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TrueType Font downloaded, OpenType Font Installed

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
August 6, 2018
3 replies
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I download TrueType Fonts and double click them to install them into the FontBook application. When they install, sometimes they install as a TrueType Font still, but then once I go to use it in any of the CC Applications, the only version available is the OpenType Font. OR I will download the TrueType Font, and when I install it into FontBook, in the information, it says the Kind: is OpenType Font - in that case, I can see in finder the font is .tff and then in FontBook it says OpenType Font.

Has anyone ever had this happen before? Is this even an Adobe issue, or is this a third party issue or if this an apple issue?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Correct answer Dov Isaacs

Very easy to explain!

There are actually three flavours of TrueType fonts.

The original TrueType fonts were available in both MacOS and Windows formats.

In the late 1990s, a number of companies collaborated to produce the OpenType specification. There are two flavours of OpenType fonts. The first is OpenType TrueType which is effectively a highly-enhanced version of the original Windows TrueType file format using quadratic outlines. Generally, these OpenType fonts have the file suffix .ttf. The second is OpenType CFF which has file format similar to that of OpenType TrueType, but instead of the outlines and hinting of TrueType, it uses the Bezier outlines and hinting of the original Type 1 fonts used in the original PostScript printers. Generally, these OpenType fonts have the suffix .otf.

Note that it is not unusual to see OpenType TrueType fonts with the file suffix .otf although font renderers are generally smart enough to differentiate between the OpenType TrueType and OpenType CFF flavours of OpenType based on internal content of the fonts.

- Dov

C

caseyl6309330Author

Participant

So what exactly does this mean?

Even if a font is labeled as a .ttf files, it is still going to be read as an .otf file in my application? Then why when I purchased a font, am I getting files of .ttf AND .otf? How can I know what is really a truetype font?

I am using a mac system. I am not sure where to go from here is I really need to be using truetype fonts only. So does this mean that even if it might say .ttf, it isnt really a truetype font?

Are true truetype fonts going to be harder to come by from now on?

Can you break this down into simpler terms?

THank you!

Dov Isaacs

Legend

OK, I'll try to break this down into simpler terms.

The reality is that the file suffix of .ttf or .otf is not a definitive indicator of exactly what type (pun intended) of font is actually in the file.

On a MacOS-based system, there are actually three flavours of TrueType fonts - the original MacOS only version of TrueType which is totally incompatible with Windows systems, the cross-platform TrueType font that uses only the file's data fork and is the TrueType format originally designed for use on Windows, and the cross-platform TrueType OpenType font which is a superset of the cross-platform TrueType font from Windows.

The original MacOS TrueType fonts, although still usable on MacOS systems, are not commonly distributed anymore. They often don't even have a file suffix. You certainly don't want to use them for websites.

The current cross-platform TrueType fonts typically have the file suffix .ttf.

The cross-platform TrueType OpenType fonts typically have the file suffix .ttf and are a superset of the features of the original cross-platform TrueType fonts. These additional features provide for highly advanced typographical features. Most new TrueType fonts being created are actually TrueType OpenType fonts. As far as I know, these fonts “work” wherever TrueType fonts are expected or required.

There is no evidence that TrueType fonts are “going to be harder to come by from now on.”

As I originally indicated, although OpenType CFF fonts typically use the .otf file suffix, we have seen numerous instances where TrueType OpenType fonts also use that suffix.

In reality, it is necessary to look inside the font file to determine whether a font is really a TrueType, TrueType OpenType, or an OpenType CFF font. Even looking at a font file's properties via Get Info (via right clicking on a font file) only looks at the file suffix to guess what type of font the file represents. To get the factual information as to a font's actual type, you need to look at a font via the Font Book utility's Show Font Info screen.

There aren't many applications that absolutely require TrueType fonts? What application is causing this issue for you?

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

solomonm9555837

Participant

DOV, On this topic can you please help me with a long time problem that has plagued my usage of AI for years.

As a designer i often will receive pdf's from Architectural firms that invariably will NOT translate the font into anything but boxes with X in them. I've never figured out how to find the font, however, with a huge job just landed today, i'd rather spend the day trying to finally understand and resolve. The Font property described in the pdf received describes 3 fonts... Arial, Arial Bold, and Century Gothic. All three types are Truetype. When i open them in Illustrator those particular 3 fonts that i have in the library are all described as Opentype.... see attached snaps. Seems like you might have an instant solution for me perhaps... At least i am praying right now, lol

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Legend

Very easy to explain!

There are actually three flavours of TrueType fonts.

The original TrueType fonts were available in both MacOS and Windows formats.

In the late 1990s, a number of companies collaborated to produce the OpenType specification. There are two flavours of OpenType fonts. The first is OpenType TrueType which is effectively a highly-enhanced version of the original Windows TrueType file format using quadratic outlines. Generally, these OpenType fonts have the file suffix .ttf. The second is OpenType CFF which has file format similar to that of OpenType TrueType, but instead of the outlines and hinting of TrueType, it uses the Bezier outlines and hinting of the original Type 1 fonts used in the original PostScript printers. Generally, these OpenType fonts have the suffix .otf.

Note that it is not unusual to see OpenType TrueType fonts with the file suffix .otf although font renderers are generally smart enough to differentiate between the OpenType TrueType and OpenType CFF flavours of OpenType based on internal content of the fonts.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)