 at 6:50 PM :
I really don't understand what the URL is for?? Which SWF is it referring to?? Why must this be done? How does this work?

Can anyone elaborate on this documentation?

::issasik
jazzybeat said on Oct 26, 2005 at 6:12 PM :
Hi this link for thouse who could't find information about how to use the font symbols. I found this very useful working with biger aplication where is a lot of SWF files.


http://www.macromedia.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_14786

 

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