TTF  MAPPING SYMBOLS

updated 07.09.2003

I am trying to create some kind of information center about TrueType Fonts useful in mapping, i.e. containing interesting symbols for map making. I believe that giving a simple list of such files with their sources is not a sufficient help for fellow mapmakers trying to find something of interest. 

I have developed a way to present these fonts visually with enough information to render their use easy. I am using pdf pages with embedded fonts to be installation independent for on-line viewing  To do so I have alrady been obliged to correct some limitations to embedding but these font versions are for the only purpose of preparing those pages and are not distributed.

Character set pages are also available as pdf books "A collection of TTF Mapping Symbols" downloadable as zip files. Volume 1 in its 05.09.2003 final version contains 50 character set pages. Volume 2 was started on 06.09.2003 with 13 pages, on 07.09.03 it contained 21 pages.

I have started by skimming through my own resources and on the net. I am far from having exhausted all the sources and many specific needs are not covered. I encourage every one to send me pointers to other resources as well as to contribute with their own creations. 

These fonts can all be used to display symbols as text objects. They are freely availble on the net and their installation files should be downloaded directly from one of the indicated sources. But even if the fonts are refered as "symbolic", very few can be used directly as symbols in MapInfo because they have not  been defined as "symbol" fonts in opposition to "ANSI" font.

1 - This first list contains fully documented fonts.

To speed up conssultation of these pages, do not close the Acrobat window until you hve finished; flip back and forth between this window and the other one.

Font Name  TTF file name vol Usable as MI Symbols  Character set page
Animals 2 ANIMALS2 2 *** Animals 2.pdf
ArborisFolium ARBOF___ 2 *** ArborisFolium.pdf
Athletes ATHLETES 1 *** Athletes.pdf
Barnyard Barnyrd1 2 Yes BarnYard.pdf
BCMELP Cor Symbols bcecor 1 *** BCMELP Cor.pdf
BCMELP EPD Symbols bceepd 1 *** BCMELP EPD.pdf
BCMELP Fisheries Symbols bcefsh 1 *** BCMELP Fisheries.pdf
BCMELP Trim Symbols bcetrm 1 *** BCMELP Trim.pdf
BCMELP Water Symbols bcewtr 1 *** BCMELP Water.pdf
BCMELP Wildlife Symbols bcewld 1 *** BCMELP Wildlife.pdf
BugBats Bugbats 1 Yes Bugbats.pdf
Buildings BUILDING 1 Yes Buildings.pdf
Business/Industrial Regular BUSINDUS 1 *** BusinessIndustrial.pdf
CarrArrowsOutline carrarrowsoutline 1 *** CarrArrowsOutline.pdf
Carr Government TT-GOVMT 2 *** Carr Government.pdf
Cityscape CITY 1 *** Cityscape.pdf
DingDing Signs o'the Times DDSIGNS 1 *** DingDongS.pdf
DNR Recreation Symbols recreate 1 ***

DNR_Recreation Symbols.pdf

DOGwellsymbols Petroleum 2 Yes DOGwellsymbols.pdf
ESRI Cartography ESRI_1 1 *** ESRI_1.pdf
ESRI Crime Analysis ESRI_8 1 *** ESRI_8.pdf
ESRI Environment & Icons ESRI_2 1 *** ESRI_2.pdf
ESRI Geology ESRI_7 1 *** ESRI_7.pdf
ESRI Geometric ESRI_3 1 *** ESRI_3.pdf
ESRI Oil Gas & Water ESRI_4 1 *** ESRI_4.pdf
ESRI Transportation & Municipal ESRI_6 1 *** ESRI_6.pdf
ESRI Weather ESRI_5 1 *** ESRI_5.pdf
ESRI IGL Font16 ESRI_216 1 *** ESRI_216.pdf
ESRI IGL Font20 ESRI_220 1 *** ESRI_220.pdf
ESRI IGL Font22 ESRI_222 1 *** ESRI_222.pdf
ESRI IGL Font23 ESRI_223 1 *** ESRI_223.pdf
ESRI IGL Font24 ESRI_224 1 *** ESRI_224.pdf
GeographicSymbols Geograph 2 *** Geographic Symbols.pdf
Geopoetry GEOPOE~! 1 Yes Geopoetry.pdf
Hazard Regular HAW_____ 2 *** Hazard,pdf
Healthcare Symbols HEALTSYM 1 *** HealthCare Symbols.pdf
International Icons A ISASWFTE 1 *** International IconsA.pdf
International Icons B ISBSWFTE 1 ***

