iOS: Programmatically add custom font during runtime

Question

I would like to allow my application users to use their own fonts in the app, by copying them inside the Documents directory (through iTunes). However, I can't find a way to use custom fonts in this way, since the right way to do it depends on using the UIAppFonts key in the app's Info.plist.

Is there any way to override this during runtime?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Try this one

#import "MBProgressHUD.h"
#import <CoreText/CoreText.h>


- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    NSURL *fileNameURL=[NSURL URLWithString:@"http://www.ge.tt/api/1/files/6d7jEnk/0/"];
    NSMutableURLRequest *filenameReq=[[NSMutableURLRequest alloc] initWithURL:fileNameURL];
    NSData *responseData=[NSURLConnection sendSynchronousRequest:filenameReq returningResponse:nil error:nil];

    NSDictionary* json = [NSJSONSerialization
                          JSONObjectWithData:responseData
                          options:kNilOptions
                          error:nil];


    NSString *fontFileName=[[[json valueForKey:@"filename"] componentsSeparatedByString:@"."] objectAtIndex:0];

    NSLog(@"file name is %@",fontFileName);

    NSURL *url=[NSURL URLWithString:@"http://www.ge.tt/api/1/files/6d7jEnk/0/blob?download"];

    NSMutableURLRequest *request=[[NSMutableURLRequest alloc] initWithURL:url];

    __block NSError *error;
    __block NSURLResponse *response;

    MBProgressHUD *hud=[MBProgressHUD showHUDAddedTo:self.view animated:YES];
    hud.labelText=@"Changing Font..";

    dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue( DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_LOW, 0), ^{

        NSData *urlData=[NSURLConnection sendSynchronousRequest:request returningResponse:&response error:&error];

        NSString *rootPath=[NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Documents"]];
        NSString *filePath=[rootPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@.ttf",fontFileName]];

        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
            [MBProgressHUD hideAllHUDsForView:self.view animated:YES];

            NSFileManager *fm=[NSFileManager defaultManager];

            if (![fm fileExistsAtPath:filePath]) {
                [urlData writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];
            }

            NSString *rootPath=[NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Documents"]];
            NSString *filePath=[rootPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@.ttf",fontFileName]];

            NSURL * fonturl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:filePath];
            CGDataProviderRef fontDataProvider = CGDataProviderCreateWithURL((__bridge CFURLRef)fonturl);

            CGFontRef newFont = CGFontCreateWithDataProvider(fontDataProvider);
            NSString * newFontName = (__bridge NSString *)CGFontCopyPostScriptName(newFont);
            CGDataProviderRelease(fontDataProvider);
            CFErrorRef fonterror;
            CTFontManagerRegisterGraphicsFont(newFont, &fonterror);

            CGFontRelease(newFont);

            UIFont * finalFont = [UIFont fontWithName:newFontName size:20.0f];

            [txt_UserName setFont:finalFont];
        });
    });

    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
}

Sample Code Here

It will look like

Answer 2

I know this is an old question, but I was trying to do the same today and found a way using CoreText and CGFont.

First be sure you add the CoreText framework and

#import <CoreText/CoreText.h>

Then this should do it (in this example I am using a font I previously downloaded and saved to a fonts directory inside the Documents directory):

NSArray * paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    NSString * documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
    NSString * fontPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Fonts/Chalkduster.ttf"];
    NSURL * url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:fontPath];
    CGDataProviderRef fontDataProvider = CGDataProviderCreateWithURL((__bridge CFURLRef)url);
    CGFontRef newFont = CGFontCreateWithDataProvider(fontDataProvider);
    NSString * newFontName = (__bridge NSString *)CGFontCopyPostScriptName(newFont);
    CGDataProviderRelease(fontDataProvider);
    CFErrorRef error;
    CTFontManagerRegisterGraphicsFont(newFont, &error);
    CGFontRelease(newFont);

    UIFont * finalFont = [UIFont fontWithName:newFontName size:20.0f];

Hope it helps anyone stumbling across this question!