---
name: "GetFont"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "tcl"
version: "152"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/GetFont"
---

# GetFont(3)

maintain database of fonts

## NAME

Tk\_AllocFontFromObj, Tk\_GetFont, Tk\_GetFontFromObj, Tk\_NameOfFont, Tk\_FreeFontFromObj, Tk\_FreeFont - maintain database of fonts

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <tk.h>

Tk_Font
Tk_AllocFontFromObj(interp, tkwin, objPtr)

Tk_Font
Tk_GetFont(interp, tkwin, string)

Tk_Font
Tk_GetFontFromObj(tkwin, objPtr)

const char *
Tk_NameOfFont(tkfont)

Tk_Font
Tk_FreeFontFromObj(tkwin, objPtr)

void
Tk_FreeFont(tkfont)
```

## ARGUMENTS

Interpreter to use for error reporting.  If **NULL**, then no error messages are left after errors. Token for window in which font will be used. Gives name or description of font.  See documentation for the **font** command for details on acceptable formats. Internal rep will be modified to cache corresponding Tk\_Font. Same as *objPtr* except description of font is passed as a string and resulting Tk\_Font is not cached. Opaque font token.

## DESCRIPTION

**Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** finds the font indicated by *objPtr* and returns a token that represents the font.  The return value can be used in subsequent calls to procedures such as **Tk\_GetFontMetrics**, **Tk\_MeasureChars**, and **Tk\_FreeFont**.  The Tk\_Font token will remain valid until **Tk\_FreeFontFromObj** or **Tk\_FreeFont** is called to release it.  *ObjPtr* can contain either a symbolic name or a font description; see the documentation for the **font** command for a description of the valid formats.  If **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** is unsuccessful (because, for example, *objPtr* did not contain a valid font specification) then it returns **NULL** and leaves an error message in *interp*'s result if *interp* is not **NULL**.  **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** caches information about the return value in *objPtr*, which speeds up future calls to procedures such as **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** and **Tk\_GetFontFromObj**.

**Tk\_GetFont** is identical to **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** except that the description of the font is specified with a string instead of an object.  This prevents **Tk\_GetFont** from caching the matching Tk\_Font, so **Tk\_GetFont** is less efficient than **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj**.

**Tk\_GetFontFromObj** returns the token for an existing font, given the window and description used to create the font. **Tk\_GetFontFromObj** does not actually create the font; the font must already have been created with a previous call to **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** or **Tk\_GetFont**.  The return value is cached in *objPtr*, which speeds up future calls to **Tk\_GetFontFromObj** with the same *objPtr* and *tkwin*.

**Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** and **Tk\_GetFont** maintain a database of all fonts they have allocated.  If the same font is requested multiple times (e.g. by different windows or for different purposes), then a single Tk\_Font will be shared for all uses.  The underlying resources will be freed automatically when no-one is using the font anymore.

The procedure **Tk\_NameOfFont** is roughly the inverse of **Tk\_GetFont**.  Given a *tkfont* that was created by **Tk\_GetFont** (or **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj**), the return value is the *string* argument that was passed to **Tk\_GetFont** to create the font.  The string returned by **Tk\_NameOfFont** is only guaranteed to persist until the *tkfont* is deleted.  The caller must not modify this string.

When a font is no longer needed, **Tk\_FreeFontFromObj** or **Tk\_FreeFont** should be called to release it.  For **Tk\_FreeFontFromObj** the font to release is specified with the same information used to create it; for **Tk\_FreeFont** the font to release is specified with its Tk\_Font token.  There should be exactly one call to **Tk\_FreeFontFromObj** or **Tk\_FreeFont** for each call to **Tk\_AllocFontFromObj** or **Tk\_GetFont**.

## SEE ALSO

[Tk\_FontId(3)](/Tk_FontId/3.md)

## KEYWORDS

font