Fonts

Anything and everything CNC-Shark-related

Moderators: ddw, al wolford, sbk, Bob, Kayvon

rrsnith
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:55 pm

Fonts

Post by rrsnith »

Where can I download more fonts from and how do I import them into Vcarve program?

Barry Anderson
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:55 pm

Re: Fonts

Post by Barry Anderson »

There are a number of Font websites. Find a font you like and download it. Some are free, some are not, some just ask for donations. When you download it, open it, and install it, it will be an option when you click the text icon.
Barry Anderson
Anderson Custom Woodwork, Inc.

tonydude
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Fonts

Post by tonydude »

Whatever fonts you have on your computer is what v carve pro sees. The more you have the better. I get mine from https://www.dafont.com/

Tony
Buffalo,NY

"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”

Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.

User avatar
bill z
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 9:09 am
Location: Spring, Texas USA

Re: Fonts

Post by bill z »

If the font works in MS Word, it will work with V-Carve. It will even use those curle borders, flowers and whing dings.

rrsnith
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:55 pm

Re: Fonts

Post by rrsnith »

How do I download them into the vcarve software so they are listed with the fonts.

Rando
Posts: 757
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 3:24 pm
Location: Boise, ID
Contact:

Re: Fonts

Post by Rando »

RRSnith:

The Vectric software obtains fonts from two locations. Different, incompatible file formats defining those fonts reside in the two directories, and should not be mixed.

The location typically C:\Program Files (x86)\VCarve Pro X.Y\Fonts contains VECTRIC fonts. These are single- and three-line fonts included in the VCarve program. Those .vfont files cannot be used in Windows, and will not show up in non-Vectric apps. Also, if you add a font there, it will only show up in that one Vectric program; other Vectric programs have their own Fonts folders.

The location typically C:\Windows\Fonts holds OpenType (.otf), TrueType (.ttf) and PostScript (.eps) fonts. These fonts are installed from the control panel, or by right-clicking on a font file and selecting "install". These fonts will appear in any Windows program that supports Windows-based fonts.

The primary difference between the two fonts is that the Vectric fonts are "stroke-based" in that the individual pieces of letters are restricted to lines. No "regions", only lines. These are sometimes referred to as "vector-based" fonts, though this is technically incorrect, as vectors are also used in the other type, but for different intent.

The more-traditional Windows-compatible fonts are "area based", where the individual pieces of the letters define solid areas shaped in just the right way, and filled with whatever the font color is. While it's not difficult or impossible to engrave or V-carve with Windows fonts, the methods used for each font type differ.

With the Vectric fonts, you'll typically use a quick-engrave or line-following toolpath generator.
With the Windows fonts, you'll typical use a v-carve toolpath with a defined bottom depth so the dark areas of the characters don't cut infinitely deep into the wood.

Anyway, if you get TTF or similar windows-compatible fonts from internet sources, make sure they're virus-scanned, and then you'll install them into the Windows font folder, using the control panel. Or, again, you should be able to right-click on the font files and there will be an "install" command. If not, then question whether you have a compatible font file.

If you download a font file directly from the Vectric site, and it's from them, and it has the .vfont extension, only then can you safely put it in that C:\Program Files (x86)\VCarve Pro X.Y\Fonts folder. A restart of the Vectric application might be needed to see new fonts dropped in there.

Windows fonts will typically refresh inside the program without having to restart the application. The new ones should show up if you close and re-open the list of fonts, as Windows is supposed to report such changes to all applications that retrieve the current list of fonts.

One thing to always keep in mind: a lot of times, people download non-standard fonts because they want to use the type in a new company's logo. Not saying that's what you're doing, but a lot of times that's what people are doing. If that's the case, remember that the character shapes are NOT copyrightable; only the font file NAME is considered copyrighted. While that means you're safe using the font, it does NOT mean you can use it for commercial purposes **without modification**, and have a snowball's chance when you try and defend yourself when your logo is infringed. If you're going to create a logo, you are REQUIRED by trademark law to modify the shape of at least some of the used characters so that they are clearly distinguishable from the standard, unmodified font's character (glyph) shapes. Well, it's not like the cops are going to bang down the door, but if you don't, and someone steals that company's logo, there's nothing you can do, because the "image" is not legally yours: it's the font-vendor's rendering, and all you did was rearrange it. Oh...and no, the font vendor doesn't care what they do with their font either, so they're not going to back your copyright claim. Anyway, my point is to be deliberate in how you use fonts for commercial purposes. (Sorry...is that mansplaining? :? )

Ah....yeah....um....not sure how to break the news to you on this one....a while back a friend and I were engraving all-caps text that was wrapped into a circle, to engrave the brand name of a custom gun manufacturer onto a box of effectively commemorative cartridges for a custom rifle. About 20 characters, in about 6 point (0.0833", 2.03mm) single-line font, in a circle about 1/3" in diameter. Mighty small stuff for these machines, apparently ..... because under some circumstances (that we never resolved why), Vectric would simply not cut one or more very small segments of the letters. We never figured out what was doing it, but eventually found a size and font combination that was successful. So, be wary when doing really small text, and check that it really is going to cut every one of the tiny vectors. Because you do NOT want to pull the part off the machine and later discover it never put the middle-strokes in the capital-E's or something similar. :twisted:

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Thom


P.S.: Bonus 'cause you read this far: when you're in the windows font folder, right-click on a font and choose "Preview". Up pops a multi-sized display of the full font that you can print out for handy character-shape reference. Always check both the capital and lower-case "g", "p" and "q" letters...that's where font designers put their weirdness, that often makes a good piece of text stand out for the font not the meaning. There's nothing more heartbreaking than choosing an awesome font for "Charley's Quizzes and Games" only to find out the Q and G are three times taller than the rest of the characters, and the z's are some odd Germanic swastika-looking contrivance, and the s's have descending tails so long the logo looks like it needs a beard trim ;-). Each character in the font has to earn it's way and not make a scene, so look critically at each glyph you'll be using, at a variety of sizes, especially very large. Some fonts will rather break down at high point-sizes, and will often completely lose features in carving/engraving at small sizes.
=====================================================
ThomR.com Creative tools and photographic art
A proud member of the Pacific Northwest CNC Club (now on Facebook)

rrsnith
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:55 pm

Re: Fonts

Post by rrsnith »

Now I am really confused.
I click install but I don't know where they went,, can't find them.
You are dealing with someone that is completely computer illiterate.
Thanks for your response though...

tonydude
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Fonts

Post by tonydude »

It goes in the font folder, don't worry about it. When u open vcarve it will be in there.

Tony
Buffalo,NY

"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”

Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.

rrsnith
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:55 pm

Re: Fonts

Post by rrsnith »

Cool I found them,,Thanks so much that was too easy.

chriscnc43
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:19 pm

Re: Fonts

Post by chriscnc43 »

Will any font that you download work for the shark?

Post Reply