Text (font) looks faded on older apis

Question

I am using a custom typeface, and it displays perfectly on newer android versions(tested on API 17(Asus tab), 18(Dell tab), 19(Nex4) - devices). However, the same typeface looks faded (possibly distorted?) on older versions - API 8(SE X10i), 10(LG P500H).

Here's a comparison, in case my explanation doesn't make sense:

On nex4:

On x10i:

I am using a custom typeface with Typeface.BOLD:

tvTitle.setTypeface(titleAndBodyFont, Typeface.BOLD);

And the body ("Looks *" part):

tvBody.setTypeface(titleAndBodyFont);

XML declaration for title:

<TextView
    android:id="@+id/tvTitle"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/margin_title_side"
    android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/margin_title_side"
    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/margin_title_top"
    android:ellipsize="end"
    android:maxLines="1"
    android:textColor="@color/constant_color"
    android:textSize="@dimen/text_size_title" />

tvBody is declared in a similar fashion.

Is this a known bug? If so, could someone help me find the bug report? It would help knowing what version this was fixed in. If not, I would be grateful for a solution.

Thanks everyone.

Answer 1

I always use 2 fonts, 1 normal and 1 bold. So when you need to go bold, just change your font. Never had problems, you can also create your custom textviewplus.

Something like this:

/res/values/attrs.xml

<resources>   
<attr name="fontFamily" format="enum">
    <enum name="helvetica" value="0"/>
    <enum name="helvetica_bold" value="1"/>
</attr>

your TextViewPlus:

public class TextViewPlus extends TextView{

private static final String TAG = "TextViewPlus";

public TextViewPlus(Context context) {
    super(context);
}

public TextViewPlus(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
    super(context, attrs);
    setCustomFont(context, attrs);
}

public TextViewPlus(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
    super(context, attrs, defStyle);
    setCustomFont(context, attrs);
}

private void setCustomFont(Context ctx, AttributeSet attrs) {
    TypedArray a = ctx.obtainStyledAttributes(attrs, R.styleable.TextViewPlus);
    int customFont = a.getInt(R.styleable.TextViewPlus_fontFamily, -1);
    setCustomFont(ctx, customFont);
    a.recycle();
}

public boolean setCustomFont(Context ctx, int font) {
    Typeface tf = null;
    try {
    tf = Typefaces.get(ctx, font);  
    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "Could not get typeface: "+e.getMessage());
        return false;
    }

    setTypeface(tf);  
    return true;
}

public boolean setCustomFont(Context ctx, String asset) {
    Typeface tf = null;
    try {
    tf = Typefaces.get(ctx, asset);  
    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "Could not get typeface: "+e.getMessage());
        return false;
    }

    setTypeface(tf);
    return true;
}

}

How to use:

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/com.myapp"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" >
        <com.myapp.viewhelpers.TextViewPlus 
        app:fontFamily="helvetica"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        app:fontFamily="helvetica"
        android:text="helo world"/>

Answer 2

I really can't help you much, definitely looks like a bug, but to check the bug extension maybe you find this test useful:

        public class TestBoldText extends View {

            private TextPaint mPaint;

            public TestBoldText(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {

                super(context, attrs);

                mPaint = new TextPaint(); 


                mPaint.setAntiAlias(true);
                mPaint.setFakeBoldText(true);
                mPaint.setFlags(mPaint.getFlags()|Paint.SUBPIXEL_TEXT_FLAG);

            }

            @Override
            protected void onDraw(Canvas canvas) {

                super.onDraw(canvas);
                canvas.drawText("i am a bold text!", 0, 0, mPaint)

            }

        }

It looks like Android uses a "fake bold" approach to draw bold text, rather than a specific bold version of the typeface. I suppose they draw the same text with a pixel offset. This test draws acceptable bold text in my devices with API >= ICS (samsung galaxy / amazon kindle) but I'd be curious to know if it fails in your device as well, as I am doing kind of a wysiwig editor.

Also, mPaint.setStrokeWidth should change the text line width. I suppose playing with setStrokeWidth / setAntiAlias / setFakeBoldText you can get a decent bold text in the older API, but I also wonder why the result is not the same...

good luck in your investigation !