Snow Leopard Font Issues
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- twelveandahalf
I just bought a new MacBook Pro 15.4" i5 laptop and used the Migration Assistant to transfer my user folder, files and applications from my old iMac. The transfer was a success with all of my files ending up in the correct place but, having done this, I am completely without the use of any of my 10,000+ fonts. I cannot activate fonts in any piece of third-party software (Linotype FontExplorer X or Extensis Suitcase) or in Apple's own Font Book.
As a graphic designer this is a crippling blow and one that leaves me unable to produce new work or amend any work I have done to date that uses anything other than a System Font. Which is everything.
I researched this problem online with little or no success. It seems there are a myriad of font problems that have arisen with the release of Snow Leopard and the only solution I can find online seems is to revert back to Leopard. I find this to be a backward step and one that I should not have to take with a brand new machine.
Is anyone else experiencing similar problems with Snow Leopard? Have any of you managed to overcome them and, if so, how?
Help! Please!
- MSL0
I use Linotype Font Explorer X Pro with no problems on Snow Leopard. Are you fonts in OpenType or PS/TT?
How are you activating fonts?
- Ancillary0
Yeah I'm having heaps of probs right now on a project installing fonts in Snow Leopard. It's not letting me install any new fonts, I've tried both FontExplorer X and FontBook, have been vectorizing the fonts for the moment. I don't think it's always been like this, but I can't remember the last time I installed a new font, if it was before the upgrade.
The IT guys at work have no idea, neither does anyone I work with.Should it make a difference what type of font I'm using ?
am kinda hoping it will just go away
:(
- twelveandahalf0
I was activating them using Linotype FontExplorer X 1.2.3 in Leopard and tried using that when I transferred everything across which is where I started noticing the problem. I tried upgrading to version 2.5.1 to see if that rectified the problem but it remained the same with every font in my system telling me it was 'Not Available'.
I have always kept a 'Font Archive' folder directly on my HD (so as not to muddy up the various system fonts folders in Mac OS X) and used third-party software to activate fonts from there as I need them. This has never been a problem before but now none of my fonts will work.
It seems Apple have decided to discontinue the use of Type 1 fonts but none of my fonts – TrueType, Postscript or even OpenType – are working.
Very frustrating indeed!
- ESKEMA0
This is very weird, probably due to the migration process. I have snow leopard and haven't had issues with fonts (except Type 1, which are offiacily discontinued from support).
If I were you, I would do a new, clean install, and work from there. It will take you more time to set things up, but there's less risk of stuff like that to happen.Try to put some fonts in any of the Font folders from Adobe applications to see if they work like that. (short term solution)
Ex: Applications > Indesign > Fonts
- MSL0
Pretty sure the non-Pro version of Font Explorer is not Snow Leopard compatible - they stopped updating it ages ago.
- twelveandahalf0
It's weird alright! And a pain in the ass!
Regarding your suggestion, I am worried that trying to do a clean install of Snow Leopard will only serve to throw up the same problems as before. I wonder if I should simply disregard Snow Leopard in favour of Leopard in order to save time.
What's most annoying is the fact that other people have experienced problems similar to my own and yet Apple have not offered a solution. I have been on to them twice now with no success and they have promised to both email and call me back with a solution but have yet to contact me at all.
Gggrrrrrrrr! Fucking Apple and their empty promises.
- ESKEMA0
have you tried to put the fonts in Adobe folders as I suggested? this will solve problems, even with Type 1 fonts in Snow Leopard.
- twelveandahalf0
Yes, I tried that alright but only InDesign seems to have a fonts folder so it doesn't really solve the problem for Illustrator or Photoshop...
The really weird thing is I put the Bryant Font Family into my User/Name/Library/Fonts folder and it shows up in Mac programs such as TextEdit and Mail but not in any Adobe Creative Suite programs... and it's OpenType too...
- ESKEMA0
I've never been a fan of upgrading / migrate stuff to new computers, seems that while apparently it saves time, it will also give headaches and consume more time than it saved searching for fixes.
That said, I already installes SL on a bunch of machines, always fresh install, no problems so far.
- raf0
I had a similar issue recently, couldn't import any new fonts (I could, but only in place). My fonts folder was placed on the hard drive root level, outside my user home folder.
It turned out, it was a folder permissions issue. Once I made the font folder writable for all users, the issue was gone.
- monospaced0
start over
- and don't use the migrate thingy, just clean install and then grab shit off your backupmonospaced
- agreedjaylarson
- sorry!monospaced
- twelveandahalf0
Right so... looks like a rebuild is required...
* cries in the corner
- fontexplorer 2.5 can export and import your font library. buy or find it.jaylarson
- duckofrubber0
Purge font caches. Restart.
- Get Onyx and purge all Caches if this doesn't work.duckofrubber
- twelveandahalf0
I've done that using Font Finagler, Cocktail and the Terminal app. but to no avail... is there really no quick-fix out there?!
- duckofrubber0
I don't know. I've had no problems with Type 1 personally...