##NFNT/Suitcase
9 messages in this thread
Even when all the family-level ID numbers are harmonized (they should be right
out of the box, if they are NFNT fonts) there may still be font number
conflicts at the second, intra-family level (according to my sources, the
primary numbers are FONDs, and the secondary numbers are the NFNTs). Font/DA
Mover arbitrarily assigns these secondary numbers, and if you are using
multiple suitcases, conflicts will crop up which must then be harmonized.
NOTE: The second-level, intra-family numbers only affect screen display, not
printing. They are used to call the proper screen font when you have chosen the
plain version and apply, say, italic from the style menu or dialog check box
instead of choosing the italic version from the menu.
For example, the Adobe Eurostile font # is 14845. Each point size and style has
a second-level number. In the case of Eurostile, 10-pt plain, mine is numbered
2936, while the 10 pt. plain + italic is 10177. So, the Eurostile Oblique font
# is 14844. The 10 pt plain # is 10177, the same as for Eurostile plain +
italic ~ this is intentional, and not a font conflict. This allows it to be
linked when you choose Eurostile from the menu and add the italic style to it.
Font display conflicts arise if there is a font in another suitcase with this
same secondary number. It will show up in funny ways, as we found. For example,
in PageMaker at 100% view Garamond + Bold 20 point will be displayed as
specified. Switch to 50% view and it could display Belwe Bold Condensed. This
is because Garamond 20 + Bold and Belwe Bold Condensed xx point have the same
secondary number.
In any case, harmonizing the fonts with Font Harmony will take care of this.
Anytime you add a new font to a suitcase with Font/DA Mover, you must
reharmonize the suitcase with any other suitcases which you want to have open
at the same time.
I've been telling my customers to steer clear of harmonizing their fonts
because I was under the impression it would change the font numbers and thus
affect printing at a service bureau. Is the process only changing the NFNT
numbers or the FONDs as well? Put another way, is it only changing the numbers
used for screen display or does it affect printing?
Font numbers from one system to the next ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT if the application
using the fonts is written properly. Pagemaker, Freehand, Adobe, Quark and many
programs like them (you'll need to check which ones) store fonts by FOND name,
not by FOND number or by FONT or NFNT number. Therefore, numbering is merely a
convenience of your system working better within itself.
I'm curious about this stuff. Can you tell me if, out there somewhere, there is
a) a list of NFNT numbers for, say Adobe's family of types, and b) a utility
that will allow me to "go into" the font file (suitcase?) and "install" the
appropriate font ID #s? (I ask this knowing that Adobe will sell me their
entire catalog of screen fonts for $75 or thereabouts, but I don't have THAT
many fonts, AND I'd be happy to grovel around in the bits and bytes myself.
Education, you know, if nothing else.) Even though appropriate NFNT's might be
"merely a convenience," it would be for me a terrific convenience. I design
documents with a goodly number of fonts in them, so run into conflicts
frequently. Thanks for your help.
The better method of accomplishing what you seek can be better obtained using
Font Harmony (coupled with Suitcase II). Remember, the important thing isn't
that you have such and such number for Palatino FOND and such and such number
for Palatino Roman FONT or NFNT, but that all are different. Font Harmony will
accomplish this.
If you work with a service bureau, ask them for their screen font suitcases.
That's the easiest way to ensure that you're compatible with what they're
doing. And if they aren't using the PPA screen fonts, recommend that they
change over to them.
Thanks for the info. I have one client's large collection of fonts on our
system so as an experiment I'm going to harmonize and then examine the fonts
with VariTyper's utility to see exactly what changes were made. Since 99% of
our clients use one of the big four (PM,FH,Illus,Xpress) it seems harmonizing
would not be the bogie I thought it was.
Thank you for a clear explanation of this puzzling phenomenon. Would you mind
if I copied it over on the Aldus forum where there has been a discussion of
font style/size conflicts? (With header intact, of course.)
One should also note that MasterJuggler 1.5 will automatically resolve the
second order NFNT number conflicts dynamically. That is, as long as the FONTs
are properly different, the NFNT numbers are reordered in memory by MJ, and
conflicts of the type you have described will not occur.