So I was digging through a bunch of test projects I had created a while ago and I stumbled across a project involving embedded fonts. I was about to delete the project when I saw that I had my app referencing fonts embedded in a library. This got me thinking about building applications where all of your visual information (colors, images, etc etc) could live in a library outside of your application. Then multiple apps could share the same visual resources or you could even set up your app to read in these library’s like skins.

Not that unique of an idea but with WPF’s Resource Dictionaries and Embedded Fonts this would be a very simple thing to do with some super hip rewards. Example: Let’s say after a year since you released your app you feel it could stand a visual redesign. Just throw together a new library, update the user’s “graphicslibrary.dll” and wham…you’re done. Or just push to the user as a new “skin file”. It’s almost to easy.

Now that I’ve decided every WPF app built from this day forward should have something like I just described, I’d better make a post so you know how to embed fonts.

Embedding and Referencing Fonts in your application and/or library is very simple.

First you’ll need to add your fonts to your project. In the image below you can see where I added the NEUROPOL.ttf font to my application and the VINQUE.ttf font to my library. NOTE: In your properties for the fonts make sure that “Build Action” is set to “Resource”. I believe that is the default value.

Now it’s just a matter of referencing the fonts in your xaml. (Normally I would make a reference to the FontFamily in a ResourceDictionary but for the sake of this example I just slapped it on the TextBoxes.)

The reference to the application’s embedded font on the first TextBox is fairly straight forward. It follows the format: /[PathToResource]/#[FontFamilyName]

The second reference to the library’s embedded font is a little trickier. It’s format is: /[LibraryAssemblyName];Component/[PathToResource]/#[FontFamilyName]

Oh…and don’t forget to add your library to your application’s References.

When it’s all said and done you get the following.

Yes I took screenshots of Visual Studio. It’s easier then hacking XAML into WordPress and I think it looks better. Since you can’t copy & paste here’s the SOURCE CODE.

Now get out there and start making skins for your apps. I’m going to spend the next couple of hours making a Star Wars Theme for Times Reader. Hmmm…or maybe a Mid-Evil Dragon Themed Times Reader. With Elfs…and Dwarfs…and Maidens…YAH…lots of Maidens…with swords…