How to list fonts from another directory

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I have created a list box on a form that shows font files that are stored on a network drive. Works great, but i need the list to show the font "family name" / "Title" and not the file name. ie: Arial, Arial Black, Calibri, Tahoma, etc.......

What I have tried:

Public Sub LoadList2()
       'loading list of fonts in network folder
       Dim directory = "c:\Odds & Ends\FontSync\MasterFontList"
       Dim files() As System.IO.FileInfo
       Dim dirinfo As New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(Directory)
       files = dirinfo.GetFiles()
       For Each file In files
           ListBox2.Items.Add(file.Name)
       Next
   End Sub

Posted 15-Jun-17 1:01am

Member 13009053

Updated 15-Jun-17 1:18am

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ZurdoDev 15-Jun-17 7:09am

How do you get the font family name from a font file?

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OriginalGriff · Answer 1 · 2017-06-15T01:18:00

Solution 1

Try:

VB

Dim fontCol As New PrivateFontCollection()
fontCol.AddFontFile("D:\Test Data\MyFont.otf")
Console.WriteLine(fontCol.Families(0).Name)

Posted 15-Jun-17 1:18am

OriginalGriff

Comments

Member 13009053 15-Jun-17 8:29am

Thank you for the quick response. The code you provided appears to me that it would return the data for 1 single font. My desire is to populate the list box with all fonts that reside in a network folder.?

OriginalGriff 15-Jun-17 8:45am

So use a loop ...

Member 13009053 16-Jun-17 22:24pm

I have been looking for a solution to the "loop" thing, but have had no luck. Could you please provide a little assistance in displaying all fonts in a directory?

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 2:07am

What part of it do you know how to do? Which bit is giving you problems?

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 2:08am

Because you do say:
"I have created a list box on a form that shows font files that are stored on a network drive. Works great"
So it's difficult to see what help you need! :laugh:

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 7:20am

Public Sub LoadList3()
Dim fontCol As New PrivateFontCollection()
fontCol.AddFontFile("C:\Odds & Ends\FontSync\MasterFontList\21205__.TTF")
ListBox1.Items.Add(fontCol.Families(0).Name)
End Sub

The above is what I have now. It shows the font "21205__.TTF" in the list box and displays it as "Jokeman LET" the font name. The folder specified contains 1,000+ fonts and I need the list box to show all of those fonts. I am having issues trying to incorporate the "Loop" you refer to in your 1st response.

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 7:25am

So, when you say "works great" you mean "doesn't work at all"? :laugh:
Start by finding the files: You know how to use Directory.GetFiles?

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 7:57am

Dim directory = "c:\Odds & Ends\FontSync\MasterFontList"
Dim files() As System.IO.FileInfo
Dim dirinfo As New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(directory)
files = dirinfo.GetFiles("*.ttf")
files = dirinfo.GetFiles("*.ttf").Union(dirinfo.GetFiles("*.fon")).ToArray()
For Each file In files
ListBox1.Items.Add(file.Name)

I have also tried the above which list all of the fonts in the directory but shows the "File Name" and not the "Font Name"

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 8:10am

So you know what all the files are called, and you know how to get the font information of a file.
And you know what a For Each loop looks like ...
*hint* *hint* So putting the two together gives you what? :laugh:

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 8:39am

Am I missing something that is right in front of my face?

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 9:49am

Oh yes!
And when you spot it, it's a :doh: moment...

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 10:01am

I appreciate you not giving me the answer. I will learn more by figuring it out.

OriginalGriff 17-Jun-17 10:05am

That's the plan! :thumbsup:

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 14:23pm

Cant figure this out...... I don't know why I can not figure out something that is so simple! I guess the best thing is for me to revisit this another time, maybe it will pop out at me. THANK YOU so much for your assistance, I will post when I have resolved. If you are a dad, have a great fathers day.

Member 13009053 17-Jun-17 16:42pm

I can get the list of font files from the directory\folder.............. Why can I not get the font names!!!!! This is very frustrating!

OriginalGriff 18-Jun-17 2:30am

OK: you've suffered enough! :laugh:

Dim files As String() = Directory.GetFiles("D:\Test Data", "*.ttf")
For Each file As String In files
Dim fontCol As New PrivateFontCollection()
fontCol.AddFontFile(file)
Dim ff As FontFamily = fontCol.Families(0)
Console.WriteLine(ff.Name)
Next

Member 13009053 18-Jun-17 9:33am

OriginalGriff…. I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU for your EXPERT help. You have gone “above and beyond” helping me with my issue. First you were an instructor trying to point me in the right direction and then you gave me the “golden ticket” when It was clear I could not “get it”. This was my first time posting on this site and you made it pleasurable. Below is the code you gave me slightly modified to fit my needs. Thank you again!

Private Sub loadlistTTFfonts()
Dim files As String() = Directory.GetFiles("c:\Odds & Ends\FontSync\MasterFontList", "*.ttf")
For Each file As String In files
Dim fontCol As New PrivateFontCollection()
fontCol.AddFontFile(file)
Dim ff As FontFamily = fontCol.Families(0)
ListBox1.Items.Add(ff.Name)
Next

End Sub

OriginalGriff 18-Jun-17 9:55am

You're welcome!
(Welcome to the site, BTW - have fun!)