Font Management in OSX

[LoneGoose]

Hello there,

The files that I receive have, 99% of the time, been PDF; consequently I've never explored font management much. I have one specific question about it:

I'm dealing more-and-more with open files lately. If I receive a packaged InDesign file, what is the best way to install the fonts provided such that they don't conflict with fonts already installed, and that they are easily removed once the job is done?

(I mean, of course, as opposed to doing it all manually.)

Thanks!

 

[Cory Smith]

Re: Font Management in OSX

I tried to use the various font managers with OS X, and found all of them to have problems..

I just now copy all my fonts into my user font folder, once a month I clean it out and start over..it's been working great for me.

 

[Ann_PPF]

Re: Font Management in OSX

http://www.senecadesign.com/designgeek/fonts-osx.html

This page is a good resource for learning about how to manage fonts.
My personal favorite for them is Suitcase and Font Finagler. The nice thing about Suitcase versus fontbook is it is easier to see visually when you have duplicate fonts (imho).

Like cory though, we have one computer at our shop that is currently without font software. At this time, I've got the font folder from the user library on the dock where I can easily create a client folder and drop fonts in.

 

[chris_r]

Re: Font Management in OSX

right on, cory. i do the same, it is like years of font trouble just fell away.

here is how i did it:

cleared out my library -> fonts folder
cleared out my user -> library -> fonts folder
cleared out my system -> library -> fonts folder EXCEPT for base system fonts

fonts that i left in my system -> library -> fonts folder:

courier (postscript version, not dfont)
geneva.dfont
helvetica (postscript version, not dfont)
keyboard.dfont
lastresort.dfont
lucidagrande.dfont
monaco.dfont

for courier and helvetica, i was running into font conflicts with the dfonts, so i copied over the suitcase and printerfonts for these, and got rid of the dfonts.

once all this was done, i made an alias of my user -> library -> fonts folder, and put it on my desktop. then, as i need them, i drag and drop fonts on a job-by-job basis into the alias. then, when i am done, i drag them to the trash, do an empty trash, and then a secure empty trash, and you are then ready for the next job. i do the secure empty trash because the system will actually hang on to some fonts until you secure empty or restart.

i fought for years with suitcase, font explorer, font agent pro, and i am convinced this is the easiest, cleanest way to deal with it. thats just my opinion though, from a prepress point-of-view where we are constantly loading and unloading fonts. it might be different for someone else.

cr

 

[doubting_thomas]

Re: Font Management in OSX

I've had next to no problems with Linotype's Font Explorer. It has a lot of handy features, and it's free.

 

[LoneGoose]

Re: Font Management in OSX

So can one make subfolders in your fonts folder? That's handy. (What am I asking for? I should just be trying it! Will try.)

I suppose the User/Library/Fonts folder would be a better bet here than the Library/Fonts folder.

 

[chris_r]

Re: Font Management in OSX

> {quote:title=LoneGoose wrote:}{quote}
> So can one make subfolders in your fonts folder? That's handy. (What am I asking for? I should just be trying it! Will try.)
>
> I suppose the User/Library/Fonts folder would be a better bet here than the Library/Fonts folder.


sure, you can have fonts within subfolders. like i said before, i can only speak from my experience, and it has worked well for me. actually, all of our machines do this method, we have no font management software at all. i know from having this discussion over at the old prepressforums.com site that others prefer the software method, and that is fine too, whatever works for you.

good luck!

cr

 

[chris_r]

Re: Font Management in OSX

font explorer is the one software ive personally used that indeed seemed the least problamatic. font agent pro wasnt bad, but suitcase, whew, i never could get that to work.

cr

 

[Ann_PPF]

Re: Font Management in OSX

The older version of Suitcase really would not work without
http://homepage.mac.com/mdouma46/fontfinagler/

They've cleaned it up though and the latest version is alot less buggy. But... it's alot cheaper to just use the library trick. The one thing I like to have management software for is browsing a list when I need to do some little creative project.

I've yet to find a decent app to print myself a fontbook of some kind.

