Fonts and Text Layout

You can use the Java 2D API transformation and drawing mechanisms with text strings. In addition, the Java 2D API provides text-related classes that support fine-grain font control and sophisticated text layout. These include an enhanced Font class and the new TextLayout class.

This chapter focuses on the new font and text layout capabilities supported through interfaces and classes in java.awt, and java.awt.font. For more information about using these features, see the 2D text Tutorial that's available through the Java Developer Connection at http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/Graphics/2DText/.

For information about text analysis and internationalization, refer to the java.text documentation and the "Writing Global Programs" track in the Java Tutorial. For information about using the text layout mechanisms implemented in Swing, see the java.awt.swing.text documentation and "Using the JFC/Swing Packages" in the Java Tutorial.

Note: The information on international text layout contained in this chapter is based on the paper International Text in JDK 1.2 by Mark Davis, Doug Felt, and John Raley, copyright 1997, Taligent, Inc.