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Topic: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection (Read 2698 times) previous topic - next topic
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[Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

The ability to set fallback fonts, or custom fonts via title formatting, for special characters that aren't handled in the default font range would be a useful addition.

Here's a comparison of the 'Play' glyph from the Segoe UI Symbol character set that's not present in the base Segoe UI font, and isn't currently handled as fallback font in foobar2000:



The problem with having no fallback font setting or custom font formatting is other character sets break and/or change, as seen when Segoe UI Symbols is enabled:



The above being a tame example compared to changing to a pictograph/icon only typeface for glyph support, obviously. As pictograph typefaces are commonly used for scalable graphics on the web and for design in general it would be useful to see support for them as fallback fonts in foobar2000, or via custom title formatting options.

Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #1
Use ELplaylist (columns UI only) or WSH Panel Mod/Jscript panel if you want full control over fonts. I can't see this feature request ever happening for default UI/other playlists.

Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #2
Use ELplaylist (columns UI only) or WSH Panel Mod/Jscript panel if you want full control over fonts. I can't see this feature request ever happening for default UI/other playlists.

Would the latter be because of a technical reason? The IRC client Hexchat for example allows fallback fonts to be set, separated by commas, by using a text field in the preferences for font selection so additional font names can be added manually. Makes it easy to add support for characters not covered by the default font.



Otherwise, how would one define a custom typeface using JScript Panel in DUI? Would like to be able to target a single symbol within existing formatting as seen in the OP, one for %isplaying% and another for %ispaused%. Is there some guide?

Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #3
No I don't think it's for technical reasons. I just think it's a pretty far out request just because you want a play icon and track numbers in the same column.


Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #4
The usefulness extends beyond my singular example. Fallback fonts in general provide the user with more options for choosing different Latin/international fonts without having to worry that other languages will break, or have missing character sets, as a secondary typeface would handle the rest.

As for pictographic fonts it would allow users to copy/paste characters from other typefaces for use in title formatting for a variety of areas, such as music library items, popular but limited text-only components such as Text Display (icons for links/sites, playback status, edit function icons, etc), the titlebar, among others.

Considering how text based foobar2000 is especially using Default UI it would provide more flexibility for non-default font selections, and a simple method of adding extended pictographic formatting at a basic level, without CUI, scripting or specific components.

Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #5
I was under the impression Windows handles font fallback automatically for most of its text rendering APIs.

Indeed, if the font is set to Segoe UI, all of the following glyphs display correctly here on Windows 10 (in both DUI and CUI, character codes in hex):
23F5 (⏵), E213 (), 25B6 (▶) and 25B8 (▸)

What specific glyph is your play symbol and what OS (version) are you running?
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Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #6
Indeed, if the font is set to Segoe UI, all of the following glyphs display correctly here on Windows 10 (in both DUI and CUI)...

What specific glyph is your play symbol and what OS (version) are you running?

The first two glyphs don't display correctly on Windows 8.1 Pro with Segoe UI, either on HA or in foobar2000 (which displays the first glyph as a square and the second as a dot, similar to the example in the OP).

These were two of a number of glyphs tested from Segoe UI Symbols:
Play (E102): 
Pause (E103): 

There doesn't appear to be fallback support for the entire Segoe UI family natively that I've experienced on 8.1, with the exception of Segoe UI Emojis which are handled universally across all applications (and regardless of the typeface used). Hexchat on the other hand displays the above glyphs correctly as I added a variety of alternative fonts in the settings (I realize now it was in a different section than the screenshot posted above).


 

Re: [Feature request] Fallback fonts and/or title formatting font selection

Reply #7
OK, I tried on a Windows 8 VM and indeed those two glyphs don't render with the font set to Segoe UI. However, they do on Windows 10 here.

[Edit] You could test on a IE/Edge Windows 10 VM if you want (unless someone knows of a better source of VMs).
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