How to change the font used for Text Reports

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David MeegoWhen printing Text Reports for Microsoft Dynamics GP to a laser printer they are usually printed using the built in Courier printer font.  The following article describes how the font typeface and size can be controlled by settings in the DEX.INI defaults file.

There are three DEX.INI settings which can be used to control the font typeface and size. They are as follows:

Font<Dexterity Font Name>=<TrueType Font>

This setting allows the selection of different fonts for use on the screen and reports within Microsoft Dynamics GP. As Text Reports use the Courier New font which is a non-proportional font (also known as fixed width font or monospaced font), the font selected to replace Courier New needs to also be a non-proportional font. The font selected must be available on the workstation where this change is being made. Please see the section below for how to check if a font is non-proportional.

Tolerance=-1

This setting requests Dexterity to not use built in printer fonts and instead substitute a scalable Windows TrueType font.

MinMilHeight=150

This setting can be used to increase or decrease the size of the font.  The default value is 150 for a laser printer.

NOTE: Not all printers and printer driver combinations will support the use of these settings.  It is possible that even with these settings in the DEX.INI that the report output will not be altered.

How to change the font used for Text Reports:

  1. Locate the DEX.INI file. For Microsoft Dynamics GP v10.0 or later, this will be in the Data Subfolder underneath the application folder. For earlier versions the DEX.INI file will be in the application folder itself.
     

  2. Open the DEX.INI file with NOTEPAD.EXE.
     

  3. Add the following Lines at the bottom of the DEX.INI file:

    FontCourier New=Lucida Console
    Tolerance=-1
    MinMilHeight=100

    NOTE: You can change to a different font or use different Height setting as desired.
     

  4. Save the DEX.INI file by clicking File then clicking Save.
     

  5. Launch Microsoft Dynamics GP and print a Text Report, for example: the Customer Report from Customer Maintenance.

How to check if a font is non-proportional:

  1. Open Microsoft Office Word.
  2. Type 10 x I characters on a line and press Enter.
  3. Type 10 x W characters on a line and press Enter.
  4. Use the mouse to select both lines.
  5. Change the font to the font you wish to check.
  6. If the total width of the line with I's is the same as the line with the W's then the font is non-proportional.

Some examples of non-proportional fonts available on Windows Vista are listed below:

  • Lucida Console
  • Lucide Typewriter
  • MS Gothic
  • MS Mincho

NOTE: Also a number of fonts have multiple versions and the version with its name ending "Che" is non-proportional.

Please see the Font Knowledge Base (KB) Articles on the Report Writer Articles & Links page for more information on printer font settings.

For more information on the Font and Tolerance DEX.INI settings look up defaults file >> settings within the Dexterity help file.

David

Ref: Content Idea 91706