December 17, 2020 at 6:57 pm
We have a web application we use to generate reports on our inventory data and print barcodes for them. We've come across an issue where our barcode fonts don't show up. We've done the following:
Is there anything else that could be wrong that I'm just missing? The barcode fonts are formatted correctly, and they render on the app/SSRS server - just not on workstations.
December 17, 2020 at 7:42 pm
If they are not rendering on workstations, it sounds like the fonts are not properly installed on the workstations.
My first step when working with fonts is to make sure that it works on the server side first. So, with SSRS (as an example), I log into the SSRS server and browse to the report webpage and verify I can see and print the fonts as expected. Then I try to find a workstation where I am an admin on and test it from there. Being an admin is not a requirement, but it makes troubleshooting easier. Then I repeat on an end user machine.
If I remember right, with one of the more recent windows 10 updates, fonts can be installed at the per-machine level or per-user level. If you or your IT team is installing fonts from their account on the workstation, it is likely installing at the user level with the user being the IT person. Something to try is to pick a specific end user who is having issues and have them navigate to C:\WINDOWS\FONTS and see if they can see the barcode font.
If you run into problems at any of the steps above, I would check C:\windows\fonts to make sure the barcode font exists in that folder for the user having issues. If it doesn't, they will need to get the font installed.
Printing from a web application is something that is done client side, not server side, so for that the font needs to be installed on the workstation for the user attempting to print. Rendering depends on the application and some render using server-side fonts (preferred way as you can change fonts without affecting the user experience) while others render client side.
The above is all just my opinion on what you should do.
As with all advice you find on a random internet forum - you shouldn't blindly follow it. Always test on a test server to see if there is negative side effects before making changes to live!
I recommend you NEVER run "random code" you found online on any system you care about UNLESS you understand and can verify the code OR you don't care if the code trashes your system.
December 17, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Thank you very much for the thorough response; not used to getting a lot of help when it comes to SSRS. My understanding was that the barcode was embedded in the report, and that the .PDF export should support that. Users *are* able to view the barcodes when exporting to MS Word, but unfortunately word doesn't import the report formatting for label sheets. We've installed the font on the server and workstation both on a by-user basis with no success, and are currently working with the IT team to get it installed for all users (since Server 2016 doesn't appear to support the 'install for all users' functionality).
December 17, 2020 at 9:28 pm
That is odd that it works fine in the web browser and in MS Word, but not PDF. This makes it sound like the tool that is creating that PDF doesn't support the font.
How are they exporting to PDF? If you are on Windows 10, Print to PDF should be an available printer. If it is exporting from SSRS to PDF, it could be the libraries that SSRS is using to export is not liking the font.
I would try the print to PDF option and see if that helps.
If exporting to PDF from SSRS, I expect that would be handled server side, so I expect that the font would need to be installed for all users on the server OR installed for the SSRS service account at a minimum.
Fonts are a PAIN in the behind in my opinion. We have a few reports on SSRS that have barcode font (3-of-9 font barcodes), but we print out a physical sheet from workstations which generally looks identical to what is on screen. This is why I was thinking printing to PDF MAY work better than exporting to PDF.
The above is all just my opinion on what you should do.
As with all advice you find on a random internet forum - you shouldn't blindly follow it. Always test on a test server to see if there is negative side effects before making changes to live!
I recommend you NEVER run "random code" you found online on any system you care about UNLESS you understand and can verify the code OR you don't care if the code trashes your system.
December 17, 2020 at 11:56 pm
Yeah, we'll be double and triple checking user installation of the font for now. Doubly odd since we have a client who uses the application too, and it appears fine for them across the board, as long as the font is installed for a local admin on the app server.
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