International IconsB.pdf

Landmarks landmark 1 *** Landmarks.pdf
Landscape Planning landplan 1 ***

LandScape Planning.pdf

MapSymbs - WD - Map Icons2 Mapdraw2 2 *** mapdraw2.pdf
Maritime signs (?) SY1CA___ 1 *** Maritime Signs 1.pdf
Maritime signs (?) SY2CA___ 1 *** Maritime Signs 2.pdf
Mers Animals animals 1 *** Animals.pdf
NRCS ADHOC Nrcs-adhoc 1 *** NRCS ADHOC.pdf
NRCS Planning NRCSP___ 1 *** NRCS Planning.pdf
NRCS SSURGO NRCSS___ 1 *** NRCS SSURGO.pdf
Parksymbol PARKRG__ 2 *** Parksymbol.pdf
Pie Charts for Maps Pie4map 1 Yes Pie4map.pdf
Plants plants 1 *** Plants.pdf
Pointers Pointers 1 *** Pointers.pdf
Recycle Recycle 1 Yes Recycle.pdf
RoadSign Medium ROADSIGN 2 *** RoadSign Medium.pdf
RoadWarningSign RD_SGN_W 2 *** RoadWarningSign.pdf
Sage pictos (Water Management) sage_bib_truetype 2 Yes Sage pictos.pdf
SC By the Sea SC By the Sea 2 *** SCBytheSea.pdf
Signs signs 1 *** Signs.pdf
Sports and Hobbies SPORTHOB 2 --- SportsHobbies.pdf
SPSS Marker Set spssms__ 2 Yes SPSS Marker Set
Stars Splats and Arrows Starsplt 2 Yes StarsSplatsArrows.pdf
Trains TRAINS 1 *** Trains.pdf
Transport MT transport 1 Yes Transport_MT.pdf
Transportation alltrans 1 Yes Transportation
Travel & Leisure TRVSWFTE 2 Yes Travel_Leisure.pdf
USDAFS usdafs 2 *** USDAFS.pdf
USGS hy usgy_hy 2 *** USGS hy.pdf
VetBats Vetbats 1 *** VetBats.pdf
Weather  weather 1 *** Weather.pdf
Weather Regular WEF_____ 1 Yes Weather Regular.pdf
Win Bugs Winbugs 2 Yes WinBugs.pdf
World world 2 *** world.pdf

 

*** I am experimentng with the transformation of these regular fonts into symbol fonts. I have already converted those shown with  *** but I cannot make them publicly available due to possible copyright infringement. I would like to be able to check the files origin and authorship before I put them in distribution and at the same time I would like to see them tested on other installations. 

This transformation can have multiple consequences and before even considering asking me for these fonts check this warning.

Any help or advice in this area will be much appreciated. Just drop me a line mailto:jacques@paris-pc-gis.com

A procedure for converting from "normal" to "symbol" using the Font Creator program is explained in a separate document

--- This font can be used only as normal; a symbolic version must be rebuilt from scratch. 

2 - I have also identified the following potentially interesting fonts

Font Name TTF File Name Found on (among other sites)
DNR Road Symbols Roadsym www.mapsymbols.com 
GSC1 - GSC10  (Geological Survey of Canada gsc1 - gsc10 http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/ess/carto/symbols_e.html 
MIL   www.mapsymbols.com 
Military 9 diff. fonts www.mapsymbols.com 
Paleo   www.mapsymbols.com 

 

3 - I am convinced that the community will also be interested in commercial fonts. If they could be presented in the same fashion, any user could make educated choices among the available pages and font suppliers would find there a good showcase for their products.

As I have no access to those fonts (my needs do not justify the $$$) , I wish that those who have any pertinent font would contact me so that we can find a way to "fill up font pages". If anyone decides to send me a font, I promise that I will use it exclusively for building  a character set page, not for any other purpose.

As an indication, here is what I was able to pickup on a single site (found by pure hazard, not any preference shown)

Font Name Description (as given) Indicative price Found on
Home Sweet Home 47 house designs $20.00 www.myfonts.com
Leaf Assortment 94 leaf designs $20.00 www.myfonts.com
Linotype Warning Pi 60+ warning sgns $21.00 www.myfonts.com
PIXymbols ADA Signs Signage mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, plus additional accessibility signs $40.00 www.myfonts.com
PIXymbols Highway Signs all the symbol signs used by the U.S. Department of Transportation, as provided for in the MUTCD $79.00 www.myfonts.com
PIXymbols Recycle collection of essential recycling symbols including one and two-color versions of the "Green Dot" symbol, other European recycling logos, plus miscellaneous ecology-oriented pictographs $40.00 www.myfonts.com
PIXymbols Road Signs International warning, traffic information, and regulatory signs, used in most countries outside the United States (2 fonts regular, color) $48.00 www.myfonts.com
PIXymbols USmap 2 fonts (regular, italic) featuring mapping symbols, highway number shields, outline US maps and white-filled maps of each state $79.00 www.myfonts.com
RA Sea Life 20 character font of sea creatures and marine objects. $9.99 www.myfonts.com