Thank you so much for all the help Bob, I'm up and running again now that I've used *Associate This*.
I have kept all your suggestions and instructions, just in case it should ever happen again, although it isn't something I'm ever likely to forget!!
Anne

"Bob Lucas" wrote in message ...
Hi Anne

The problem with the file description should not be too difficult to fix.

Open Control Panel / Folder Options / File Types and scroll down to TTF. Click on the Advanced option. In the resulting menu, change the content of the first field from "Irfanview TTF File" to "TrueType Font file". Click on OK.

However, I am puzzled why you can't view the Arial font, when you double click on the Arial.ttf file name. Do you have the same problem with other TTF files? And what happens, if you click on Start / Run - and type "fontview.exe arial.ttf"?

I really don't know what to suggest. However, you could double-check the following aspects:

1. Is the fontview.exe file located correctly in the folder at C:\WINDOWS\system32 ?

2. Are all of your Windows font files located correctly in the folder at C:\WINDOWS\Fonts ?

3. Go back to Folder Options / File Types. Scroll down to TTF and check that this type of file still opens with Windows Font Viewer. Also, check the Advanced options and make su
a) the open command does read C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe %1. Use DDE should also be checked.

b) the print command does read C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe /p %1. Use DDE should also be checked.
4. As an afterthought, most Windows fonts use the TTF file extension. However, several fonts use the TTC or FON file extensions. You may need to check that these alternative file extensions are properly associated to the Windows Font Viewer.

It sounds as though Irfanview might have messed up your settings. I am not familiar with Irfanview. However, Google indicates that the program includes a font-viewer plug-in. Does it have a configuration menu. If so, can you remove the Irfanview font-viewer plug-in?

Do you need to use Irfanview? If not, you could try uninstalling that program entirely, to see whether that makes any difference.





"Annie" wrote in message ...
Hi Bob,
Thank you for the file, I followed the rest of your instructions so haven't used it as yet.

I ran sfc /scannow from the cmd prompt, and rebooted.

On the bright side I now have my fonts opening with Windows Font Viewer but they still remain as .. **Type of file : Irfanview TTF File**, which is a nuisance, but better than what I had, I'd like to put that right too, g.

When I navigate to my Fonts folder and double click on Arial.ttf I'm told
... **The requested file:C\Windows|fonts\ARIAL.ttf was not a valid font file.**.

How do I validate my Windows Fonts? Another mini problem!

I appreciate the help on this, thank you for your time.
Anne



"Bob Lucas" wrote in message ...
In that case, I really am puzzled.

I simply don't understand how your computer responded to "Run
fontview.exe fontname.ttf", if you don't have "fontview.exe" on
your machine.

What happens if you navigate to the C:\Windows\Fonts folder - and
double click on one of the standard Windows fonts (such as
"arial.ttf")? Does the standard font open, using a Font Viewer
utility?

If "fontview.exe" really is missing from your computer, you could
use the Microsoft System File checker utility. To do so, go to a
command line prompt. Type "sfc /scannow" (without the quotation
marks). For further information, see the instructions at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310747.

If System File Checker doesn't restore the file, you could try to
copy it manually. This is at your own risk, and I'm not 100%
certain it will work. However, I have attached a required file
(renamed "fontview.copy"). Save the file to a temporary folder -
and rename it as "fontview.exe".

Then, upon the assumption that the Windows directory on your
computer is at C:\Windows, you should copy "fontview.exe" to the
"C:\Windows\system32" folder on your computer.

Use the procedure that I described previously to associate TTF
files to "fontview.exe". You will almost certainly need to use
the browse option in the File Types menu. Scroll down to
"C:\Windows\system32" and select the "fontview.exe" file.



"Annie" wrote in message
...
.I've done as you suggested, ran a search for the fontview.exe
file, and
search reports ....*Search complete. There are no results to
display*.

The fonts in the folder on my desktop were there for me to
install at a
later date, and would have been properly installed into the
fonts folder if
this problem hadn't arose. I don't just drag and drop fonts
into the fonts
folder I install them properly.

I've installed the fonts ok, from your instructions, but I
still have them
all presenting as .jpegs in the folder on my desktop.
Fontview.exe is not on the list, in the *Open With* box, so I
can't
associate the fonts with it.

I've run several anti-spyware programs, and my AVG, they don't
bring
anything untoward up, that was the first thing I did, thinking
I had a bug
or two.
Anne


"Bob Lucas" wrote in message
...
Sorry, but something doesn't quite add up, here.

Windows Font Viewer is a system file, which comes with every
installation of
Windows XP.

You are saying that you don't have the file "fontview.exe " on
your
computer. However, when you run "fontview.exe airstream.ttf",
the font
viewer program opens and lets you view the font. It follows
that you MUST
have the "fontview.exe" program on your computer. Otherwise,
you would not
be able to run the program.

