Can you get a list of OSX fonts somehow?

todd burch

I have a java program that runs on both Win and OSX if you want a copy.

thomthom

John - and there is no flashing console windows when you perform that?

I have a java program that runs on both Win and OSX if you want a copy.

I'm good with these solutions here - I prefer them over Flash and Java as then we don't have to rely on plugins to be installed. There's too many users with out of date versions which these days get blocked by browsers or they are locked down due to office policy.

thomthom

@driven said:

If you want a list in ruby

 fontList=(`osascript -e 'tell application "Font Book"' -e ' set fontList to name of every font family' -e 'end tell'`)

Tried it on my Mac Mini - I started this Font Book application which appeared in the dock (not something I'd really want.)

And it was also very slow. Took about 2-3 seconds.

thomthom

Of course, running it a second time it's much faster. So it's the overhead of starting the Font Book app.

TIG

How about [MAC]:
fontList=system(/usr/bin/fc-list : file family | grep /Library)
??

thomthom

Returned false

TIG

How about:
fontList=system("#!/bin/bash/usr/bin\n/fc-list : file family | grep /Library")

thomthom

false

thomthom

In normal Console:
/usr/bin/fc-list : file family | grep \/Library
Return:
-bash: /usr/bin/fc-list: No such file or directory

cd /usr/bin/ fc-list : family
Return:
List of just font names.

fc-list : file family | grep \/Library
Returns:
Nothing

But getting the result of system call under SketchUp, with the system method - all I get is false.

thomthom

http://stackoverflow.com/a/3159997/486990

Either:
system('foobarCommand')

foobarCommand``

The latter will return the output - the former will output to standard output but return true/false.

` >> system('echo hi')
hi
=> true

echo hi
=> "hi\n"`

fc-list : family`` returns a list of font names.

(This was using IRB from a system console)

However, using Ruby Console:
echo hi`` returns "hi\n"

but fc-list : family`` returns ""

thomthom

System IRB console:

>> system 'echo hi' hi => true

SketchUp Console:

` > system 'echo hi'
true

system 'fc-list'
false`

What gives?

TIG

How about something like...
fontList = system(fc-list : family)
??
Do you need to specify the 'shell-type' in the line like ?
fontList=system(#!/bin/bash usr/bin/fc-list : family)
When it works, then is it fast enough ?

thomthom

@tig said:

How about something like...
fontList = system(fc-list : family)
??

See my previous post - the commands work in native consoles, but not in in SketchUp console - it doesn't appear to capture the output.

TIG

But the surely surrounding ` ``` '' "" etc can produce different results ??
So... are they all foobar?

My other example tried to force it to run as a 'bash' shell... Is that possible?

Not having a MAC available does somewhat curtail my help in this area

Jim

@thomthom said:

the commands work in native consoles, but not in in SketchUp console

Maybe they are using stderr instead of stdout? You could test on the command line:

fc-list : family > out fc-list : family 2> err

thomthom

@tig said:

But the surely surrounding ` ``` '' "" etc can produce different results ??
So... are they all foobar?

My other example tried to force it to run as a 'bash' shell... Is that possible?

They all return false.

thomthom

@jim said:

Maybe they are using stderr instead of stdout? You could test on the command line:

fc-list : family > out fc-list : family 2> err

nada

thomthom

Tried to output to file:

fc-list : family >> ~/Desktop/fonts.txt

Empty when run from within SketchUp, populated when run in a native console.

Something is messed up with the messaging system!

TIG

system(fc-list : family | out) ?
running out of permutations...

thomthom

Won't that just list fonts with "out" in them?