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Steve Werner
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 1, 2021
質問

Adobe is Ending Support for Type 1 Fonts

  • February 1, 2021
  • 返信数 8.
  • 2150 ビュー

Adobe announced in a Help document published January 27, 2021 that they would discontinue support in their software for PostScript Type 1 fonts for authoring (including creating new content or editing existing content) in January 2023. (Adobe Photoshop will end support for Type 1 fonts in 2021, as announced in 2019.)

 

For more information, see this article at CreativePro.com:

 

https://creativepro.com/adobe-is-ending-support-for-type-1-fonts/

 

返信数 8

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 29, 2024

There's that!

(This is why I keep around old working systems, as well as I advise clients to not rush to replace old CC versions if you have the disk space. For instance, since the Mac I'm working on right now can run CC2020 thru CC2024, I keep the CC2020 around so I can more easily deal with legacy files since it can still handle Type 1)

James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
April 29, 2024

Well, misfired humor aside, Type 1 is gone, it had an extended support period and there are straightforward paths forward with multiple benefits.

 

I don't really understand the mindset that will put endless (and often escalating) effort into avoiding necessary change instead of more usefully investing it in the change.

 

Maybe I'm just grumpy today.

James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
April 29, 2024

Yep! Never overlook the value of being able to save files in WordPerfect, CorelDRAW and PageMaker formats, too!

 

😛

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 25, 2021

This is what I would like to see, and it probably wouldn't be too much of a coding thing... maybe even as an optional plug-in:

 

Since most Adobe Type 1 fonts exist in the newer OTF format through our CC susbscriptions (or newer Font Folios) anyway, is have a plug-in that, when you open a legacy document, it scans the documents fonts and cross-references and allows you to swap in and sync the OTF version automatically. This, of course, wouldn't do any good with fonts from other foundries, but at least you can narrow down what you would need to upgrade.

 

A guy can dream!

Dov Isaacs
Legend
February 25, 2021

Not so easy since the character encodings can vary wildly between the Type 1 and OpenTypc CFF equivalent. This is true for non-ASCII characters, ligatures, old style figures, small caps, etc., etc., etc.

 

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 25, 2021

Understood. Yet, indeed, if we're going to have to do this manually anyway, we would still face those same inconsistencies, so this would help speed things along. Just a random wishful thought!

 

Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
Legend
February 23, 2021

As a graphic designer, I can't understand why anyone would want to continue with 21+ year old technology, PostScript Type 1 fonts.

 

They don't work in any form of digital design work I do...EPUB, HTML, animations, accessible PDF all require OpenType (aka, Unicode) fonts. Today, PS T1 fonts are usable only for print-destined documents. What designer today only does print design?

 

Plus an OpenType font has so many cool glyphs and alternates that never could fit on a PS Type 1 font. T1 fonts are limited to a maxomum of 200+ usable glyphs on a font, while an OpenType font could, in theory, have the entire 64,000 Unicode glyph set (but most average 3,000-5,000 glyphs).

 

My PS T1 fonts have been archived for 10+ years and I can't remember the last time I needed one. I don't even back up that part of the studio's server. If we lose them, meh! Don't need to spend the time and money on off-line storage of them.

 

|    Bevi Chagnon   |  Designer, Trainer, & Technologist for Accessible Documents ||    PubCom |    Classes & Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs & MS Office |
Dov Isaacs
Legend
February 23, 2021

Actually, Type 1 fonts date back to 1983, the very beginning of Adobe PostScript. Thus, it is really 37+ year old technology!  🙂

It is one thing if one is talking about content created in PageMaker, QuarkXPress, or even very old versions of Illustrator. But the fact is that InDesign's layout capabilities including support for text including multiple languages/character sets (including CJK and right-to-left languages) via Unicode-encoded fonts were designed around and optimized for OpenType font technology. In fact, when InDesign 1.0 was released in 1999, it was bundled with a selection of Adobe's first OpenType CFF fonts and not the Type 1 versions of those fonts. Adobe's message about the advantage of OpenType font technology in InDesign (and later Illustrator) has been totally consistent since that time.

 

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
Legend
February 23, 2021

37 years. Has it been THAT long?

I stand corrected, Dov, re: the time line. But gosh, was trying to forget those long-ago memories...became an Adobe dealer in 1985 so that I could satisfy my font habit. Still haven't accomplished that!

 

|    Bevi Chagnon   |  Designer, Trainer, & Technologist for Accessible Documents ||    PubCom |    Classes & Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs & MS Office |
stonepier
Participating Frequently
February 22, 2021

Really terrible news. So upset by this. Adobe continues to turn its heals on the designers who built them to where they are now and how now turned their back on . How am I supposed to re-create a font library that has taken 20+ years to build. Do they really think I've got invoices from foundries over that time, if the foundries still even exist, to possibly create an upgrade path that will no doubt cost me money to take or might not work at all.

 

Adobe is the new Quark in its attitude towards their loyal customers.

rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 22, 2021

There are font converters that will convert Type 1 to .OTF.

 

https://fontgear.com/products/fontxchange-for-macintosh

stonepier
Participating Frequently
February 23, 2021

Thanks Rob, while this isn't an ideal situation from Adobe, this may work even though it is another $99 out of pocket.

Dov Isaacs
Legend
February 3, 2021

Note however, that application versions of InDesign and Illustrator released prior to January 2023 will still continue to support Type 1 fonts. This can buy you some additional time to transition.

 

However, as we all know (from experience), operating system changes and hardware architecture changes, especially with MacOS and increasingly with Windows (unfortunately), you can’t count on those older versions of applications to continue to work into the indefinite future.

 

Thus it is exceptionally prudent to begin the migration from Type 1 to OpenType NOW. (Note that there is also the chance the Apple and/or Microsoft may pull Type 1 font support from their operating systems!)

 

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
Participating Frequently
February 3, 2021

SO SO not cool

Participating Frequently
February 1, 2021

I cannot save anything today with InDesign. it will give a message I need to save before proceeding, then close on me. Here's is a message.  btw, I have deinstalled and reinstalled.

 

I just want to keep working. Is it because I still have Type 1 fonts?  HELP!  thank you, Chris

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert作成者
Community Expert
February 1, 2021

It's not Type 1 fonts likely (they workable to 2023). It's more likely that you have a corrupted document.

 

Try saving the InDesign file as IDML (File > Save As > InDesign CS4 or Later [IDML]). Then reopen the IDML file you create.

 

 

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert作成者
Community Expert
February 1, 2021

And do click the Repair button in the dialog. Adobe has some software that will try to repair the file. I'd do that first. (New feature in InDesign 2021.)