Skip to main content
M
m.e.long
Participating Frequently
February 5, 2019
Question

Font Weights Mysteriously Unrecognized

  • February 5, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 1281 views

I am a graphic designer and I received a template from a client because they want me to work within an existing design. Along with the template they sent a folder of Helvetica Neue LT with 35 different files and weights:

When I install them all, Fontbook shows them all as having the same name:

In InDesign, when the fonts show up as missing, I can't replace them because the system also only recognizes one Helvetica Neue File with on name, Regular.

I have tried deleting all the HN files from my library and adding them back in, restarting several times, and nothing is working. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to properly install the different weights of the font so that they are recognized by the system?

Thank you in advance for the help!

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 5, 2019

It looks to me like your client did not send you the same set of fonts that were actually used in the document. They sent you OpenType fonts (the extension for all of them is .otf).

But in the Find Font dialog box, the name of each font used is appended with "(T1)" indicating they are a different kind of font, the old Type 1 format. And the one you highlighted also clearly lists Type 1 as the font type.

I don't understand why the OT fonts are not recognized by your system. Do they work in a new file?

M
m.e.longAuthor
Participating Frequently
February 5, 2019

The client also sent another folder of Document Fonts. These should be the correct fonts from the document because they were compiled in a package:

I tried uninstalling all other versions of Helvetica, and the document is still missing all the fonts when it opens.

It does not make sense to me that this is happening!

M
m.e.longAuthor
Participating Frequently
February 5, 2019

With the Type 1 fonts, there needs to be two kinds of files. I think you only have one. The Type 1 font format is the oldest for print publishing, going back to 1984. It requires an FFIL folder which contains screen previews and metrics for the font, and a separate LWFN file which is sent to the PostScript printer. If you don't have both together they don't work. You appear to be missing the FFIL file so they don't show up in the menu.

Look at the files in your folder in icon view like this folder below (these were some of the earliest Type 1 fonts distributed). These copies are dated January 7, 2000. The "000 Adobe Basics" folder puts entries into the font menu of the application and has the metric info. The LWFN (Laserwriter Font) files have an abbreviated version of the font name, like CouriBol for Courier Bold. So you have the "printer fonts" but not the "screen fonts".


Hmm my icons look a lot different. I can try asking for a different set of files. That doesn't answer the mystery of why the OTF fonts don't work either....

I really appreciate your help by the way.

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices