How to load Font from file on a RDLC report?

Question

In Visual Studio 2005, how can I load a font from a file and use it on a RDLC report?

I know how to load a font from a file thanks to this question, but i'm not able to use it in a RDLC report.

Answer 1

It seems that the only way is to install the font on windows and use it like any other font available on system.

Answer 2

If you only need the font for a heading or two, or for a barcode column then you can make a column on the dataset of Image type, and premake the images as text to bitmaps

// From dreaming in code
/// <summary>
/// Function for converting text to a Bitmap object
/// </summary>
/// <param name="width">Width of the image</param>
/// <param name="height">Height of the image</param>
/// <param name="str">String to be converted</param>
/// <param name="textColor">Color we want the text</param>
/// <param name="recColor">Color we want the background</param>
/// <param name="f">Name of the font we want used</param>
/// <returns></returns>
/// <remarks></remarks>
public Bitmap ConvertTextToBitmap(ref int width, ref int height, ref string str, ref Color textColor, ref Brush recColor, ref string fontName)
{
    using (Bitmap bmp = new Bitmap(width, height)) 
    {
     using (Graphics gfx = Graphics.FromImage((Image)bmp)) 
     {
      gfx.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.AntiAlias;
      Font font = new Font(fontName, 11, FontStyle.Regular, GraphicsUnit.Pixel);
      gfx.FillRectangle(Brushes.Transparent, new Rectangle(0, 0, bmp.Width, bmp.Height));
      gfx.FillRectangle(recColor, 0, 0, width, height);
      gfx.DrawString(str, font, new SolidBrush(textColor), 2, 3);
      bmp.Save(Application.StartupPath + "\\" + str + ".bmp", ImageFormat.Bmp);
      return bmp;
     }
    }
}

You could also make a Custom Report Item to replace the default textbox etc, but from all experiences these are a big PITA