Font error

When I open Xara I get the message "This document contains synthesized bold/italic font variants that are no longer supported. Please use the Name Gallery to identify and if necessary replace the fonts". I am using a font called ZapfChan Bd BT. This setup was inherited from a guy that retired a couple of years ago. I hesitate to change the font since it is in use all over the website.

My question is this: I use the text tool to write out the desired text, make desired changes to shadows and bevels, and then export the result as a gif file. Do I need to worry about the message since I am creating image files? Next, can I make the message go away without changing the font?

Thanks in advance.

Once the font has been exported as a bitmap, it is pixels and no longer a font.

In the not so distant past, you could add italics and/or boldface to a typeface that did not have fonts for these styles. Then Xara decided to go along with other graphic software and only support styles that were part of a typeface. This is one reason why you may be seeing this warning. I have also observed that some of the Google fonts used in older documents show this warning as the Google font has been changed or modified.

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

Once the font has been exported as a bitmap, it is pixels and no longer a font.

In the not so distant past, you could add italics and/or boldface to a typeface that did not have fonts for these styles. Then Xara decided to go along with other graphic software and only support styles that were part of a typeface. This is one reason why you may be seeing this warning. I have also observed that some of the Google fonts used in older documents show this warning as the Google font has been changed or modified.

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I figured that.

I still wondered why I was getting the message since the font I'm using is already bold. I went in and opened each item and noticed that Bold was highlighted. I deselected Bold on each item (leaving no visual change), saved the file, and reopened. The message is gone.

I then wondered why Bold was highlighted to begin with. I created a new text box and made some changes to see if it would happen, but it didn't. I will continue on for now knowing the message is gone. Thanks for you help.

Because you do not have a bold version of that font, your Xara application gives you that warning dialog. But your Xara application leaves the bold attribute set for the opportunity to install the bold variant and therefore leave the text as designed originally. I.e., if you installed the bold variant, all those words or characters using the bold attribute when then be bold.

When you removed the bold attribute there wouldn't be a visual change because the appearance of bold was already removed when the file was opened..

If you really desire to keep the appearance of the original design, you would need to obtain a bold variant of the font. Bitstream (you version of Zapf Chancery) did make a bold version. Adobe's version has 6 styles, likely Bitstream's version at least had 4 if not all 6).

I understand that. I did inherit this setup from the last admin and the writing that I am seeing is the same as the old stuff. I guess he was always seeing the same errors and just ignored them. I used the name gallery to go in and change all of my fonts. That helped to get rid of the error.

The reason I finally decided to ask for help on this is that my xar file has started freezing up. Every time I click, or type, the program freezes up for about 30 seconds (sometimes longer). I created a new xar file and everything works as normal. I also have a another existing xar file with pictures that works fine. Is there a way to figure out what is causing the freezing?

Hmm. As regard the freezing up behavior, process of elimination may find the object(s) causing the slow-down. Which would mean making a copy of the file using Save As (so the original is untouched), then deleting objects one by one, perhaps saving as an incremental name, and doing this one by one until hopefully the object(s) is found.

After removing the faux bold, I would try saving as a new name, then closing, re-opening that file and check it. If you haven't already done this, that is.

Mike

I tried saving as a new file, closing, and reopening and it didn't work. I also tried just copying the contents and pasting to a new file and it didn't work either. In the interest of time I decided to create a new file and work out of it for now. I'll keep the old file around for reference purposes. Maybe I'll get some time later to try the process of elimination strategy.

Thanks again for all the help.