Create, Edit And Install Fonts For Se K800

[djtetei]

I started this topic because i want all SE K800 users who are interested to participate in this quest.

After i made some reading about this issue, I've descovered the following:

In order to change the fonts on SE K800i we must extract create the corect folder structure, containing the files we want to upload to the phone:

\tpa\preset\system\fonts\
FONTS.xml
Arial Narrow_Reg.ttf
Arial Narrow_Bd.ttf

Next, we have to edit the file FONTS.xml in order to indicate the path to the font files we want to use for the phone:

Original path for SE K800 extracted from FS is as follows:
\tpa\preset\system\fonts\
FONTS.xml
Sans-Serif_Europe_Reg.ttf
Sans-Serif_Europe_Bd.ttf

The original SE K800 - FONTS.xml file look like this:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
<xml>
<engine cache_size="131072" default="yes">
<font style="sans-serif" weight="normal">/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Sans-Serif_Europe_Reg.ttf</font>
</engine>

<engine cache_size="262144" default="no">
<font style="sans-serif" weight="bold" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Sans-Serif_Europe_Bd.ttf</font>
<font style="sans-serif" weight="italic" s01="20" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Sans-Serif_Europe_Reg.ttf</font>
<font style="sans-serif" weight="bold-italic" s01="20" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Sans-Serif_Europe_Bd.ttf</font>
</engine>
</xml>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next, edit the content of FONTS.xml as follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
<xml>
<engine cache_size="131072" default="yes">
<font style="arial narrow" weight="normal">/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Arial Narrow_Reg.ttf</font>
</engine>

<engine cache_size="262144" default="no">
<font style="arial narrow" weight="bold" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Arial Narrow_Bd.ttf</font>
<font style="arial narrow" weight="italic" s01="20" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Arial Narrow_Reg.ttf</font>
<font style="arial narrow" weight="bold-italic" s01="20" >/tpa/preset/system/fonts/Arial Narrow_Bd.ttf</font>
</engine>
</xml>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next step we could use SETool2Lite in order to upload the folder structure we created to the phone, after we already put it in a .rar container.
The .rar cotainer must have the following folder anf files:

\tpa\preset\system\fonts\
FONTS.xml
Arial Narrow_Reg.ttf
Arial Narrow_Bd.ttf

After we complete the operation we must test the results on the phone, in order to see if our chosen font fits the display properly. If not, we must edit the file LAYOUT.xml in order to change the size of the font.

The file LAYOUT.xml is found in the following path of the _FS.raw structure:
\TPA\SYSTEM\LAYOUT\
cale_ui_layout.xml
CallInput.xml
CallStatusInfo.xml
LAYOUT.XML

After we've done the editing, we upload the folder structure containing the file LAYOUT.xml into the phone.

WARNING!
I HAVE NOT YET TESTED THE METHOD PRESENTED HERE!
IF YOU FOLLOW IT, YOU DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

THE QUEST:
I invite everyone who has tested "know-how" about creating, editing, modifying and installing fonts on SE K800 to participate.

If I am wrong about something presented in here, please feel free to post your opinion!
THANK YOU!

I came back again to bring to your atention the following article:

SVG and Monotype Fonts

Monotype is partnering with Ikivo (which provides mobile SVG products and players) to release a series of scalable (!) fonts for mobile devices. The ESQ® Mobile series includes 200 fonts and quite a nice selection (PDF) at that.

“Monotype Imaging’s ESQ® Mobile mobile fonts are based on the industry standard TrueType and OpenType font formats and can be licensed by developers, content creators, application providers, mobile publishers, wireless operators and handset manufacturers. Integrated with your application, content, game, service or user interface, ESQ mobile fonts allow you to differentiate your product with something powerfully simple—scalable type that’s distinctive in style.” [via UK Mobile Marketing Magazine)

The Sony Ericsson mobile phones on the market as we speak use scalable fonts developed by these guys.
Here is a list of SE models using scalable fonts: D750, F500, K300, K310, K320, K500, K508, K510, K600, K608, K610, K700, K750, K790, K800, M600, P990, S600, S700, S710, V600, V630, V800, W300, W550, W600, W700, W710, W800, W810, W830, W850, W900, W950, Z500, Z520, Z530, Z550, Z558, Z710, Z800.

I hope the information is useful to K800 users.

[louis*cyphre]

I tested these fonts and they are working 99.9%.
There are 4 symbols that do not show properly when you compose new TXT message then you go to ADD SYMBOL. But it is not like u need those anyway.
Pics are attached as well as FONTS and XML layout file.

Enjoy

NOTE: FOR ENGLISH MENU LANGUAGE ONLY!

[louis*cyphre]

Look at the attached pics.
If you dont mind that trademark (TM) and few other symbols cannot be displayed (all the smilies are there and visible to use) then use it.

