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In January 2000 — 22 years ago — the entire computer industry formally migrated to OpenType / Unicode fonts. Operating systems, software, and digital media all converted. Adobe's PostScript/Type 1 fonts were no longer available after that date.
The benefits you've missed for the past 22 years:
- Extended character set. Type 1 fonts are limited to around 216 glyphs on a font. Although that covers most traditional ASCII characters, the fonts don't have a full set of punctuation marks, special symbols, foreign accented characters, math/STEM symbols. Most OpenType fonts have between 1,000 – 3,000 glyphs on one font.
- Cross platform use. Not just between Macs and Windows systems, but also with HTML websites, EPUBs, and all forms of digital media ... and traditional print, too. PostScript Type 1 fonts work only for printed documents.
- Worldwide accessibility. One third of the world's population has an impairment or disability that hinders their use of computer technology ... and access to billions of documents, from textbooks to marketing brochures. International accessibility standards require Unicode / OpenType fonts to guarantee full accessibility to everyone.
- New font technologies. Variable fonts are just one of the newest technologies that help us designers with our projects. That tech isn't available for PostScript Type 1 fonts. (So cool, I get to determine the exact font weight I need for a project. Love it!)
By @dalev39076785Adobe should provide a seamless font swop out of likeness fonts once prompted fonts are missing.
Most of Adobe's font library from pre-2000 was converted to OpenType fonts and is available through Adobe Fonts, right within InDesign or at https://fonts.adobe.com/. All free with your Creative Cloud subscription.
In addition to that method, InDesign automatically scans your document and your system's fonts whenever you open a document. Any missing Type 1 fonts are flagged, valid Adobe OpenType fonts are suggested, and a click of your mouse will automatically swap out the old for the new.
Seriously, what's your complaint?
You didn't get enough memos about this industry-wide change?
Over the past 22 years?
Thank you Bevi for your reply. Helpful!
As a point of reference, a large percentage of InDesign files I recieve from agencies are still littered with Type 1 fonts. I recieve the nofitfication below.
Hoping this conversation is moot and will not require a relow of all text each time I open a legancy InDesign files next year. Cheers!
...a large percentage of InDesign files I receive from agencies are still littered with Type 1 fonts. I receive the notification below.By @dalev39076785
We've taken a pro-active approach with our clients.
We've been educating them through our customer newsletters about OpenType fonts since 2000, and today, we rarely see a Type 1 / PostScript font from them.
Our classes and blogs also teach the benefits of OpenType fonts, like the 64,000 cool glyphs of the Unicode character set that can be built into OpenType fonts — https://www.unicode.org/charts/ Foreign language alphabets. The Euro symbol €. The Interrobang ‽. Math/Science symbols. Dingbats galore! Emoticons!!! The Vulcan salute, Live Long and Prosper emoji (Unicode symbol 1F596 that most likely can't be displayed on this website). (Every font should have that glyph!)
InDesign's blue Type 1 warning bar in your note could be used as a great segue in a customer newsletter, "Wondering what's up with InDesign's blue warning bar? ..." and then give them a short run-down on fonts, why OpenType, how to swap fonts in InDesign, and after 12/31/20xx your company will not accept files with Type 1 fonts. They are kaput.
It's the graphic designer's responsibility to choose and use fonts correctly, not yours or mine.
At our shop, we reject all client files that are not built to today's standards for press or accessibility: If there's a Type 1 / PostScript font in the file, it's returned to them to correct and swap out with an OpenType font. If there's text reflow, that's the client's job to solve, not ours.
Otherwise, they can pay us to swap the fonts, but with these notes on their signed Work Order form:
- We will attempt to choose a font that matches their original as best we can. But all bets are off.
- There will be text reflow. Might be minor, might be humongous. RE: line endings, hyphenation, justification, tracking, kerning, and copy length, all bets are off.
- We may need to make visual design and layout adjustments to maintain the copy length, such as to keep the content within a 4-page newsletter. All bets are off.
- There are no estimates for time / labor charges to do this. Could be $1,000. Could be $10,000, especially if we have to purchase new fonts with licensing for embedding rights. The meter starts running when we open the file and we pre-approve their credit card for $xxxx dollars before we start.
So far, only 2 clients have hired us to swap their fonts and return a revised template to them. Everyone else made the changes themselves. Which is how it should be done.
22 years. 22 years.
You have to wonder how clients missed so many memos over the past 2 decades.
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