Cross Platform Font Issue - Windows Sucks =)

[PVanderVossen]

We have a major issue with cross-platform compatibility of Fonts. We are using Mac OS X 10.3.8 and Windows 2000 with FileMaker 7.0. This issue has actually plagued us for many versions, not just 7.

Basically we have layouts that are for Memos and Proposals, where we have large text fields. On a Windows machine, in Browse Mode and in Preview mode the fonts track differently then they do on the Macintosh. On the Mac it will browse, preview, and print exactly the same. On Windows when we print we get the exact same results as the Mac, but the Preview and Browse does not show it the same, so the user sometimes will reformat their text to make it look good, only to have it not print at all like Preview mode shows it. We have tried different fonts, different printer drivers, and nothing seems to fix this problem. From what I can tell it is a FileMaker bug, but I am looking for any experience that anyone here may have with this problem. Thanks!

[PVanderVossen]

Figured I would add some more fuel to my text formatting fire:

1) We also ran into some trouble with certain fonts not printing properly from Windows, giving us Russian text instead. Upon further inspection it seems their are only like 6 fonts turned on by default in FMP on Windows, and any other Font you wish to use must be turned on within FMP.

2) Layouts set to align a text field "FULL" (so that the right margins all line up) seems to cut off the right side of that block of text. Seems like a bug to me.

3) In certain combinations of using Tabs and using the identing sliders (those little triangles in the text ruler) causes the text to overlap on itself. You are then stuck with invisible characters and spaces and VERY strange behavoir. The fix to this seems to not combine the use of those sliders with Tabs.

4) Related to my original topic, since fonts seem to track differently in Windows, I am stuck making layout boxes bigger than they really need to be on the Mac, which creates a bunch of empty space on the Mac, while not doing this will cut off text in Windows. ARGH

[stanley]

PVanderVossen:

There are two basic ways to deal with the issue regarding Browse Mode. One choice is to find the fonts which have the most cross-compatibility (such as Arial, Helvetica and the like; there's been a thread on this topic recently.) The second choice is to create separate layouts for the different platforms, and to route the user to the correct platform via Get(SystemPlatform) (used to be Status(CurrentPlatform) in 5 & 6). I use the latter method, but make the layouts *appear* identical, so the users are unaware of the alterations.

The Preview problem is another thing entirely. Because of the sometimes baffling performance of Preview Mode on the Windows platform, there are situations where I trap out Windows users (again via Get(SystemPlatform)) from seeing print previews, because of specifically the user behavior you refer to.

-Stanley

[stanley]

We were posting at the same time, so I missed your second post. For most of your points, I'd just reiterate the method of using Get(SystemPlatform) and giving Windows users their own layouts.

And a big thank you to Bill Gates for giving us these issues to deal with.

-Stanley

[PVanderVossen]

Is it really Bill Gates, or is it FileMakers lack of expertise in developing on the platform? Honestly I find completing my Corporate shift to all OS X as a better solution to scripting around the Windows users. =)

[stanley]

Is it really Bill Gates, or is it FileMakers lack of expertise in developing on the platform?

FileMaker has been cross-platform for ages, so I don't think you can point to any inexperience on their part. Windows just handles fonts differently (and I mean "differently" in its "inexplicably bizarre" definition there.) If you can script around Windows by throwing the Win boxes out the window & replacing them with OSX machines, more power to you. I wish I had that option with some of my clients.

-Stanley