A few weeks ago I’d read about single line fonts (SHX), and wanted to add some of this non-TrueType fonts to my work. I downloaded a number of these fonts (or so I believed), from a few different online sites, and immediately jumped into the fray.
I followed the online directions, but continued to only see the system fonts, when viewing in Lightburn. I tried moving the folder where I was storing these new fonts, and then re-setting the SHX font path to match. If my locks weren’t cut so tight to my head, I’m sure I’d have pulled them all out! lol
After I’d also beat my head against the wall (figuratively) enough times, I was about to give up the SHX quest. I used to write code in a govt capacity, so my logic skills USED to be pretty decent. With that said, I had one more thought that might make the SHX font happen. What if the files I’d downloaded weren’t actually the correct type of font? I went to the download folder, and I couldn’t believe it. Each and every new “Cute” font I’d downloaded, was either an .otf or an .ttf, so NONE were actually SHX type fonts! I downloaded a known good SHX font, and saved to a new folder, just to keep the issues to a minimum. When this new font was displaying in Lightburn, I downloaded additional SHX fonts (the real ones) and everything is working beautifully.
So, if you have attempted to setup SHX type fonts, in Lightburn, and have struck out to the point of giving up, if you haven’t already, you might want to put eyeballs on the actual font files you downloaded. This might just save your drywall (banging head against) or your hair (if it is still present). Obviously my level of attention can wane at times, but even so, I do have SHX fonts available to use in Lightburn now!
I hope this might assist someone in our community,
Thanks for your reply Mike. I may not have made it clear enough, but I already have the SHX fonts working properly.
The main intention of my post was to pose another piece of the puzzle, that might help users that were still unsuccessful. All avenues in that direction are of benefit!
Thank you for sharing this! I think it’s really so important to share lessons learned with others, in order to help them fix similar, and just purely for an acceptance that we are all humans and human error is a vital part of the making process.
This is a very valuable post! Thank you for making it! <3
Thank you so much Billie! That is exactly my thought process as well. I’m old enough to have experienced a lot, can still make mistakes, and would rather share to help prevent another from possibly failing.
Getting the system fonts to display again; I had this problem too! It’s something like right clicking in the font selection dropdown menu on the main page. Can’t remember exactly, but do recall it being something quite unexpected. From there you can choose to display, all fonts, or just system/SHX
I think the mistake is trying to install the SHX fonts in the Windows system fonts folder (c:\Windows\Fonts). I did not want 45 of them to be added to system fonts, so I kept reading. I finally ended up putting the SHX in the C:\Lightburn\Fonts - SHX\ folder and updated the Edit, SHX file location input box. Now the SHX are blended with the TTF fonts in Lightburn, but not in my other Windows applications.
Now I will see how tiny I can print with the laser.
I agree. Keeping the SHX fonts in their own folder, just makes the most sense to me, as well. I liked the suggestion another user supplied (not in the posting, and sorry I can’t recall their name), and added “1-“ to the front end of each SHX font’s name, allowing me to readily see those fonts as a group, and as the first fonts in the font list, in Lightburn.
The SHX fonts I loaded certainly seem ideal for very small size usage. I didn’t try anything as small as 2mm, but I was working on some leather pieces, and I wanted them to be a bit more prominent. Look forward to hearing how tiny texts with the SHX worked out for you.
Wow, 2mm is tiny! What type of material did you use?
I’ve only had the opportunity to try them on our xTool P2 so far, and on leather, but I’ll also need to test additional materials, as well as on our D1 Pro.
I have a more technical reason for keeping them separate. Windows is a resource gathering machine. The more resources it gathers, the slower it goes. If you want to see a difference, especially at boot-up time, add 50 or so new fonts to the Fonts folder.
The impact is not so obvious with the newer machines having Solid State H.D.'s, but when you have 20-secont boots, 25 seconds is irritating.
You are right on point! Your post was my source document! So sorry I wasn’t able to connect the dots earlier, and provide proper acknowledgement. That was a very useful and helpful naming suggestion.
Cheers
Lee
I totally understand. I haven’t worked in the Windows environment in almost 15 years, but still recall they could be resource sensitive. Definitely must stay vigilant.
Our windows machines I had at my govt job, in the early days of our LAN/WAN, were more of a turn on and go get a coffee, and maybe they’d be ready for login credentials when I got back. Glad you aren’t in that sort of waiting pattern!
Cheers
Lee
Reducing the applied power of a 60-ish W CO₂ laser using Dot Mode makes perfectly readable 1.5 mm characters on scrap CDs. These digits are in a different font generated by a different program, but the size-on-target is the same as the SHX fonts I’ve used:
Trying to draw them in ordinary vector mode doesn’t work as well, because the power can’t go low enough to compensate for the low speed on those tiny curves.
