Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

Erik Schmitt

New member
Here is one that has me both baffled and scared. The scenario: Same document opened with Quark 7.32, same fonts loaded without issue - no other fonts loaded other than required System fonts, 2 different macs, both with freshly cleaned caches, 1 machine using Suitcase X1, the other Suitcase Fusion - both with freshly created font databases.

On the machine the with X1, the text flowed correctly, the same was not true for the Fusion machine. (see attached images)

This is not the first time I have been flabbergasted by Suitcase Fusion and odd behaviour. Has anybody else had headaches with Fusion? How can it be that the newer Extensis application is doing something completely different than it's predecessor with the same font verified as 'good' with Font Doctor? I am at a total loss for any sort of explanation and would simply feel better if someone would join me in saying that Suitcase Fusion isn't cutting the mustard.
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

Because they are simply not the same applications.
Even though Extensis pitches Fusion as an upgrade to Suitcase, in reality they purchased Font Reserve application and according to Extensis merge partially with suitcase to get Fusion.
I guess that's where the name is coming from "Fusion".

I can't help you but I did run into same problem several times in the past.

My new rule is not use any of the font management utillities, but I am on the Mac.
Just dump fonts into ~/Library/Fonts and you are laughing.

It might not be the most elegant way, but sure is almost bullet proof.
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

It's a Quark 7 and Suitcase thing.
Dump Suitcase and use Linotypes FontExplorer.
It just works and it's FREE.
I have migrated all the Macs here to FEX and all the operators love it.

here's a link:

http://www.linotype.com/fontexplorerX
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

Thanks for the replies guys, I have looked at FontExplorerX a while back in Beta and liked it, but... change can be tricky in some cultures... Suitcase has been the interface for many years around here. Thanks for verifying that Suitcase Fusion/Quark 7 is broken, seems that Fusion has a hell of a time with certain fonts, HeveticaNueu, Garamond (as seen in my example). Guess there is something to the whole good things in life are free...

Zoran.. like your idea too.. but again the change factor and no way to control duplicate activation given the way some font sets are supplied.. eek..
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

Yeah, I was a hard core suitcase guy myself.
I went for a long while fighting with Quark and the problems with loading some fonts and it just not working.
Empty caches, clean out the fnt files, delete the jaws folder and tons of other crap.
Finally gave up and used FEX, it beats Suitcase hands down.
Check it out.

Change can be good.
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

My two cents (well, $1,200 bucks I think) solution is Font Reserve Server.
I bought this in 2004 and have not looked back. All of my macs can easily turn on the exact same
set of fonts that I put into the folder during the preflight. Our font issues and /or house error issues involved with
fonts have been nill for three years.
It does take a bit (10.5) to get it all set up where everyone has the same fonts to start with, but it is SO worth it.
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

The shame of it Font Reserve IMHO was the best Font handler and database. It hasn't been upgraded in years and it still works great, except unfortunately Extensis has killed it. Who needs Fusion. I was quite okay with FR. Unfortunately they didn't roll the attributes I used in FR into Fusion so good bye Extensis.

I like FEX but I don't like the way it loads bitmap only fonts (it does highlight them in red but you try and remove them the ps pairs installed along with it get removed. FR create new suitcases with only the good fonts and let you remove orphan bitmap and/or outline fonts.

FR had a "filter" (FR server doesn't have this) in which I could attach an attribute to a font. That way I could have 20 helveticas from 20 different clients and never have a question as to which was which. What a shame Extensis.

alan
 
Re: Suitcase Fusion vs. X1 - different font rendering

We just drop a copy of the fonts into our OSX user font folder. Just dump them when needed. Pesky ones, load into font book. We have FEX also. We clean caches with Font Finagler. Sometimes have to restart Indesign or Illustrator to get them to re-read the fonts.
 

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