Font in Android Library

Question

At the follow link

Android Dev Guide

is write:

Library projects cannot include raw assets The tools do not support the use of raw asset files (saved in the assets/ directory) in a library project. Any asset resources used by an application must be stored in the assets/ directory of the application project itself. However, resource files saved in the res/ directory are supported.

So if I want to create a custom view component that use a custom font how can I access the resource? Can't I redistribute my component with my favorite font !!!!

Best regards

Answer 1

Here's a method for loading fonts from resources that actually works ;-) Credit to mr32bit for the first version.

private Typeface getFontFromRes(int resource)
{ 
    Typeface tf = null;
    InputStream is = null;
    try {
        is = getResources().openRawResource(resource);
    }
    catch(NotFoundException e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "Could not find font in resources!");
    }

    String outPath = getCacheDir() + "/tmp" + System.currentTimeMillis() ".raw";

    try
    {
        byte[] buffer = new byte[is.available()];
        BufferedOutputStream bos = new BufferedOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(outPath));

        int l = 0;
        while((l = is.read(buffer)) > 0)
            bos.write(buffer, 0, l);

        bos.close();

        tf = Typeface.createFromFile(outPath);

        // clean up
        new File(outPath).delete();
    }
    catch (IOException e)
    {
        Log.e(TAG, "Error reading in font!");
        return null;
    }

    Log.d(TAG, "Successfully loaded font.");

    return tf;      
}

Answer 2

Ok I have found a workaround for the problem. You need to copy the file to an external directory then load a typeface from file with Typeface.createFromFile and then delete the temporary file. I know is not a clean mode of work but is working grate.

1 - You need to put your font on "/res/raw/font.ttf"

2 - Inser in your code the following method

3 - put in your code Typeface mFont = FileStreamTypeface(R.raw.font);

4 - All is done

 Typeface FileStreamTypeface(int resource)
{
    Typeface tf = null;

    InputStream is = getResources().openRawResource(resource);
    String path = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/gmg_underground_tmp";
    File f = new File(path);
    if (!f.exists())
    {
        if (!f.mkdirs())
            return null;
    }

    String outPath = path + "/tmp.raw";

    try
    {
        byte[] buffer = new byte[is.available()];
        BufferedOutputStream bos = new BufferedOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(outPath));

        int l = 0;
        while((l = is.read(buffer)) > 0)
        {
            bos.write(buffer, 0, l);
        }
        bos.close();

        tf = Typeface.createFromFile(outPath);

        File f2 = new File(outPath);
        f2.delete();
    }
    catch (IOException e)
    {
        return null;
    }

    return tf;      
}

if someone have an alternative I'm pleased to read it. Do you have to remember that this workaround is only for Android Libraries

Best regards