FPDF error: Could not include font metric file - php

Question

I have a app which was done by someone else and now i am asked to look into one issue.
When a pdf report is generated it throws an error. This app uses FPDF to generate the PDF
FPDF error: Could not include font metric file
Earlier it was throwing the following error
Warning: FPDF::include(helveticab.php) [function.FPDF-include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory
Warning: FPDF::include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'helveticab.php' for inclusion
FPDF error: Could not include font metric file
This was resolved by including a font folder with helveticab.php and other php files related to other fonts
But the Error FPDF error: Could not include font metric file is still there.
On searching the net the possible reasons were
font directory missing
Doesnt have access permissions for the font files.
I am not sure what permission need to given to the font folder or files in the folder.
Any help in this regard would be of great help.

Answer 1

I had the same issue. The issue was the path was incorrect to the folder with all of the fonts. So, I added updated the following line in the PHP file to reflect the correct path to the folder with all of the fonts.
define('FPDF_FONTPATH','class/fpdf_font/');
So, double check the path that this line defines, and it should work fine.

Answer 2

I belive you have already extracted fpdf zip file onto your localhost or system
Once, zip file is extracted you see directory structure as in below image
and insert the below code in test.php
<?php
define('FPDF_FONTPATH','font/');
//above line is import to define, otherwise it gives an error : Could not include font metric file
require('fpdf.php');
$pdf = new FPDF();
$pdf->AddPage();
$pdf->SetFont('Arial','B',16);
$pdf->Cell(40,10,'Hello World!');
$pdf->Output();
?>
Now enjoy

Answer 3

My problem was, because of downloading the fpdf library from the page, some of the scripts they have there uses Arial font but, that font specially, was not included in the fonts directory. I just added define('FPDF_FONTPATH','fpdf/font/'); with relative path to the fpdf dir and changed font to Courier and ready!

Answer 4

In my case I use Linux (Debian), I had the same issue and the directories was right. I solved adding 777 permissions to the /font directory. And now it works like charm =)))

Answer 5

if you are using a external class that extends FPDF
like file name Custom_pdf.php
in that file you wrote your cutom codes
require_once('fpdf.php')
class Custom_PDF extends FPDF{
...
}
then you included in to your coding like
require_once('custom_pdf.php');
$pdf = new Custom_pdf();
$pdf->Write();
....
$pdf->output();
this is problem...
So you directly place the code in the file you need
require_once('fpdf.php')
class Custom_PDF extends FPDF{
....
}
$pdf = new Custom_pdf();
$pdf->Write();
...
$pdf->output();
it will works fine...
Thanks
sorry for the english mistakes...