Tkinter, since tk 8.5 apparently, does not find all the fonts that tk knows about.

I'm using Python 2.6.5 on Linux but have seen this on previous versions.  I have added the font with "xset fp+ <some font directory>"".  The font is Richard Jones' zed font, available from http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/rej/Zedfont/latest/

xlsfonts shows the font.

tk sees the font; in wish if I type "font families" there it is:

% font families
{fangsong ti} fixed {clearlyu alternate glyphs} charter lucidatypewriter zedfont {latin modern roman}  ...

In Tkinter I do not see the font:
>>> from Tkinter import *
>>> r = Tk()
>>> import tkFont
>>> tkFont.families(r)
... no sign of the zedfont here.

Is this expected behaviour?  Is there another way to install the font that avoids this problem?

2.7 is in security-fix only mode. I am assuming that this is still a problem in 2.7 (and possibly 3.x). It would be good to confirm this.

Terry meant 2.6 is in security fix only mode.  2.7 will get bug fixes for an extended period.

I built the latest 2.7, with tk/tcl 8.5, and see the same problem.

Is this still a problem with tcl/tk 8.6?

Mark, On Windows, 3.4 comes with tck/tk 8.6. I am guessing that you built not on windows. In any case, tkinter has had several patches since you last posted, not all backported to 2.7, so an updated report with 3.4 or 3.5 and 8.6 would help delineate the scope of the font recognition problem.

On Linux using, tcl 8.6.10 and Python 3.8.3, this does not appear to be an issue (Zed appears in the tkinter font family list).

If this is not out of date, it is, and was, a tcl/tk (3rd party) issue.  tkinter.font.families basically wraps a tk call. 
      return root.tk.splitlist(root.tk.call("font", "families", *args))