Win 10 Font Issue Using Notes 9.0.1 FP5

Mindwatering Incorporated

Author: Tripp W Black

Created: 05/25/2016 at 01:23 PM

 

Category:
Using Lotus Notes
Issue Troubleshooting

Issue:
Users replacing older PCs, now have MS Windows 10. They have either installed Notes 9.0.1 FP 5, or have upgraded from Notes 9.0.1 FP4 to FP5 because of performance (hanging) issues on Win 10 with the FP 4 version. However, after upgrading, users now have a new issue, where document fonts are being replaced seemingly randomly. The issue is only happening in custom applications. The fonts are replaced within documents previewed or double-clicked and opened. The fonts are not replaced in the views. Restarting the Notes client does "fix" the issue for a period of time (typically a few hours).


Workaround / Solution 1:
IBM added a new notes.ini parameter w/FP 6. Use it like below to work-around the new issue:

UseWindowsFontSubstituteFontList = Arial,Helvetica,Futura


Workaround / Solution 2:
There is a good chance that this won't fix it. According to IBM, this occurs because there is a CSS file in use that has a declaration like:
body {
font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif
}

MS Windows clients don't usually have Helvetica installed. For some reason in MS Windows 10, the Notes client, is ignoring the rules w/in the CSS file and substituting fonts, but not obeying the order listed, or even restricting the substitution to sans-serif ones; if you remove the installed fonts before Arial, it seems to finally display fonts correctly since Arial is the first font.

We are testing by:
1. Installing Helvetica font to the Windows 10 PCs to confirm.
--> This works if you update the notes.ini variable and list the desired and installed font first.
e.g. UseWindowsFontSubstituteFontList = Helvetica,Arial,Futura.
(You don't have to update the CSS for this one.)

2. Adding a sans-serif font that is installed, to the CSS as the first value, which alphabetically first in the OS.
Not a good idea, as a future product install might install something in front of this font.

3. Removing the CSS, and creating Notes-only, and Web-only forms w/CSS only being in the web apps.
--> This works, as well.



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