.NET Import Custom Font's via Ressources

[Import Custom Font's via Ressources]

This can come in handy when you want to use a custom font,

but your app needs to run without admin rights (because of ClickOnce or other least privileged requirements).

Without admin rights you cannot install fonts on a system.

With this tutorial allows you too import a font file straight from your applications ressources without any worries of user's needing the fonts installed!

1. Create Module

The Module Can be Named Whatever You Want it to be Named!

Module Created by :: MATTHEW KLEINWAKS
[img]http://www.winsocketdotnetworkprogramming.com/xmlwebservicesaspnetworkprogramming11chap_files/xmlwebservicesasprogramming215.png[/img]

2. Open and Replace the Module With the Following Code

Replace "DIGITALDREAMNARROW" With the Name of The Font Will be Using. ex: Open_Sans

Make Sure it's The Same Name (Case Sensitive) as The File You Will Be Creating in Step #3

Code 
Imports System.Drawing.Text

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

Module CustomFont

    'PRIVATE FONT COLLECTION TO HOLD THE DYNAMIC FONT

    Private _pfc As PrivateFontCollection = Nothing

    Public ReadOnly Property GetInstance(ByVal Size As Single, _

                                         ByVal style As FontStyle) As Font

        Get

            'IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME GETTING AN INSTANCE

            'LOAD THE FONT FROM RESOURCES

            If _pfc Is Nothing Then LoadFont()

            'RETURN A NEW FONT OBJECT BASED ON THE SIZE AND STYLE PASSED IN

            Return New Font(_pfc.Families(0), Size, style)

        End Get

    End Property

    Private Sub LoadFont()

        Try

            'INIT THE FONT COLLECTION

            _pfc = New PrivateFontCollection

            'LOAD MEMORY POINTER FOR FONT RESOURCE

            Dim fontMemPointer As IntPtr = _

                Marshal.AllocCoTaskMem( _

                My.Resources.DIGITALDREAMNARROW.Length)

            'COPY THE DATA TO THE MEMORY LOCATION

            Marshal.Copy(My.Resources.DIGITALDREAMNARROW, _

                         0, fontMemPointer, _

                         My.Resources.DIGITALDREAMNARROW.Length)

            'LOAD THE MEMORY FONT INTO THE PRIVATE FONT COLLECTION

            _pfc.AddMemoryFont(fontMemPointer, _

                               My.Resources.DIGITALDREAMNARROW.Length)

            'FREE UNSAFE MEMORY

            Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(fontMemPointer)

        Catch ex As Exception

            'ERROR LOADING FONT. HANDLE EXCEPTION HERE

        End Try

    End Sub

End Module

3. Adding the Font File to Your Ressources, ex: Open_Sans

Make sure once again that it is the same name as in Step #2 (Case Sensitive)

I know there are multiple ways of adding resources, I prefer this method!

[img]http://static.daniweb.com/images/attachments/3/img1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/83/Save-File-from-Your-Resources-in-Vb.Net-Step-6.jpg/550px-Save-File-from-Your-Resources-in-Vb.Net-Step-6.jpg[/img]

4. Change Font's on Your Labels!

NameOfClass.GetInstance(FONT_SIZE, FONT_TYPE)

Code 
Label1.Font = CustomFont.GetInstance(12, FontStyle.Bold)