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_Ben_Seigel_
Participant
May 9, 2008
Question

Problem with font conflicts; InDesign CS2, on Windows 2000 and XP

  • May 9, 2008
  • 4 replies
  • 1568 views
I write on behalf of a colleague from my former office. For a long time they have had font issues. They run mainly InDesign CS2 on Windows 2000 and XP machines.

For the majority of our print communication pieces, we use Goudy and Futura. Each of us has those fonts installed on our PCs; however, many times we will open a brochure and it will say Goudy and Futura is missing. We have to manually replace Goudy w/ Goudy and Futura w/ Futura, which is both frustrating and time-consuming. In addition, when someone uses a new font, it's only available locally. So, if that person is out of the office, we can't use that document. We'd like to have a central repository for all the fonts so we can all access the same fonts.

We were told that Suitcase Server from Extensis would solve this problem. Does anyone have experience with this product, and would it work?

Thanks,

Ben
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    N
    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    May 11, 2008
    Thanks, Thomas, makes sense. Even for a Mac guy!

    Neil
    T
    Thomas Phinney
    Inspiring
    May 10, 2008
    Suitcase server won't really solve the problem on its own. Somebody needs to do the following things:

    1) Collate all the fonts, and where there are conflicting versions of the "same" font, decide which one is best.

    2) Stick all these fonts in a central server location

    3) Make sure you are licensed for all these fonts for the number of users you want to have

    then EITHER

    4a) Use something like Suitcase Server to make all the fonts available to everyone

    4b) Simply copy the fonts to each local machine from the server, deleting any duplicates

    Cheers,

    T
    _
    _Ben_Seigel_Author
    Participant
    May 10, 2008
    Neil:

    Windows manages fonts differently than mac.

    Nothing is being used for font management. On these Windows machines, fonts aren't activated, they just sit in c:\winnt\fonts and are used by programs.

    As I understand the problem, each user (there are 8 or so) has a slight variation of, for example, the Goudy font. One might have Goudy 19443 and another has Goudy 19446, so documents created using one version say "font missing" when opened on a different machine.
    N
    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    May 10, 2008
    Ben,

    Let me start with, I'm asking questions from a Mac perspective.

    What are you using for font management? Are the fonts located in the same location on each machine? How are the fonts activated? (And, are the fonts auto-activated on each machine? Or is that just a Mac feature?)
    >In addition, when someone uses a new font, it's only available locally.

    I don't understand. That font is only installed on that one machine?

    Depending upon your font license -- and it varies from font to font; even with different ways that identical fonts are acquired -- you can use a central server for your fonts, and specify privileges for each user. I use single license Font AgentPro on each of my Macs and like the interface. See if there is a server version for Windows available.

    Neil
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