Add a font to the list of permissible console fonts for windows powershell terminal // painlessly edit the relevant registry key

InstallConsoleFont.ps1

param (
	[string]$FontName,
	[string]$FontFile,
	[switch]$Help
);

function isAdminMode() {
	return ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] `
	  [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent() `
	).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator)
}

####################################
# NULL comes in a number of shapes and forms in powershell 
function isNull($obj) {
	if ( ($obj -eq $null) -or
		 (($obj -is [String]) -and ($obj -eq [String]::Empty)) -or
		 ($obj -is [DBNull]) -or
		 ($obj -is [System.Management.Automation.Language.NullString]) )
	{ return $true; }	
	return $false;
}
####################################
function printHelp {
	
	write-host " "
	write-host "  Usage: $scriptName -FontName <fontname> -FontFile <truetypefontfile>"
	write-host "         add font <fontname> in <truetypefontfile> to console fonts registry key"
	write-host "         <truetypefontfile> must be present in system fonts directory"
	write-host "         Please note that only truetype (.ttf) fonts may be installed to the powershell terminal"
	write-host "         Please note that this script must be run with elevated permissions"
	write-host " "
	write-host "  Usage: $scriptName -Help"
	write-host "         print this message"
	write-host " "
	write-host "  Example: ./$scriptName 'Zen Mono Regular' -FontFile zenmono-r-6.1.3.ttg"
	write-host " "
	exit 0;
}
####################################

#the script name might be 'InstallConsoleFont' but it might have been changed, too
$scriptName = $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name
$adminMode = isAdminMode

if ( 	($Help) -or 
		(isNull($FontName)) -or
		(isNull($FontFile)) -or
		(-not $adminMode ) )	{	
	printHelp
}

$key = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Console\TrueTypeFont"

## Find out if $FontName is installed on the system
$fontFileName = join-path $env:windir "Fonts\$FontFile"
if(!(test-path $fontFileName))
{
		write-host "File $fontFileName is not present."
		write-host "Please check that the desired font is installed in a .TTF format"
		printHelp
        break
}
 
## Determine if $FontName is already installed as a command window font
$installed = get-itemproperty $key |
             get-member |
             where-object { $_.Name -match "^0+$" } |
             where-object { $_.Definition -match "$FontName" }
             
if($installed -ne $null)
{
    write-host "The $FontName font is already installed as a command window font"
	write-host "or another font is installed with that name ( $FontName )"
	write-host " "
	break
}
 
## Find out what the largest string of zeros is
$zeros = (get-itemproperty $key |
         get-member |
         where-object { $_.Name -match "^0+$" } |
         measure-object).Count
 
## Install the font
new-itemproperty $key -Name ("0" * ($zeros + 1)) -Type string -Value "$FontName"
write-host "$FontName font installed successfully as a command window font."

@mysticentity

Hi Taylor!

A .FON file is not a true type font, but (if I recall correctly) an executable file with (potentially) multiple old-style .FNT fonts. Supposedly this does support some vectorized glyphs, but I've only ever seen bitmapped fonts (I think. It's been a long time since I played with these).

This installation script only works for modern truetype fonts.

I suspect it did get installed as a registry key (HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Console\TrueTypeFont) but PowerShell can't use it because it's listed as a TrueTypeFont rather than under RasterFonts

DANGER use Regedit

You will need to use Regedit to fix/install the font. Please remember that you must run Regedit in administrator mode to make changes (rather than view) the registry. I am certain you are aware of the infinite amount of damage and destruction misuse of regedit can cause to a windows installation, but I feel strongly about putting DANGER markers anytime something is that dangerous. One never knows who is going to read this or in what context.

Rollback:

* Remove the invalid key (with the .FON file) at `HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Console\TrueTypeFont`

Possible Fix

Please note that there might be some key naming convention (like the string of 0 characters for truetype fonts) that I am unaware of.

as in, it MIGHT work but I do not know enough to say for certain:

* Try installing the key at `HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Console\RasterFonts`. Be certain that Windows has already installed the font.

Suggested Course of Action

If I were trying to do this, I would experiment in an VM first, but then I am a cautious soul who would rather spend 3 minutes spinning up a VM to test with than 3 days rebuilding my production machine.

Please let me know if this is helpful!

Cheers, N

Followed what you said an unfortunately I still don't see it under fonts when I right click on powershell after running as administrator and going to fonts under properties. I also changed the way it's named to follow the other stuff in the registry and it still didn't work. It's fine though, if it's not going to work i'm not super worried about it. Just thought I'd give it a try.

Oh and yeah, windows does have it installed because I can see it under C:\Windows\Fonts