Uploading font metrics using Load AFM File function
Summary
The SAP system is delivered with the font metrics data that is required for all standard SAPscript forms. Sometimes we want to use a typeface that is not included in the SAP standards; in that case we need to upload font metrics data. There are two ways to upload font metrics. Here am describing the step by step procedure to upload the font metrics using the method Load AFM File function.
Author: Abyson Joseph Chavara
Company: Applexus Technologies (P) LTD
Created on: 27 August 2013
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Methods for uploading font metrics.
Step by step procedure to upload the font metrics using Load AFM File function.
Step 1: Copy the *.afm file(s)
Step 2: Create a font family.
Step 3: Load AFM File.
Step 4: Setting Attributes.
Step 5: Generate font
Step 6: Repeat the upload procedure.
Step 7: Specify the print controls.
Copyright
Introduction
The SAP system is delivered with the font metrics data that is required for all standard SAPscript forms. If in some cases we want to use a typeface that is not included in the SAP standard or we need to create our own form and printing program to use your special typeface. In that cases we need to upload font metrics data. Uploading font metrics makes them available to SAPscript for filling text during output.
Methods for uploading font metrics
There are two ways to upload font metrics. We can choose the method, depending on the type of font metrics information available with us.
Method 1: Load AFM File function
We can use this SAPscript Load AFM File function to upload the font metrics, if we have an .afm font metrics files in Adobe Font Metrics ASCII format.
Method 2: SAPLPD/RSTXLMET method
We could use the SAPLPD/RSTXLMET method for uploading font metrics for any font that is installed in Microsoft Windows.
Here I am describing the steps in uploading font metrics using the method Load AFM File function.
Step by step procedure to upload the font metrics using Load AFM File function
To upload font metrics we need an .afm font metrics files in Adobe Font Metrics ASCII format.
Step1: Copy the *.afm file(s)
Copy the *.afm file(s) (ASCII format) to a directory that is accessible from the frontend computer you are working on.
Step2: Create a font family
Create a SAPscript font family for the font, if one does not already exist. Choose Administration >>CCMS >>Print >>Font Maintenance or run transaction SE73 and then Font Families and Change. Choose Create to add a new font family. You can use any name you want for the font family. Leave Substitute family fields blank unless there is an alternative SAP font family to this one. The substitute family is used in the event that this font is not defined in the target device type of an output request. For Character set, enter the number of the character set to use for printing this font. For example: enter 1705 for a printer that outputs Greek characters (see the screen shot below).
Step 3: Load AFM File
Return to the initial font maintenance screen. Choose Printer fonts and Change. Position the cursor on the device type (printer) for which the font metrics are intended. Here I have selected the device type 'ZCHE_09' which I have created before in SPAD. Choose Load AFM File, enter the path name of the .afm file in the upload dialog window, and choose Transfer to upload the file. The system asks you to create a transport request. Use this request to transport the new font to other SAP systems.
Step 4: Setting Attributes
Fill out the fields in the dialog box displayed. Select the attributes (bold and italic) appropriate for the file you uploaded. For the font size, enter 000 if the font is to be used with the POST, SWIN, or HPL2 OTF drivers. 000 means that this font is scalable and these printers are all capable of using the AFM data to scale the font to any required size. For devices that use other OTF drivers (STN2 and so on), upload the AFM files separately for each font size that you need. For this, specify the actual font size. Finally, enter a unique name(s) for the print controls to be used to switch to this font in portrait and landscape mode. The names must have the format SF<xxx> and must be unique among the print controls for the current device type.
Click on the device type and press F2 to open the list of printer fonts. The new font that you have uploaded should appear in the list as shown below.
Step 5: Generate font
Generate the font by choosing Edit >> Generate font.
If the system displays the message PostScript character xxxx is unknown, this means that the uploaded information included a character that SAP could not identify. Either delete this character from the uploaded font or substitute the character name that SAP uses for the character.
Try to find the character among the characters supported by SAP. To display the SAP character definitions, create a new SAP session and run transaction SPAD. Then choose Full administration and SAP Characters (Screen shot shown below). Enter the character name xxxx (replace with name shown in the message) in the sap characters field and click display.
If you find an equivalent SAP character, then choose Edit metrics (red circled in the screen shot below) in the Change printer fonts screen.
The edit fontmetrics screen will be displayed as below. Replace the unknown original name of the character with the R/3 name. This makes the character printable from R/3.
If you do not find an equivalent character, then you must delete the unknown character from the uploaded font metrics. The character will not be printable from R/3. Choose Edit metrics from the Change printer fonts screen. Then delete the line that defines the character. Also reduce the number of characters that appears at the start of the AFM file.
Repeat this step until all unknown characters have been handled and the font has been successfully generated.
Step 6: Repeat the upload procedure
Repeat the upload procedure until you have added all of your *.afm files. You only need to create the font family once.
Step 7: Specify the print controls
Specify the print controls for switching to this font in portrait and landscape mode by choosing the Maint. Print control (red circled in the below screen shot).
Your font is now ready for use.
Thanks an Regards,
Abyson Joseph Chavara.
Copyright
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