Font change from Mac to Windows 7

[Daniel Shanahan]

I created a db on a Mac, OS X Leopard in FileMaker Pro 11. I used Lucinda Grande for the font. I thought that this font would be rendered through/as* Lucinda Sans Unicode on Windows (see chart). However, when I copied the file from my Mac to Windows 7 on my VM Fusion, it becomes Arial. In fact, I had to add Lucinda Sans Unicode to FileMaker; apparently it is on Windows 7 but not necessary available to FileMaker until it is added via Configure/More Fonts... in the formating bar in Layout Mode.

So, I added Lucinda Sans Unicode and deleted the file. Then, I copied the master file over from the Mac side again, but the font still renders as Arial, even though Lucinda Sans Unicode is now "configured" or available.

Anyone have any thoughts? I'd really like to not have to redo all the fonts in the Windows 7 file.

Thanks.

*not sure of the correct terminology

[Daniel Shanahan]

Has anyone else run into this?

[comment]

The chart you have linked to is irrelevant, because Filemaker doesn't use CSS and has no concept of "font-family". I think that if you had "Lucida Grande" installed on your Windows system, Filemaker would have used it. Otherwise it's 'system default to system default', I believe.

In versions before 7 there was a stand-alone font-mapping file that you could have modified yourself e.g. by adding a "Lucida Grande -> Lucinda Sans Unicode" pair. I don't know how it works now.

[Daniel Shanahan]

Thanks for your reply, comment. Perhaps the chart was misleading as it is describing font substitutions for browsers. I'm aware that FileMaker does not use CSS.

I think that if you had "Lucida Grande" installed on your Windows system, Filemaker would have used it.

As I understand it, "Lucida Grande" is not available for Windows. Rather, the Windows equivalent is "Lucida Sans Unicode". I thought this meant that "Lucida Grande" would be rendered "Lucida Sans Unicode" but that seems not to be the case, at least from my experience.

Is everyone who is developing for Mac and PC using Verdana or Tahoma? I'm not a fan of Verdana's bold and I think Tahoma is too thin. Anyone else using Lucida Grande?

(p.s. my original post I call the font "Lucinda..." - my mistake).

[Daniel Shanahan]

After more research I have found a couple of things:

1. Lucida Grande is not on Windows of any flavor.

2. Lucida Grande is on the Windows version of Safari.

3. Finding Lucida Grande is not terribly easy. It is not clear if the font is free or must be purchased.

4. I found Lucida Grande here: http://spencerlavery.com/blog/calibri-lucida-grande-winning-combination/

5. Lucida Grande installs quite easily into the Windows 7 font folder.

6. My database now renders the text in Lucida Grande like its Mac counter part.

I am still curious if other developers, particularly those using Macs, use Lucida Grande and how they manage the Windows side of things.

Thanks.