Hi all, I have just started to use Inkscape for a while, version 0.91 on Windows 8.1. Lately I have tried to add some new Chinese fonts to the Windows, but after that the Inkscape programme automatically shut down when I click the Font dialogue box in Inkscape, not even choose any font yet. The problem still happens after I have deleted the new fonts from Windows.

I have installed the new fonts by copying the fonts to the "Fonts" folder in "Control Panel", and it is successful because I can use them in Microsoft Word.

Below is the link of the Chinese font that I have used (one of them):
https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/hYopCHUjS5uPU6tStIDd

Can anyone help on this? Thanks a lot!

Hi simonics,

this sounds like a bug to me. A quick search among the known bugs I just did didn't turn up a report about this behaviour.
Please create a new bug report here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape so this can be investigated further.

(and also try if it works again when you uninstall the font, and tell the developers which download file from our website you installed, and if you're on a 32 or 64bit system)

I have uninstalled the font, and even uninstall Inkscape, but the problem still happen when I reinstall it... Now I cannot even change the English fonts in Inkscape, headache...

I have uninstalled the font, and even uninstall Inkscape, but the problem still happen when I reinstall it... Now I cannot even change the English fonts in Inkscape, headache...

Hi Moini, thanks, I have created a bug report for this just now.

Do you use a font manager? There was a message not too long ago, where someone had the same experience, where deleting the font from Windows, but it was still showing in Inkscape The solution was unexpected for me....I'm trying to remember.... Yeah, I can't remember, I'm going to have to search. I'll post back when I find it.

Ok, it didn't take too long. I don't clearly understand what happened here, but it seems like they were using a font manager to delete the font, and it wasn't working. But it sounds like they tried a different font manager, which did work.

Although note that there are some issues with using Chinese fonts (long day -- those don't come immediately to mind either).

Anyway, hopefully this other topic will be helpful. www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=19389 The answer comes somewhere mid-page.

Hi Brynn, thanks! I just use drag the fonts to the fonts folder in Windows, which I believe is what was mentioned as the Windows file manager in that post. It is new to me to use another file manager, let me try it out... Thanks!

Hi Brynn, I have downloaded 2 file managers to try but the problem still exists. And then I tried FileZilla, and found that actually those fonts had not been completely deleted using those file managers or the Windows font manager. Then I deleted all those leftovers of the new fonts that I had added, finally I can open Inkscape smoothly and modify the text.

However, using FileZilla to install the new fonts again still cause the same problem... Seems like Inkscape can only accept the build-in Chinese fonts.

Anyway thanks for your help Brynn, at least I can use Inkscape again now.

Oh good, I'm glad you solved that part. I'm not familiar with FileZilla (will have to look it up) so I didn't realize it was not a font manager.

I'm not sure if this could be seen as a bug, because if you sort back through the referenced topics, it looks like the problem might have its source in Windows. But at least with 2 reports of success using FZ, we can suggest for others to use it, who may have this problem.

Do you need Chinese fonts to write a lot of text? If you just need a symbol or character, or a few, you could probably use either Text menu > Glyphs or Object menu > Symbols. But if you need it for a lot of text, I'm not sure what to suggest.

I wonder if you could create the font somewhere else, like in another program, and import into Inkscape.....maybe as paths?

Hi Brynn, I just need some Chinese words in better fonts, not a lot of words. I have no idea about the "Glyphs" function yet, need to check out and learn.

I am also trying to import those Chinese words in new fonts as a JPG to Inkscape, but I need to use another computer to do this (or install the fonts, create the words then uninstall them before opening inkscape).

One quick question, sorry for not trying to find in the forum. If I import it as JPG, how can I very quickly get the black words out from the white background? I know I can draw lines around the words and use "Clip", but it takes quite long time for me to do so...

You could use Path menu > Trace Bitmap. I would use a multiple scan (8 to 12 scans should work). If the text is completely black, use the Grays option. And be sure to check Remove Background.

(The multiple scan option will allow it to look more natural. A single scan option, or clipping, will make it look not quite so natural. At least that's my experience with text.)

I do wonder why you can't install the other Chinese fonts though. The font that you linked in your first message is one that won't install? Since I'm on Windows, maybe I'll try it. If I have the same experience, I'll make the bug report.

Hhmm....similar experience here. Do you know what the name of that font is, in English?

When I installed the font, and then previewed it, it did not display as any kind of Chinese text. It shows up in the English alphabet. So I'm thinking maybe it is showing in Inskcape, but it's showing an English word? I have quite a lot of fonts, so I can't recognize (necessarily) a new one.

Also, in the titlebar of the Preview window, it's not showing the same Chinese characters as in the download file name either. Not English either. Here's some screenshots.

I think the problem may be more with Windows, than with Inkscape. Of course, my version of Windows is set for English. So maybe that's preventing the font from showing. Unless it's in Inkscape with an English word for the font name.

Here's the name of the font:

Below is the Preview

Another thought -- maybe this font is not well made. Inskcape tends to be pretty picky about fonts. Maybe you can find it, or something similar, that you can confirm is well made, and try that one?

And now, Inkscape crashed while I'm scrolling the font menu

Thanks Brynn! I will try the Trace Bitmap function on the words.

In my Chinese Windows I can see the font name and the preview window shows Chinese instead of English in your screenshot. I don't know the English name of this font, I didn't see it either. When I install it I tried to rename it as English but Inkscape still crash. I have tried few Chinese fonts that I downloaded, still the same problem. I suspect this problem is because of the Chinese name of the font cannot be recognized by Inkscape. Because all those Chinese fonts that came with Windows do have an English name displayed in that window you show by double clicking the font , but those new fonts do not. However I don't know how to change the name of the font in that window.

You can use FileZilla to open the fonts folder to delete that font. It is very strange that using the Windows file manager you can't delete it completely, even I have changed the folder setting to show hidden files.