 

[chris_r]

Re: Font Management in OSX

ann,

do you work more in the design end of things, or more prepress? from what i have read on older threads on this topic, that does make a difference on how you may choose to handle fonts. here, all i ever do is load 'em, work my document, and get rid of them. nothing creative about it. if i did need to actually see my fonts, or design a piece or something, that may change my tune on font management a bit. its all in how you look at it, and what your needs are.

cr

 

[Ann_PPF]

Re: Font Management in OSX

Kinda both. I am a prepress operator and have been for the past 10 years. But I am one of those schmucks with a Design degree in my pocket. Everytime someone has a little job that needs some polish, they come my way. So having that list of master fonts that go with X project is VERY handy. It's also nice if you are comfortable using the Adobe Font list. We had the master CD. Any job that came in we tried the Official Adobe version first, then we would try the customer fonts. (This was for flexographic packaging.} Since then, I've moved out into a broader corporate market. I've found there are most customers that like to fiddle and tweak their fonts, so I'm not sure if I would go back to that method.

Edit: I should also mention, in my last prepress job, we had to make ALOT of typographic alterations. It was food packaging and they were always changing their legal copy and Nutritional info at the last minute. We also had one customer for whom I always had to take 3-4 5 year old files and peicemeal them back into something useable. Usually with revisions that would literally span a 6 month period. In spanish. So... I loved me the font list

Given that this package was pretty much a standard market. We had the same clients, same fonts and same revisions over. And over. And over. So you can see how keeping a permanent font list versus a temporary font folder would be handy.

Edited by: Ann_PPF on Sep 12, 2007 12:16 PM

 

[disbellj]

Re: Font Management in OSX

Someone mentioned using the user's font folder, which is located in /Users/Username/Library/Fonts on PrintPlanet a while back. Even though I still use Suitcase (and deactivate and reactivate if a program doesn't see a font after first activation in Suitcase), there are times Suitcase won't use the font. In those cases, I do just as chris_r does and put the fonts in the user's font folder, and the apps see them instantly (faster than a font manager).

Don

 

[John W]

Re: Font Management in OSX

Try Alsoft Master Juggler. Use it like a drag and drop turn on, use, turn off and remove for each job you do. Strip the Mac of all the fonts mentioned keeping only those needed by the mac to run and no others.
Never use sets if you are in production.
We use it in OS9 (old vers) and OSX (new vers) all day long and never ever have had a problem.
John

 

[SlaveToTheMan]

Re: Font Management in OSX

I must be in the extreme minority here, because Suitcase X11 works fine 99.9% of the time here. Activating fonts from a Brisque server no less. I guess the old adage "whatever works for you" is in full effect for this topic!

 

[Cory Smith]

Re: Font Management in OSX

to be honest, I haven't tried any font management program in a couple years. I've got a system that is working for me right now, if it ain't broke, don't break it.

I'm sure suitcase has improved since I last tried it. (along with all the other font managers)

 

[chris_r]

Re: Font Management in OSX

ditto that. whoever has found a system that works good for them should stick with it. not sure there is a right or wrong in this topic.

that being said, it wouldnt be a print forum without the great "font management" debate. im just glad we dont have to mess with them like we used to before pdf.

cr

 

[jardo]

Re: Font Management in OSX

So lets's talk XP. What are people using for Windows XP or Vista Font management? We are still using the now 5 year old ATM Deluxe. I am just curious.
J2

 

[WharfRat]

Re: Font Management in OSX

For InDy CS2 - CS3 and/or Illy CS2
put your font folder in the "application" font folder.
Any PC or MAC fonts on any MAC or PC box.

MSD

 

[doubting_thomas]

Re: Font Management in OSX

I use the System Font Folder. All required fonts read-only and hidden,
drop in new client sets, select all and delete to deactivate.
The only thing I need ATM for is MM fonts.

Edited by: doubting_thomas on Sep 12, 2007 10:50 PM

 

[disbellj]

Re: Font Management in OSX

Well, you can use some fonts on Windows and Mac both, but not all fonts. The fonts that can't be exchanged is the Mac Type 1 fonts. They must reside on Mac. Once they get moved to a PC, the resource fork that holds the font data is stripped and the data fork is left and the font shows as 0k and is not useable on Windows at all. TrueType and OpenType fonts can be exchanged between both systems and work, and Windows Type 1 fonts (pfm, pfb combo) can be placed in the Mac's user font folder (or most likely the app's font folder either one) and work.

Don