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For SAS 9.1 and later, see Using TrueType Fonts with Universal Printing in SAS 9.1 (.pdf). TrueType fonts are portable across operating environments and support a wide range of international characters.

If you are not running SAS 9 yet, or if the above document doesn't address your problems, this FAQ presents alternate methods. First see FAQ 3336 about the PRINTER= option to determine which set of drivers you are using. If you are using the PC host drivers, then you install fonts as Windows fonts just like you would for any other Windows applications.

If you are using the SAS drivers, then font installation is, unfortunately, a bit complex. Check to be sure that you really do need other fonts; the SAS drivers ship with a very extensive list of predefined fonts.

Before you begin the installation, you must have AFM font metric files. If you don't know what AFM files are, then you should probably stop here and hire a consultant.

1. Copy only the AFM files to a separate UNIX directory. Then remove the dashes from AFM filenames. Replace them with underscore characters. (Note: This is required because the GENFMD procedure uses the filename to create a SAS catalog entry name. Since dashes are invalid characters in a SAS catalog entry name, the underscore needs to be substituted.) For example:

   Original Filename	Revised Filename
   OfficinaSans-Bold.afm	OfficinaSans_Bold.afm
   OfficinaSans-BoldItalic.afm	OfficinaSans_BoldItalic.afm
   OfficinaSans-Book.afm	OfficinaSans_Book.afm
   OfficinaSans-BookItalic.afm	OfficinaSans_BookItalic.afm
   SNBLogo.afm	SNBLogo.afm
   Univers-Black.afm	Univers_Black.afm
   Univers-BlackOblique.afm	Univers_BlackOblique.afm
   Univers-Bold.afm	Univers_Bold.afm
   Univers-BoldOblique.afm	Univers_BoldOblique.afm
   Univers-Condensed.afm	Univers_Condensed.afm
   Univers-CondensedBold.afm	Univers_CondensedBold.afm
   Univers-CondensedBoldOblique.afm	Univers_CondensedBoldOblique.afm
   Univers-CondensedLight.afm	Univers_CondensedLight.afm
   Univers-CondensedLightOblique.afm	Univers_CondensedLightOblique.afm
   Univers-CondensedOblique.afm	Univers_CondensedOblique.afm
   Univers-Light.afm	Univers_Light.afm
   Univers-LightOblique.afm	Univers_LightOblique.afm
   Univers-Oblique.afm	Univers_Oblique.afm
   Univers.afm	Univers.afm

2. Use the GENFMD procedure to create font metric entries in the COREPRN catalog in the SASUSER directory. Note that PATH= points to the directory where your AFM files currently reside. The syntax is as follows:

     proc genfmd path='~sasmvb/dawnfonts/afm' lib=sasuser type=psl;
     run;
     quit;
   

   After running the above program, your SAS log will indicate the following:

     NOTE: Recording PSL font metrics in SASUSER.coreprn
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_SNBLOGO recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_OFFICINASANS_BOLD recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_OFFICINASANS_BOLDITALIC recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_OFFICINASANS_BOOK recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_OFFICINASANS_BOOKITALIC recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_BLACK recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_BLACKOBLIQUE recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_BOLD recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_BOLDOBLIQUE recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSED recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSEDBOLD recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSEDBOLDOBLIQUE recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSEDLIGHT recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSEDLIGHTOBL recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_CONDENSEDOBLIQUE recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_LIGHT recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_LIGHTOBLIQUE recorded.
     NOTE: Font metrics AFM_UNIVERS_OBLIQUE recorded.
   

3. Write a .sasxreg file entry that contains the new keys that need to be added to the SAS registry in order to support the new fonts. There is an example one called myreg.sasxreg; this is only an example and must be modified for the fonts you want. Here is how to use it:

     proc registry import='myreg.sasxreg';
     run;
     quit;
   

   After running the above code, invoke the SAS Registry Editor by selecting Solutions -> Accessories -> Registry Editor. Follow the path CORE -> PRINTING -> PRINTERS -> PostScript -> PRINTER SETUP -> FONTS in order to verify that the above fonts have been added to the existing list of fonts that are supported by the generic PostScript driver.

4. Since the "Metrics Catalog" string in the path CORE -> PRINTING -> PRINTERS -> PostScript -> ADVANCED applies to all fonts, you need to copy all the existing fonts from SASHELP.COREPRN to the SASUSER.COREPRN catalog. This allows you to access all fonts. Submit the following code:

     proc catalog catalog=sashelp.coreprn entrytype=psl;
       copy out=sasuser.coreprn;
     run;
     quit;
   

5. Run a test program in SAS to ensure that you are using the fonts properly. You can use an example program called dawntest.sas, but you must customize the program to test your fonts.

By the way, you can follow this same process in order to install fonts for RTF output: substitute "RTF Measurement" everywhere it says "PostScript," but keep the TYPE=PSL as is. I believe the method for PCL is, likewise, very similar.

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