Android Tutorial Setting custom font for whole application without any library

Hi everyone,

After a week I have finally figured it out how to add a custom font for the whole application without any library or extra code.

Here is the solution:

1. Create a folder resource inside your project folder.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Create a new folder font inside the resource folder and copy your font file inside it.
   
3. The font file name should not contain any characters except _, a-z and 0-9
4. Open Manifest Editor and paste this following code
   
   CreateResource(font, custom_font.xml,
   <font-family xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
                       xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
       <font android:fontStyle="normal" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension"/>
       <font android:fontStyle="italic" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension" />
       <font app:fontStyle="normal" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension"/>
       <font app:fontStyle="italic" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension" />
   </font-family>
   )
   For API level 26 or lower use the app namespace to ensure your fonts load.
   
   
5. Then add this following code to apply custom font
   
   CreateResource(values, theme.xml,
   <resources>
       <style name="MyTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
           <item name="android:fontFamily">@font/CustomFontStyle</item>
           <item name="fontFamily">@font/CustomFontStyle</item>
       </style>
   </resources>
   )
   SetApplicationAttribute(android:theme, "@style/MyTheme")
   Change Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar as per you requirement.
   
   
6. Add the resource folder in your main activity like this
   
   #AdditionalRes: "..\resource"
   
   
7. That's it!

To use bold typeface check the following code

Dim lb As Label
lb.Initialize("")
lb.Typeface = Typeface.CreateNew(lb.Typeface,Typeface.STYLE_BOLD)

UPDATE: I have updated this tutorial for API level 26 and lower (upto API level 16). Now you can use a custom font on devices running Android 4.1 and higher. To use the Fonts in XML feature on devices running Android 4.1 (API level 16) and higher, use the Support Library 26 or higher. Remember to use the app namespace to ensure your fonts load on API level 26 to 16.

 

[hatzisn]

What type of font file is accepted? What extensions does the file of the font must have? ttf or something else?

 

[Brandsum]

Android docs doesn't specify the fonts that it supports.When Android dislikes a custom font, rather than raising an Exception, it seems to substitute Droid Sans ("sans")

I will recommend to use google font. I took some fonts for my projects and all of the fonts are woking fine.

 

[hatzisn]

Thank you Brandsum for the info...

 

[Sinan Tuzcu]

Get error

CreateResource(font, custom_font.xml,
<font-family xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
<font android:fontStyle="normal" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/opensans_regular"/>
<font android:fontStyle="italic" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/opensans_regular" />
<font app:fontStyle="normal" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/opensans_regular"/>
<font app:fontStyle="italic" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/opensans_regular" />
</font-family>
)

CreateResource(values-v21, theme.xml,
<resources>
<style name="LightTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Material.Light">
<item name="android:colorAccent">#FF5E7A0B</item> <!-- checkboxes,, switches,, etc. -->
<item name="android:fontFamily">@font/opensans_regular</item>
<item name="fontFamily">@font/opensans_regular</item>
</style>
</resources>
)

SetApplicationAttribute(android:theme, "@style/MyTheme")

 

[DonManfred]

Get error

1. You should always start a new thread for your questions. Never post to existing threads
2. Are you using Android.jar from Api28? You should. It is the suggested android.jar in 2019

 

[Sinan Tuzcu]

Are you using Android.jar from Api28?

yes i am using Api28

 

[DonManfred]

Get error

CreateResource(font, custom_font.xml,
<font-family xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
<font android:fontStyle="normal" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension"/>
<font android:fontStyle="italic" android:fontWeight="400" android:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension" />
<font app:fontStyle="normal" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension"/>
<font app:fontStyle="italic" app:fontWeight="400" app:font="@font/custom_font_file_name_without_extension" />
</font-family>
)

Post the relevant Manifest code. Seems you are not using it correctly?

Away from that you REALLY should create a NEW THREAD for any question/issue you have. Posting to a tutorial thread is the wrong way to ask for help