Question about font replacement/substitution in Writer 4.3.3

Tom_Williams · February 15, 2015, 8:10pm

Hi! I'm running LibreOffice Writer 4.3.3.2 on Ubuntu 14.10 Linux
(64-bit). I'm helping someone convert a MS Word document info a PDF
form. I'm creating the form as a native ODT document, which I will save
as a PDF form.

The original MS Word document uses the Calibri font everywhere. I don't
have Calibri installed, yet the text is displayed anyway.

My question: how I can find out which font is being used as a
substitute for Calibri?

I know about the Font Replacement Table, where I can specify which fonts
to use as replacements or substitutes. However, I'm looking for a way
to find out which font Writer chose as the replacement font. Is there a
way to find this out?

Thanks in advance for your time and assistance!

Peace...

Tom

Maurice_Batey · February 16, 2015, 12:23pm

If you have Windows on the same PC you can get Linux to clone it to
Linux.

If not, try Googling on: calibri download linux

I did this to get my favourite font (Trebuchet MS).

I just put it in ~/.fonts and LO picked it up OK.

Tom_Davies1 · February 16, 2015, 12:44pm

Hi
A bundle of the mostly commonly used MS fonts are in a package called
something like;
*ttf-mscorefonts-installer*

I think that is the specifically Ubuntu name, others in the Debian family
might have a slightly different name. I'm not sure if Mint and otehrs
revert to the Debian name or stay with the Ubuntu one. I'm fairly certain
that all other families use the same name as each other but different from
the Ubuntu name. I dunno why Ubuntu decided to be awkward and use a
different name [shrugs]

A helpful article for Ubuntu users from one bunch of people who are usually
fairly dedicated to Microsoft stuff (so it might be nice to click and
show-off that lots of people actually prefer Linux);
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2877248/libreoffice-gets-a-streamlined-makeover-native-alternatives-for-major-microsoft-fonts.html

However the LibreOffice devs have apparently recently dealt with the
Calibri issue by developing new fonts;
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2877248/libreoffice-gets-a-streamlined-makeover-native-alternatives-for-major-microsoft-fonts.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2863497/how-to-install-microsoft-fonts-in-linux-office-suites.html

This 'ancient' article might help non-Ubuntu people on older versions of
Office (err, by Office i usually mean LibreOffice of course);
http://lifehacker.com/272976/install-microsoft-fonts-in-linux

Regards from
Tom

italovignoli · February 16, 2015, 12:56pm

Please do mind that Calibri is a Microsoft proprietary font strictly
connected to a Windows/MS Office license, which cannot be used if you do
not have such a license. This is clearly stated in the Windows/MS Office
EULA. LibreOffice offers a Calibri replacement, Carlito, which has a
free font license and can therefore be downloaded and installed on every
operating system without infringing the license.

krackedpress · February 16, 2015, 2:58pm

Here is the listing for the MS core fonts that Linux Mint 16 shows in the Synaptic Package Manager.

[quote]

This package allows for easy installation of the Microsoft True Type
Core Fonts for the Web including:

   Andale Mono
   Arial Black
   Arial (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Comic Sans MS (Bold)
   Courier New (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Georgia (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Impact
   Times New Roman (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Trebuchet (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Verdana (Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
   Webdings

[end quote]

Tom_Williams · February 16, 2015, 4:50pm

Thanks for everyone for the replies. I did install the Carlito
font. However, I'm still looking for a way to see which
substitute font Writer chose, if that's possible. MS Word appears to
support this, as indicated in this article:

http://wordribbon.tips.net/T012657_Finding_Words_Font_Substitutes.html

Is there a way to determine which font Writer uses as the substitute font?

Thanks!

Peace...

Tom

krackedpress · February 16, 2015, 5:30pm

I don't have Calibri installed,

If you have Windows on the same PC you can get Linux to clone it to
Linux.

If not, try Googling on: calibri download linux

Please do mind that Calibri is a Microsoft proprietary font strictly
connected to a Windows/MS Office license, which cannot be used if you do
not have such a license. This is clearly stated in the Windows/MS Office
EULA. LibreOffice offers a Calibri replacement, Carlito, which has a
free font license and can therefore be downloaded and installed on every
operating system without infringing the license.

Thanks for everyone for the replies. I did install the Carlito
font. However, I'm still looking for a way to see which
substitute font Writer chose, if that's possible. MS Word appears to
support this, as indicated in this article:

http://wordribbon.tips.net/T012657_Finding_Words_Font_Substitutes.html

Is there a way to determine which font Writer uses as the substitute font?

Thanks!

Peace...

Tom

There is a way to define which font substitutes for which fonts.

Fonts has a substitute table option to define

the substitutions.

As for which font is automatically used if you do not have a document font installed, I have not seen where it will show which one is used. I am told that there is some system that will look for the best font that is installed, which looks most like the one needed. If you have a free substitute font, like the one that is "defined" for replacing Calibri and other proprietary MS fonts.

It is nice to have MS Core fonts available for Linux, but some of the newer ones are being work on for very similar free version. There are a lot of online sources for free fonts and lists for which free fonts looks like which paid/proprietary fonts. I have seen some version update "notes" stating that LibreOffice has various new fonts being installed with these new versions. I know that there is a lot of interest to make sure LO has the best free fonts available to make viewing/editing MS Office documents with less and less font substitution issues. For those that LO does not have as part of their install, you can always find the best free substitute fonts, for Linux and Windows, from online sources. I have over 100,000 fonts in my font folders, most specialty fonts though. I found that there are a lot of great fonts out there that are so similar to paid fonts, that you will not have any document issues. You just have to look for them. Googling for the substitute font is really the best way to start your search though.