Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying an electronic document on a display device coupled to a computer. The document includes text specified to be drawn using a desired font that is not on the computer. The methods and apparatus display the text and a region including the text initially using a substitute font different from the desired font; obtain the desired font from a source coupled to the computer for data transmission; and then redisplay the text and the region using the desired font. Aspects include the following features. The document has font description metrics for the desired font. The methods and apparatus read the font description metrics from the document before initially displaying the text; and use the font description metrics for the desired font to create the substitute font. The computer has font description metrics for the desired font, and the methods and apparatus use the font description metrics for the desired font to create the substitute font.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an optimized page-based electronic document file and downloading the optimized file. An optimized document file is created from a non-optimized electronic document. Page contents are contiguously written in the optimized file and a page offset table is provided in the optimized file that includes page offset information used to locate individual pages and objects of the document. Shared objects, such as fonts, are included in the file after the page contents. When downloading the optimized file from a host, the page offset information is read early and is used to download a specific page requested by the user without downloading other pages in the document. In one embodiment, a viewer downloads a first portion of the requested page, while all remaining portions of the requested page are located and requested by a finder process using the page offset table. In alternative embodiments, all objects for a full page may be requested at once.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an optimized page-based electronic document file and downloading the optimized file. An optimized document file is created from a non-optimized electronic document. Page contents are contiguously written in the optimized file and a page offset table is provided in the optimized file that includes page offset information used to locate individual pages and objects of the document. Shared objects, such as fonts, are included in the file after the page contents. When downloading the optimized file from a host, the page offset information is read early and is used to download a specific page requested by the user without downloading other pages in the document. In one embodiment, a viewer downloads a first portion of the requested page, while all remaining portions of the requested page are located and requested by a finder process using the page offset table. In alternative embodiments, all objects for a full page may be requested at once.