PRB: 32-bit Font Files Not Recognized by Windows 95 Shell

ID: Q160214

4.00 WINDOWS kbprg kbgraphic kbprb

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API), used with:
- Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install a 32-bit Portable Executable (PE) font resource file in Windows 95 version 4.0 via the fonts folder, the installation fails and Windows 95 displays an error message indicating that the font is not a valid font file. Also, attempts to view the font file by double-clicking the file produce the same message.

CAUSE

The fonts folder in the Windows 95 shell does not recognize 32-bit PE font file resources.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this behavior and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Although the fonts folder in the Windows 95 shell does not recognize font resources that are in the 32-bit PE format, the operating system does. A 32-bit PE font resource can be installed into Windows 95 programmatically. This is accomplished by calling the AddFontResource function, updating the Registry, and broadcasting a notification message to inform other apps that a font has been installed. These procedures are documented in the Installing Fonts section of the Guide to Programming Windows 95 in the Win32 SDK and the Knowledge Base articles in the REFERENCES section below.

Also, 32-bit PE font resources may cause a General Protection Fault in Windows 95 version 4.0 under certain circumstances. Please see The REFERENCES section in this article for further details. Microsoft recommends that Windows 95 applications that ship font resources use 16-bit font resource files. Shipping 16-bit font resources will avoid the 32-bt PE font file bugs in Windows 95 and will have the added benefit of being portable if you design your application for Win32s.

REFERENCES

For additional information about subjects discussed previously, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q100487 Use 16-Bit .FON files for Cross-Platform Compatibility

Q137882 BUG: 32-Bit .FON files Causes GP Fault with Standard VGA Driver

Q76535 SAMPLE: Creating a Custom Raster Font

Additional query words: 4.00 KbDSI


Keywords          : kbSDKWin32 kbWinOS95 kbDSupport 
Version           : winnt:
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: June 25, 1999