Also, I don't understand how a TTF file extension could change
on its own to
JPEG. (I assume you are running active anti-virus protection -
and the TTF
files are not infected).

Furthermore, if the file extensions have changed to JPEG, then
I don't
understand how "fontview.exe" could allow you to view the
content of the
files.

So let's try a few more steps.

Make sure you are signed into Windows as an "Administrator".
Then, Open
Control Panel / Folder Options and click on the "View" tab.
Remove the
check from the box labelled "Hide extensions for known file
types".

Also, on a temporary basis, remove the check from the box
labelled "Hide
protected operating system files". Save these changes

Next, click on "Start", followed by "Search" - and search for
the
"fontview.exe" file. When you perform the search, make sure
you search
against "All files and Folders". Under "Advanced Options", you
should also
include system folders, hidden files and folders, and
subfolders. The
search results should confirm the existence of the
"fontview.exe" file - and
tell you where to find it.

You indicated that you have downloaded the custom font files to
a folder on
your desktop. However, Windows font files should always reside
in the
dedicated system folder at C:\WINDOWS\Fonts, because the system
folder
provides special functions for managing fonts. Copy the
downloaded font
files files to C:\WINDOWS\Fonts and if necessary, change the
file extension
back to TTF.

In C:\WINDOWS\Fonts, select the name of each downloaded font in
turn and try
to install it (follow the detailed instructions at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314960).

Now, you should be able to correct the file association for TTF
files.
If the Folder options / File Types menu does not offer Windows
Font Viewer
as one of the recommended programs for TTF files, you will need
to click on
"Browse".

Perhaps I should clarify how to use the "Browse" function (in
Folder Options
/ File Types). Clicking on "Browse" will display the complete
folder list.
Scroll down the list until you reach the folder (or sub-folder)
that
contains "fontview.exe". Click on the name of that program
file. When you
select "fontview.exe" from the folder list, that should
allocate the correct
file association.

Also, check the Advanced Options, as per my previous response.




"Annie" wrote in message
...
Hello Bob,
I haven't got the XP Windows Font Viewer installed, otherwise
it should
surely be in my Folder Options list? (No
C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe
File available).

If I change the font from a .jpeg to a .ttf it stays in .jpeg.
format.

If I run ...fontview.exe airstream.ttf . then the font opens as
it should,
but the icon remains as a .jpeg on my desktop, and not as the
actual font ..
(.ttf file).

As it shows here.
I can't install any font until this problem is resolved.
Anne

"Bob Lucas" wrote in message
...
Firstly, the file extension for a true type font should be
TTF -
not JPEG. Try changing the extensions of the problem files
from
JPEG to TTF.

The recommended program to view fonts in Win XP is Windows Font
Viewer. On my computer, the Windows Font Viewer file is
located
at C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe. It might be different on
the OP's computer.

Click on "Start" (at the bottom left of the desktop screen),
followed by "Run". Type "fontview.exe fontname.ttf" (without
the
quotation marks), followed by OK. (Substitute the name of the
actual font for fontname.ttf.)

If the file you have downloaded is not a valid font, you will
see
an error message. Otherwise, Windows Font Viewer will open and
you should be able to view characters from the font.

The TTF file extension on your computer may not be associated
to
the correct program.

To re-associate TTF files to Windows Font Viewer, open Control
Panel and Click on Folder Options. Then, select File Types and
scroll down to TTF.

Click on "Advanced". (If the "Advanced" Option is missing,
click
on the "Restore" option instead, followed by "Advanced".)
Check
the box labelled "Confirm open after download".

The "Advanced" menu should offer two command options - "open"
and
"print".

Select "open", followed by Edit. The command line must read
C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe %1 (Note - the space between
exe
and %1). Also, check the box marked Use DDE.

Select "print", followed by Edit. The command line must read
C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe /p %1 (Note - the spaces
between
exe and /p and also between /p and %1). Also, check the box
marked Use DDE.

Click on OK and check that TTF files are associated correctly
to
Windows Font Viewer. If not, click on "Change", to correct the
association. If Windows Font Viewer is not listed as a
recommended program, you may need to use the browse option (to
C:\WINDOWS\System32\fontview.exe).

Before you can use new fonts, you will need to install them.
Saving the TTF files is insufficient. You will find detailed
installation instructions at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314960



"Annie" wrote in message
...
Windows XP Home Edition.
SP3. IE6.


Hi,
I downloaded a few free fonts to a folder on my desktop. When
I
went to
install them I find they've changed from .TTF files to .JPEGS,
so I can't
use them. They were .TTF files when I downloaded them.
I right clicked a font, went to *Open With*, but the utility I
used to have
there is now missing, and I can't remember what it was called,
so I can't
reinstall it. I don't even know when the fault happened, or
I'd
restore the
computer back to before then.
Please can you advise me,
Many thanks,
Anne