Missing Zapf Dingbats Glyphs When Opening InDesign File on PC

[amber_5803]

An InDesign file was created on a Mac and used a 5-point star glyph from the Zapf Dingbats font. When the file is opened on a PC (same version of InDesign), no missing font notification appears, but that glyph is replaced with the outlined rectangle and the 5-point star does not exist. Why does this glyph exist on a Mac but not on a PC?

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[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @amber_5803,

Thanks for bringing this up, and we're sorry you’re facing this issue with the Zapf Dingbats font.

To help resolve this, please share the version of InDesign and the exact operating system you’re using on both the Mac and PC. It might also help to validate the font on your PC to see if that resolves the problem. 

Reference article: Troubleshoot font issues (https://adobe.ly/4724mxO)

Looking forward to your response on how it goes. 

Thank you, 
Abhishek Rao

[amberf51117552]

The Mac OS is Sonoma 14.4.1 and is using Adobe InDesign 2024 version 19.1.

The PC OS is Windows 11 and is using Adobe InDesign 2024 version 19.4.

I tried validating the font on my PC but nothing changed. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

IIRC, there are different implemenations of Dingbats, not all with the same mapping. It's not too-too unusual to find variations between various versions of Windows, and especially between Win/Mac.

That said, I show a five pointed star as glyph 23, Unicode 2605, name BLACK STAR in Dingbats Regular 2.

[amberf51117552]

Thank you for commenting! I found the one you're talking about! Not sure how I missed it, except that it's not in the row with all the other stars. Anyway, thank you! However, I'm still confused why it wouldn't have used that one when I opened it on my machine. Are you saying the mapping isn't the same as in it's glyph 43, Unicode 3605 on a PC but on a Mac it may be a different ID/code?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

"There are some things mortal man is not meant to know." 🙂

Fonts, especially very old fonts that have morphed and evolved for decades, are one of them. The likely case is that the two systems didn't have exactly the same version or iteration of ZD; there are many, many copies of it out there, not all completely legitmate. Glad you found your shining star, though.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Where you using the OpenType Zapf Dingbats on both platforms--or the Mac version and the OT on Windows? 

I avoid using Apple-supplied fonts and remove them if possible. I replace with the OT versions. (I do the same for "Microsoft" fonts--Arial, Times NR, etc.--I replace the Mac versions with the Windows versions.)