function setFontFamily($family,$options='')
    {
        if (!is_array($options))
        {
            if ($family=='init')
            {
                // set the known family groups
                // these font families will be used to enable bold and italic markers to be included
                // within text streams. html forms will be used... <b></b> <i></i>
                $this->fontFamilies['Helvetica'] = array(
                    'b'=>'Helvetica-Bold'
                    ,'i'=>'Helvetica-Oblique'
                    ,'bi'=>'Helvetica-BoldOblique'
                    ,'ib'=>'Helvetica-BoldOblique'
                    );
                $this->fontFamilies['Courier'] = array(
                    'b'=>'Courier-Bold'
                    ,'i'=>'Courier-Oblique'
                    ,'bi'=>'Courier-BoldOblique'
                    ,'ib'=>'Courier-BoldOblique'
                    );
                $this->fontFamilies['Times-Roman'] = array(
                    'b'=>'Times-Bold'
                    ,'i'=>'Times-Italic'
                    ,'bi'=>'Times-BoldItalic'
                    ,'ib'=>'Times-BoldItalic'
                    );
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // the user is trying to set a font family
            // note that this can also be used to set the base ones to something else
            if (strlen($family))
            {
                $this->fontFamilies[$family] = $options;
            }
        }
    }