Enigma giving me "Unable to create font: Arial" Win7 x64

[dlthorpe]

Hi All,

First of all I just wanted to apologise on what is probably something to do with my Windows 7 x64 install, but I've been trying to fix this myself for last couple days and really cannot find what the problem is. I've searched the forum, found similar threads but nothing to match this (at least not obviously because I still cant find it!). So please dont flame me for not doing any ground work. I have tried really!

Ok, to those willing to help...

Ive installed RainMeter beta 2.1 and all three of the recommended themes. My problem is that in these themes, mostly Enigma, adding certain skins returns the "Unable to create font: Arial" error. My Enigma is install default setup. Ive not customised it any further - so its set to use Trebuchet MS. I understand this error means when a font class is being set, if that class isnt valid for the Font (or font family) then it will show this error. I think it mentions Arial as just some kind of default fall back.

Ive been looking through the skin ini files and narrowed it down to this. On Enigma, if I add any skin with a "Meter=STRING" section, like this one for the taskbar Google.ini, then it throws the error on a refresh.

[App]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Text
Text="#LastSearch#"
LeftMouseUpAction=!RainmeterPluginBang "MeasureSearch ExecuteBatch 1"
DynamicVariables=1

If i comment out that line for testing purposes then the refresh works, but obvious im breaking the skin because it wont output the text to the screen. I've been trying to source the problem but am not getting any headway that I understand yet with the way this all works. I dont know if it helps but also in the Google.ini it says Style1=Textless. So the MeterStyle above is StyleTextlessText. And in the TaskbarCommon.inc (which is included from the Google.ini) StyleTextlessText is set to be...

[StyleTextlessText]
W=0
H=0
Hidden=1

From there though im lost. Ive tried setting the Enigma font in the options to several other than Trebuchet MS but still no joy. I know other posts have said this means my windows fonts are messed up but I dont know whats missing here because the fonts work fine in other programs. If its anything to do with missing sub fonts then this is what i have in my windows folder...

Trebuchet MS
- Trebuchet MS Bold
- Trebuchet MS Bold Italic
- Trebuchet MS Italic
- Trebuchet MS Regular

And just in case...

Arial
- Arial Black
- Arial Bold
- Arial Bold Italic
- Arial Italic
- Arial Narrow
- Arial Narrow Bold
- Arial Narrow Bold Italic
- Arial Narrow Italic

In the APB skin i can add anything i like as the "Meter=STRING" doesnt cause any issue. So clearly its a config setting for displaying the font in a certain way. I just cant find it!

If anyone knows what the problem is please let me know! I love this and really want to add more skins to my theme!

Thanks a lot for any replies.

D.

[Kaelri]

First of all, you have no idea how much I appreciate the fact that you've put some effort into learning about and troubleshooting the problem yourself. Let this be an example of a tech support request done right. :)

I'd like you to try this: reload that skin (Google.ini), but comment out the line that says "MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Text". Just that line; leave the rest of the meter intact. Do the same for [Label]. This will make the skin look awful, but it will be useful to know if the error still appears when those lines are not present.

[dlthorpe]

Thanks dude

I had actually tried that before my post as i was thinking it might be the variables loading under the actual [] sections. I commented each out in turn, then again as the whole lot just for the hell of it. But trying now just to cover all bases, yes it does still error for me. So, before...

[App]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Text
Text="#LastSearch#"
LeftMouseUpAction=!RainmeterPluginBang "MeasureSearch ExecuteBatch 1"
DynamicVariables=1

[Label]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Label
Text="SEARCH"

And after...

[App]
Meter=STRING
;MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Text
Text="#LastSearch#"
LeftMouseUpAction=!RainmeterPluginBang "MeasureSearch ExecuteBatch 1"
DynamicVariables=1

[Label]
Meter=STRING
;MeterStyle=Style#Style1#Label
Text="SEARCH"

What i was trying to understand myself but couldnt work it out, was what STRING comes from. Im assuming its just an in-built Rainmeter output variable setting. So you dont need to define STRING (coz i was trying to find where it was defined earlier).

Thanks again.
D.

[Kaelri]

Yes, STRING is a hard-coded Rainmeter function; it doesn't need to be defined anywhere in the skin files.

I'm going to move on to the obvious recommendations: do a clean install of Rainmeter 2.1 beta (here) and Enigma 3.0 (here). Make sure to fully uninstall Rainmeter first, including the application data - and be sure to back up your skins and themes. If that doesn't fix it (probable), I'll write up a test skin for you to try.

I don't think it has anything to do with your OS (Windows 7 64-bit is what Enigma is developed on). I thought it might be an issue with inclusion files, but the last test seems to indicate otherwise.

[dlthorpe]

Sorry for the delay. My very first install was when i first noticed the problem. And that install was the Rainmeter 2.1 and your 3.0 skin.

Still doesnt work on a uninstall / clean / reinstall tho.

Something is defo up with my pc in some way because at work i also have Windows 7 x64, and installing on that works. Ive even gone into my rainmeter config, backed up a custom theme profile, copied that to my work PC, and applied it. The theme gives me the error here, but the restore at work works.

I'd be willing to try things to see what it is. But im completely understanding its something obscure about my actual PC thats the issue.

Thanks again.
D.