uses the OpenType container format but contains TrueType outlines . Hence, the description OpenType TrueType . This means the file extension is likely .ttf , but the internal table structure ( maxp , head , hmtx ) adheres to OpenType specifications, supporting advanced typographic features like ligatures and old-style figures, even if Arial Normal rarely uses them.
There is a strange, almost poetic beauty in staring at a software metadata string. To most users, a line like “Font Arial Normal OpenType TrueType Version 7.00 - -western-” is just system cruft—a digital footnote in a font dropdown menu. But to a designer, a developer, or a curious digital historian, that string is a time capsule. Font Arial Normal Opentype Truetype Version 7.00- -western-
: It is a TrueType-based OpenType font (TTF), meaning it uses TrueType outlines but resides within an OpenType wrapper to support advanced typographic features while maintaining broad compatibility. Encoding/Subset uses the OpenType container format but contains TrueType
In Version 7.00, the x-height (the height of the lowercase 'x') is precisely 1330 units out of 2048. This is notably high compared to traditional serif fonts (like Times New Roman). A high x-height makes Arial appear larger than other fonts at the same point size, a deliberate design choice for screen readability. Version 7.00 softens the sharpness of the 'a' and 'g' bowls compared to Version 5.xx, reducing pixel bleed on OLED displays. There is a strange, almost poetic beauty in
For system administrators, graphic designers troubleshooting PDFs, and developers ensuring font consistency across platforms, a very specific string has become a crucial touchstone: .
If you need a legally distributable version of Arial’s metrics, consider (by Red Hat) or Arimo (by Steve Matteson), which match Arial’s metrics and proportions specifically for version 7.00 compatibility.