Help! Have trouble installing PostScript Type 1 fonts on Windows 7

[Logo_Designer]

Hey there. I had a font package by a gift from a friend. As I open the font pack, All of the PostScript Type 1 font has a blank white icon. It's not working. I installed Adobe Type Manager but it's not compatible with my Windows 7 computer. Does anyone know what another font application that can open and install PostScript Type 1 fonts on my Windows 7? Please Help.

[Dov Isaacs · Accepted solution]

Windows Type 1 fonts each consist of two files, a .pfb file containing the font itself and a .pfm file containing extended font metrics used for formatting text on the host computer. If you don't have both files for a particular font, the font is uninstallable and unusable. To install a Type 1 font on a Windows system, the .pfb and .pfm for the font should be in the same directory. Right click on the font and click on Install or Install as shortcut. Install copies the two files to the \Windows\Fonts directory and subsequently uses the font from that location. Install as shortcut uses the font from the location the files are currently located in with the caveat that you must keep those files in that location or else the fonts will no longer be accessible.

If you actually attempted to install Adobe Type Manager on 32-bit Windows 7 (or later) system, you may have destroyed your system's ability to properly install and use Type 1 fonts at all. If this has happened, you may need to reinstall Windows! (If I recall correctly, the installer for ATM refuses to run at all on Windows 64-bit versions, sparing you the destruction of your Type 1 rendering!)

          - Dov

[aogilmore]

We're kind of having the same issue in that we got some TrueType fonts, which are very easy to install and along with those we got some PostScript fonts. They do have both the PFM and the PFB extensions, so are you saying that all we need to do is install those in the Windows FontsFolder? We would be using InstallShield to do this by creating a Windows installer (MSI file). We would not be manually right clicking on the PFM and PFB files and then choosing install. Obviously this is not workable in a large enterprise, especially where those enterprises are using Lockdown workstations where normal users are not administrators on the machines. Having normal users as administrators on the machine the machines is a security risk. Please advise. Thank you, Owen Gilmore

[Roger_T__Yokubaitis]

Dov Isaacs

I have just boxes of original Adobe type sets of Adobe Type 1 fonts that have AFM and PFB files instead of PFM and PFB files as described by you.  They will not install in Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 using the procedure you describe.  Please tell me that you have a slick and simple procedure for installing Adobe AFM and PFB Type 1 font files in Windows 7 Ultimate SP1.

Thank you!

Best Regards,

Roger T Yokubaitis

Houston, Texas

[steve10100]

There are two free utilities available to produce the *.pfm-files necessary to install Type-1-fonts in Windows 7. You will have to be in possession of the respective *.afm- and *.inf-files, though.

The first utility "afm2pfm.exe" is easy to use, but creates only simple *.pfm-files where kerning information contained in the original *.afm is lost, thus leaving you with a degraded version of the original font.

The second utility "makepfm.exe" is Adobe’s own (formerly part of the Adobe Convert Utilities and Adobe Type Manager for Windows 3.x). With the help of "makepfm.exe" ATM created *.pfm-files on-the-fly during installation. I have used "makepfm.exe" in the past with complete success and can recommend it. You will need a DOS-environment to run it; "dosbox0.74 for windows 7" is well-suited for the job.

Alternatively, you can send me some of your *.afm and *.inf files and I’ll create the *.pfm for you. I am assuming this is legal (someone will otherwise correct me) since they contain only font-metric information, not the font-outlines themselves.

PM me, if you need further advice.

[Dov Isaacs]

Roger,

I will further contact you with a solution to your problem.

To others reading this thread — if you have similar issues and need .pfm files for very old Adobe Type 1 fonts, contact Adobe Support and they should be able to assist you directly on a case-by-case basis.

        - Dov

[backpack45scb]

Adobe Support for Type now consists of a link to the community forums. I'm reluctant to abandon my old type 1 fonts as they are in use in books still being printed.