Skip to main content
F
fiddles5
Participating Frequently
March 11, 2021
Answered

Font question about OpenType Type 1 fonts

  • March 11, 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 5137 views

I saw in InDesign this morning the announcement to discontinue the use of Type1 fonts.  This is very disappointing for a book publishing company with more than 20 years of book files using Adobe Type1 fonts, updating and reprinting will be a nightmare.

I'm also confused. Does this apply to OpenType Type 1 fonts as well?

I have the Centaur MTStd font family, and the font type is: OpenType Type 1 -- does this mean that this font will no longer be supported?  It is a .otf font, but it does say "Type 1" after OpenType.

Can anyone clarify?

thanks!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer rob day

    If it isn’t a violation of your font’s EULA you will be able to convert T1 fonts to OTF:

     

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/ende-der-unterst%C3%BCtzung-f%C3%BCr-ps-type-1-fonts/td-p/11874314

     

    With  FontLab’s TransType, I was able to convert fonts and keep the version number, so there was no need to find and change—the InDesign document recognized the converted font.

     

    4 replies

    Dov Isaacs
    Dov Isaacs
    Legend
    March 14, 2021

    To add to earlier responses, there really isn't a font type call OpenType Type 1. What you are referring to is more officially known as OpenType CFF, an OpenType format that uses compressed Bezier curves and hinting similar to that used by the original Type 1 fonts, but highly compressed and also providing for all the  additional OpenType features.

     

    - Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      March 11, 2021

      If it isn’t a violation of your font’s EULA you will be able to convert T1 fonts to OTF:

       

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/ende-der-unterst%C3%BCtzung-f%C3%BCr-ps-type-1-fonts/td-p/11874314

       

      With  FontLab’s TransType, I was able to convert fonts and keep the version number, so there was no need to find and change—the InDesign document recognized the converted font.

       

        Mike Witherell
        Community Expert
        Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 11, 2021

        OpenType (anything) will still work. Conversions to OTF will work.

         

        Original PostScript T1 font technology began to effectively fade starting about 22 years ago, in 1999, when OTF was introduced. Indeed, it's days were numbered when TrueType was introduced in 1989.

         

        The benefits of robust features like expanded character capacity and *especially* OS stability (crashing) with OpenType far outweigh holding on to a mid 1980s technology. It was a miracle then, but OpenType publishing miracles are even better nowadays.

        Mike Witherell
          F
          fiddles5Author
          Participating Frequently
          March 11, 2021

          Hi Thanks -- I appreciate both your answers. But we still have book files that were done in 2001 with Postcript fonts, and have already run into updating old fonts (and software) to new technology a few times -- the font algorithms are different enough that it wreaks havoc with page breaks and reflow of text.  So for example a fairly complex 9x12 600-page book that needed about 50 pages updated became a much more time-consuming project. The entire book needed to be reexamined. Every page, every caption, every figure, every cross-reference, and the index.  I'd rather like to avoid having to deal with that!

          Thank you for your replies.

            Scott Citron
            Scott Citron
            Legend
            March 11, 2021

            I feel your pain when it comes to reexamining older files and Type 1 PostScript fonts. Unfortunately, I don't know of any way around this painstaking task.

            Steve Werner
            Community Expert
            Steve WernerCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            March 11, 2021

            "OpenType Type 1" means that the font format is OpenType (which is now the best font format continuing, but that the character shapes are derived from Type 1 methodology) so no problems with those.

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