Fonts

Information on sending fonts and why they are important

"the single most common problem when outputting files are fonts..."

If you want to avoid delays and errors on your next project, take the extra steps to ensure that you send the right fonts with your file.

If you don't supply your own fonts we may have to substitute with our own version. This may or may not work. It often results in subtle or obvious differences in your document including text reflow.

Windows Icon

Windows (PC)

Windows fonts come in two formats: 1. TrueType and 2. Postscript

1. Windows True Type/Open Type Fonts

Most of the fonts you will need to send will be TrueType fonts. You can find these fonts in your \windows\system directory. They come in one part and have a .ttf extension.

The other type of font you may be using is known as OpenType. It has cross-platform compatibility (the same font file works on Macintosh and Windows computers).

  • True Typeis the symbol for a True Type font
  • Open Typeis the symbol for an Open Type font

2. Windows Type 1 Fonts (Postscript)

  • PostScriptPC (PostScript)

Each Windows Type 1 font comes in two parts - .pfm and .pfb file.
If you have PostScript fonts installed on your PC, they can usually be found in the \psfonts and \psfonts\pfm directory on your hard drive.

You can use ATM (Adobe Type Manager) to locate both of the needed files by highlighting the font name and selecting File | Properties. The paths will then be displayed. They will have the same filename except their extensions will be different.

Always keep these two files together so that the font prints and displays properly.

Mac Icon

Macintosh

On Macs, Postscript fonts consist of 2 files:

  1. a file containing the outline fonts commonly known as the Printer font. Its symbol looks like this:
  2. The screen font is a file containing a bitmap representation of the font in at least one point size. This file also contains the metrics data and the icon resembles a suitcase. Not all screen fonts have a matching printer font, so don't panic if you can't find both. *Mac fonts sent via email must be stuffed

    Fonts can be found in your Fonts folder which is in your System folder. You need to send both the screen fonts as well as the printer (PostScript) fonts. The bitmap fonts and styles information for all typeface styles in a given PostScript font package are included in one suitcase. The easiest way to identify the fonts is to open the Fonts folder and select View By Kind.