Im nearly 100% sure that this isnt possible, but I've been proved wrong by you dudes before so I'll ask anyway.

Is there any function that can calculate the width of a string in pixels, with a specific font. I have a function which uses the GD Image Library to create text headers with a grunge font, which I can use on my site without having to create a new image for each header and upload it etc. its done at runtime. But, the problem I have is that if I want to center an image its slightly off center, because the width of the image is strlen($text)*11.5 But, that isnt precise enough, it leaves about a 50/60 pixel gap (or bigger, if the image is bigger) at the edge of the image. I would make the *11.5 smaller, but for smaller headers it cuts some off that way. 11.5 is the lowest I can go without destroying smaller headers.

I have created my own function by measuring each character in the font and inputting it into an array, but that doesnt work any better due to the grunge effect, some letters merge into the last, some are wider etc., which would be fine, except that it makes some characters space out more or less, depending on the previous character, making the function obselete in that sometimes its too short, mostly its too wide still.

So, again in a shortened form, is there a string_width type of function?

Well I think you have to write the function yourself.

As I've said I already tried that.. I was hoping for a prebuilt function which would allow me to specify the font etc. but it doesnt seem like there is one.

There is a function (imagefontwidth and imagefontheight), but they only return the size of one character using the built-in fonts (which are all fixed-width). You'll get the width/height of the entire string by multiplying the number returned by the number of characters.

I don't know of any way that lets you get the width or height of a string using a custom font, but I'm interested in this too.

Ah.. If you are using TrueType fonts, then the function ImageTTFBox will return the coordinates of the corners for you.

If you're using built in fonts, then they're easy to calculate (as I said above).

TTF Indeed!

Again, proven wrong :P


Thank you ALOT! You just made my life alot easier :P

EDIT: Bugger. Due to the grunge (bits poking out etc.) of the font it reports the letters wider than they are, because when theyre actually written the bits that poke out merge with the previous character, for some reason.... this makes the image wider than it needs to be =(

Oh well