Phaser API Documentation

Description:

Adds an XML based Bitmap Font, or array of fonts, to the current load queue.

You can call this method from within your Scene's preload, along with any other files you wish to load:

function preload ()
{
    this.load.bitmapFont('goldenFont', 'images/GoldFont.png', 'images/GoldFont.xml');
}

The file is not loaded right away. It is added to a queue ready to be loaded either when the loader starts, or if it's already running, when the next free load slot becomes available. This happens automatically if you are calling this from within the Scene's preload method, or a related callback. Because the file is queued it means you cannot use the file immediately after calling this method, but must wait for the file to complete. The typical flow for a Phaser Scene is that you load assets in the Scene's preload method and then when the Scene's create method is called you are guaranteed that all of those assets are ready for use and have been loaded.

If you call this from outside of preload then you are responsible for starting the Loader afterwards and monitoring its events to know when it's safe to use the asset. Please see the Phaser.Loader.LoaderPlugin class for more details.

Phaser expects the font data to be provided in an XML file format. These files are created by software such as the Angelcode Bitmap Font Generator, Littera or Glyph Designer

Phaser can load all common image types: png, jpg, gif and any other format the browser can natively handle.

The key must be a unique String. It is used to add the file to the global Texture Manager upon a successful load. The key should be unique both in terms of files being loaded and files already present in the Texture Manager. Loading a file using a key that is already taken will result in a warning. If you wish to replace an existing file then remove it from the Texture Manager first, before loading a new one.

Instead of passing arguments you can pass a configuration object, such as:

this.load.bitmapFont({
    key: 'goldenFont',
    textureURL: 'images/GoldFont.png',
    fontDataURL: 'images/GoldFont.xml'
});

See the documentation for Phaser.Types.Loader.FileTypes.BitmapFontFileConfig for more details.

Once the atlas has finished loading you can use key of it when creating a Bitmap Text Game Object:

this.load.bitmapFont('goldenFont', 'images/GoldFont.png', 'images/GoldFont.xml');
// and later in your game ...
this.add.bitmapText(x, y, 'goldenFont', 'Hello World');

If you have specified a prefix in the loader, via Loader.setPrefix then this value will be prepended to this files key. For example, if the prefix was MENU. and the key was Background the final key will be MENU.Background and this is what you would use when creating a Bitmap Text object.

The URL can be relative or absolute. If the URL is relative the Loader.baseURL and Loader.path values will be prepended to it.

If the URL isn't specified the Loader will take the key and create a filename from that. For example if the key is "alien" and no URL is given then the Loader will set the URL to be "alien.png". It will always add .png as the extension, although this can be overridden if using an object instead of method arguments. If you do not desire this action then provide a URL.

Phaser also supports the automatic loading of associated normal maps. If you have a normal map to go with this image, then you can specify it by providing an array as the url where the second element is the normal map:

this.load.bitmapFont('goldenFont', [ 'images/GoldFont.png', 'images/GoldFont-n.png' ], 'images/GoldFont.xml');

Or, if you are using a config object use the normalMap property:

this.load.bitmapFont({
    key: 'goldenFont',
    textureURL: 'images/GoldFont.png',
    normalMap: 'images/GoldFont-n.png',
    fontDataURL: 'images/GoldFont.xml'
});

The normal map file is subject to the same conditions as the image file with regard to the path, baseURL, CORs and XHR Settings. Normal maps are a WebGL only feature.

Note: The ability to load this type of file will only be available if the Bitmap Font File type has been built into Phaser. It is available in the default build but can be excluded from custom builds.