[Solved] How to find font used when file was created

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TopSpot123
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Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:30 am

[Solved] How to find font used when file was created

Post by TopSpot123 »

Long story short, I have some Open Office draw files that I created on my previous PC. When I open them on my current PC, the text is using the incorrect font. I assume that I don't have the proper font installed. I have seen this before in other programs, but it will typically give an error message and list the missing font by name, i.e. Font xxxx on line 6 missing, default font substituted. Is there any way to find out the proper font that was used when these files were created?
Last edited by TopSpot123 on Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
Open Office 4 on Windows 10
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Zizi64
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Re: How to find font used when file was created.

Post by Zizi64 »

When I open them on my current PC, the text is using the incorrect font. I assume that I don't have the proper font installed.
There is an extension than can list the used fonts, and the installed fonts. But it works in the Writer application only. The name of the extension is TestFonts:
https://extensions.openoffice.org/en/pr ... s#releases


You can check the installed fonts with a simple file browser in the Fonts directory of the Windows.
Tibor Kovacs, Hungary; LO7.5.8 /Win7-10 x64Prof.
PortableApps/winPenPack: LO3.3.0-7.6.2;AOO4.1.14
Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
UnklDonald418
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Re: How to find font used when file was created.

Post by UnklDonald418 »

There is a brute force method.
If your zip program will open the .odg file directly fine, otherwise make a copy and rename it with a .zip extension.
Open the archive and in the main directory there should be a file named content.xml.
Double click on that and it will probably open in your internet browser. Look for any lines containing fo:font-family= to see the names of the font(s) used.
If your problem has been solved, please edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the beginning of the subject line
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TopSpot123
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Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:30 am

Re: How to find font used when file was created.

Post by TopSpot123 »

UnklDonald418 wrote:There is a brute force method.
If your zip program will open the .odg file directly fine, otherwise make a copy and rename it with a .zip extension.
Open the archive and in the main directory there should be a file named content.xml.
Double click on that and it will probably open in your internet browser. Look for any lines containing fo:font-family= to see the names of the font(s) used.
This is exactly the kind of solution I was looking for. I had already opened it in a text editor just to see if there was any useful information to glean, but to no avail. This is a great tip and it worked flawlessly. Thank you so much!
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John_Ha
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Re: How to find font used when file was created. [Solved]

Post by John_Ha »

Remember that the font showing in the Writer font drop-down selection box is the font the document is asking for. This may NOT be the font being used to create the display because, if the font being asked for is not installed on the PC, Windows (or other operating system) will silently substitute a different font which is available. It is almost certainly the same in Draw.

The [url=hhttp://extensions.openoffice.org/en/project/testfonts]TestFonts[/url] add-on is invaluable for finding missing fonts which a Writer document is asking for, but which are not installed on the PC.

You can see which fonts are installed on the PC by Start > Control Panel > Fonts or by clicking C:\Windows\Fonts.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
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