PDF is a widely used document format that can contain various types of content, such as text, images, tables, etc. However, not all PDF documents can be displayed or printed correctly on different devices or platforms, because different operating systems, PDF SDKs, file readers, etc. may have different default available fonts. This may cause some differences or even missing text when opening the same PDF document with different readers or systems. To solve this problem, more extensive font support is needed.
In version 2.1.0, ComPDFKit for Web added the support of the font family Droid Sans Fallback Full, which can support multiple languages, such as Chinese, Korean, etc. In this article, we will introduce the font family — Droid Sans Fallback Full, and explain why it is important for not only Chinese customers but also other customers who need to deal with PDF documents in various languages.
ComPDFKit for Web: The Method to Display PDF Text
In the latest update of ComPDFKit for Web 2.1.0, we have increased font support by integrating the Droid Sans Fallback Full font family. This enhancement significantly improves the user experience when dealing with PDF texts in various languages, including Chinese and Korean.
When rendering or editing PDF text, there might be instances where the ComPDFKit for Web does not contain the embedded fonts that are present within the PDF file. In such scenarios, our application now defaults to using Droid Sans Fallback Full as a fallback typeface. This versatile font provides comprehensive coverage for characters in multiple languages, ensuring that text is displayed correctly and legibly even when the original font is not available.
The integration of the Droid Sans Fallback Full font family into ComPDFKit for Web 2.1.0 addresses key client needs for comprehensive language support and optimized digital readability, making it a noteworthy update for the Web PDF SDK.
What Is Droid Sans Fallback Full?
Droid Sans Fallback Full is an extension of the Droid Sans font family that was designed for use on the Android platform. The Droid font family was created by Ascender Corporation in the late 2000s. Droid Sans is a sans-serif typeface characterized by its simplicity and readability on mobile device screens.
The "Fallback" part of the name indicates that this font is intended to be used as a fallback option when the primary font does not support certain characters, particularly for extensive character sets needed for various languages and scripts. The "Full" suffix suggests that it is a more comprehensive version of the font, providing broader language coverage than the original or other variants.
Droid Sans Fallback Full includes coverage for a range of Unicode characters to support languages that use complex scripts such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean (CJK), and others. It ensures that users see text displayed consistently and legibly, regardless of the language.
The Droid font family gained significant popularity due to its extensive use in Android devices. However, with the introduction of newer typefaces like Roboto, which replaced Droid Sans as the default font on Android, the usage of Droid Sans has diminished on newer Android versions. Despite that, Droid Sans Fallback Full remains an important font for ensuring wide international character support on devices that rely on the Droid font family.
Supported languages include Arabic, Deseret, Korean, Latin, Japanese, Thai, Cyrillic, Hebrew, Greek, Han, Bopomofo, and Symbols.
Supported Unicode blocks include:
| Category | Unicode Blocks |
|---|---|
| Basic and Latin Scripts | Basic Latin, Latin-1 Supplement, Latin Extended-A, Latin Extended-B, Latin Extended Additional, IPA Extensions, Spacing Modifier Letters, Combining Diacritical Marks, Alphabetic Presentation Forms |
| Greek and Coptic | Greek and Coptic, Greek Extended |
| Cyrillic | Cyrillic, Cyrillic Supplement |
| Semitic Scripts | Hebrew, Arabic, Arabic Presentation Forms-A, Arabic Presentation Forms-B |
| Thai | Thai |
| East Asian Scripts | Hangul Jamo, Hangul Compatibility Jamo, Hangul Syllables, Hiragana, Katakana, Bopomofo, CJK Symbols and Punctuation, Enclosed CJK Letters and Months, CJK Compatibility, CJK Unified Ideographs Extension A, CJK Unified Ideographs, CJK Compatibility Ideographs |
| Punctuation and Special Symbols | General Punctuation, Superscripts and Subscripts, Currency Symbols, Letterlike Symbols, Number Forms, Arrows, Mathematical Operators, Miscellaneous Technical, Enclosed Alphanumerics, Box Drawing, Block Elements, Geometric Shapes, Miscellaneous Symbols, Dingbats, Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-B, Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms, Specials |
| Compatibility and Presentation | Vertical Forms, CJK Compatibility Forms, Small Form Variants |
Each block is generally, but not always, meant to supply glyphs used by one or more specific languages, or in some general application area such as mathematics, surveying, decorative typesetting, social forums, etc.
Benefits of Droid Sans Fallback Full Font Family
The Droid Sans Fallback Full font family brings with it a set of advantages that are highly beneficial for the display and representation of characters in a multilingual environment. Not only does it cater to the aesthetic requirements of digital content, but it also ensures a high level of readability and accessibility across various languages, including those that are character-intensive like Chinese. Here’s why the inclusion of the Droid Sans Fallback Full font family in ComPDFKit for Web 2.1.0 is important:
- Broad Language and Character Support: Droid Sans Fallback Full boasts an extensive collection of characters and glyphs, providing support for a multitude of languages. This is particularly crucial for Chinese, which requires a large set of characters to accurately represent its script. It also extends support to other complex scripts such as Korean, ensuring that users from different linguistic backgrounds can equally benefit from the content.
- Compatibility and Standardization: The font was part of the Droid font family, which was originally created for Android, Google's mobile operating system. Therefore, it is optimized for display on a variety of screen sizes and resolutions, which has been standard practice on many Android devices.
- Optimized Screen Display: The font has been designed and refined specifically for digital screens, ensuring that characters are clear, sharp, and easy to read, regardless of the device or display resolution. This is instrumental in enhancing the user experience, as it reduces strain on the eyes and makes long reading sessions more comfortable.
- Fallback Font Solution: It serves as an excellent fallback option, ensuring consistent style and presentation of text across documents. When the primary font in use does not support certain characters, Droid Sans Fallback Full steps in to prevent the end-user from encountering empty squares or anomalous symbols. This continuity is key to maintaining professional-looking documents and a seamless user experience.
- Open Source: Droid Sans Fallback Full has been available under an open-source license, which means it can be freely used and distributed, and it also allows for modification by developers. This makes it an attractive option for those who are working on projects with limited budgets or who support the open-source ethos.
- Less Dependency on Network: By including an extensive set of glyphs, an application using Droid Sans Fallback Full does not have to rely on fetching font data from the internet every time an unusual character is required. This is advantageous for performance and for users with limited or unreliable connectivity.
Conclusion
We have comprehensively introduced the additional fonts included in ComPDFKit for Web 2.1.0 that cater to customer needs. The enhancement of user experience is reflected not only in improved performance and features but also in support for localized fonts. The recent update's adaptation for Asian fonts ensures the accurate display of languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean and guarantees barrier-free communication among users in different regions. We will continue to optimize and refine our font support, dedicated to providing a consistent and high-quality text display experience for users worldwide.
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