NOTE: FOR ENGLISH MENU LANGUAGE ONLY!

[djtetei]

I still have some questions:
- how can I edit LAYOUT.xml ?
- is there any software i can use to preview the modification i make in LAYOUT.xml, before i upload the file to the phone ?
- is there any software i can use to preview and test how the menu will display the new fonts ?
- what is the difference betwen the .TTF fonts from my PC and the .TTF fonts used by Sony Ericsson engineers on K800 phones ?
- i understood corectly the installation procedure of the fonts presented in my previous post?

I hope to continue this discussion with you because i'm very interested about the procedure used to develope fonts for SE mobile phones.

[louis*cyphre]

I still have some questions:
- how can I edit LAYOUT.xml ?
- is there any software i can use to preview the modification i make in LAYOUT.xml, before i upload the file to the phone ?
- is there any software i can use to preview and test how the menu will display the new fonts ?
- what is the difference betwen the .TTF fonts from my PC and the .TTF fonts used by Sony Ericsson engineers on K800 phones ?
- i understood corectly the installation procedure of the fonts presented in my previous post?

I hope to continue this discussion with you because i'm very interested about the procedure used to develope fonts for SE mobile phones.

ok so

- editing layout.xml is done by windows notepad.exe (easiest)

- there is no such program that will allow you to preview font in a way themes are viewed with Themes Creator. so, the only way to make sure that font works is to test it on your phone.

- there is no difference between .ttf files on your PC and the SE phone.
however character map is important thing here. SE TTF fonts are rich in characters (to allow use of the different languages with the font).
by characters i refer to symbols like €@#$Õ£éëäüĈĆ¥®© for example.
so if the TTF is missing these,then they will not be displayed on the SE phone and use of lets say, German native language will not be possible (phone still works though and displays English character set properly)

-yes, that is the correct installation procedure. the best way is to use XS++ to upload fonts to your phone.

[djtetei]

I've tried a few fonts, some of these found on internet and some from my PC (e.g. Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, PCSunshoe, Vibrocentric), and i discovered that in spite of the fact that they are .TTF (True-Type) fonts, because of their small filesize they do not contain (i guess) all the symbols and characters needed. So, after i upload them to my phone and set the language to standard english, still they do not display some characters (like R, U, I, and so on). I do not fully understand why, in spite on standard setting of the phone. I must say that i've tried even some romanian characters and still they do not appear correctly.
So, i've reached the following coclusion: the original font of SE K800i (in my case - Sans-Serif Europe and Sans-Serif Europe Bold) must have something extra added compared to the other fonts because it's displayed correctly and beautifully on the screen.

In conclusion, i must find an expensive collection of fonts similar in characteristics to those on my phone, and then i will try again and see what happens.

Anyway, thanks for you help and i believe that what we discussed in here will help others who wants to change the fonts on their phones.

I will keep you posted with my findings.

Keep in touch!

[louis*cyphre]

ok i have attached 2 ttf files.
one is ORIGINAL SE ttf file and the other is random one i selected.
install both to WINDOWS/FONTS folder and then open them with CHARACTER MAP viewer.
note the difference between 2 files and lack of characters in random ttf file compared to original SE ttf.
this difference is the directly affecting the view of characters and language specific letters in the phone.
note as well the difference in file size.
so conclusion is that the bigger ttf file size you have, the most likely it is possible that ttf file will be displayed properly in SE phone with most, if not all, characters and language specific letters.

[djtetei]

ok i have attached 2 ttf files.
one is ORIGINAL SE ttf file and the other is random one i selected.
install both to WINDOWS/FONTS folder and then open them with CHARACTER MAP viewer.
note the difference between 2 files and lack of characters in random ttf file compared to original SE ttf.
this difference is the directly affecting the view of characters and language specific letters in the phone.
note as well the difference in file size.
so conclusion is that the bigger ttf file size you have, the most likely it is possible that ttf file will be displayed properly in SE phone with most, if not all, characters and language specific letters.

I noticed the differences myself.
Now i'm spending my time looking for .ttf fonts that match the SE original ones characteristics.

[k1i2]

i have arabic language in my phone but i use english menu

so .. if i use this fonfts .. maybe i lost arabic font right ??

[djtetei]

i have arabic language in my phone but i use english menu

so .. if i use this fonfts .. maybe i lost arabic font right ??

If you want to change the fonts you must find some fonts with arabic language support. If instead you don't mind using english language when you're writing messages pretty much any ttf. font from your PC can be used as long as it looks OK on yout phone display.

I've done some cruising on the internet and I've discovered a cool site with many cool fonts. Here is the link:http://moorstation.org/typoasis/desi...onts/shy_a.htm

If you want to try some cool fonts for SE K800, try those:
- SF Chrome Fenders
- SF Theramin Gothic

They look very nice on SE K800 display.

Have fun!