Computer Graphics with Photoshop - FontAgent questions

Author

FontAgent questions

lenny

2005-06-28, 7:15 pm

(former Font Reserve user, currently running OS 10.3.7, and soon going
to Tiger)

FontAgent advises to select its own folder, "FontAgent Pro Fonts"
folder within the Applications folder as the best place for its
apparently critical default folder.

This would make sense, were it not for myriad problems reported with
defragmentation and TechTool, the app I formerly used to defrag my
disks prior to OS X.

Further, a couple thousand fonts, as yet unpreviewed,
once activated, sorted, and pruned would seem to really mess things up,
once 60% to 80% of the fonts were trashed (many holes left).

We do design work. We're not a service bureau, so keeping the startup
disk clean is a priority.

Any comments pro or con will be appreciated.

So far, I've manually pruned my personal and library font folders in X,
as well as the OS 9 System:font folder, preparing for FA installation.

The other concern is my anticipated move to Tiger, which would be done
on an as yet to be installed HD. FontAgent says that the directory path
should be identical, should the "FontAgent Pro Fonts" folder be moved,
with no means of redirecting the path. Can this be true?

I sure wish Insider Software, its maker, had a Forum at their site.
There was what seemed to be some very sound information from Chuck
Weger at the creativepro site, but it is pre-Panther.

Thanks for reading,
Lenny

Thomas G. Madsen

2005-06-28, 7:15 pm

lenny wrote:

> This would make sense, were it not for myriad problems reported
> with defragmentation and TechTool, the app I formerly used to
> defrag my disks prior to OS X.

Is it even necessary to defragment drives under OS X?
I have always thought that the OS could handle it by itself.

> So far, I've manually pruned my personal and library font
> folders in X, as well as the OS 9 System:font folder, preparing
> for FA installation.

That's a good thing to do. You probably already know the following
page then: <http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20000.html>

I can also recommend the PDF called 'Best Practices for Managing
Fonts in Mac OS X' from this page:
<http://www.extensis.com/en/download...glish&x=17&y=19>

I have learned that it's dangerous to move fonts from Tigers
/System/Library/Fonts folder. It worked fine in Panther as
explained in the guides above, but not in Tiger so I have
decided to let Tiger keep its default system fonts and only
deleting those from ~/Library/Fonts, /Library/Fonts, ~/Library/
Application Support/Adobe/Fonts and so on (I don't have classic
to worry about).

> I sure wish Insider Software, its maker, had a Forum at their
> site.

Me2.

--
Regards
Madsen

lenny

2005-06-30, 7:23 pm

In article <d9sjkc.1oc.1@tgm.dyndns.dk>, Thomas G. Madsen
<nospam@madsen.tdcadsl.dk> wrote:

>Is it even necessary to defragment drives under OS X?

Force'o habit, maybe, for me, I've read varying opinions regarding OS
X. I'm still new, and consequently distrusting of it. I've already
watched several progies fail to launch, one after another -- even
textedit, mail, bootCD, and Pacifist, or whatever the software is for
OS X that replaces 9's TomeViewer. You can imagine what a bind that put
me in --couldn't backup my disk, or replace the bad apps.

A font problem, as it turned out. I'd yet to install any font
intentionally, though CS, Explorer, and even a tutorial took liberties.

>That's a good thing to do. You probably already know the following
>page then: <http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20000.html>

That and his other Font Fatigue articles, I'd already found very
helpful. In fact, they helped me resolve the above described problem.

The 'Best Practices for Managing Fonts in Mac OS X' PDF looks promising.
I'll try to get through it tomorrow.

And thanks for the Tiger& System Font warning. In anticipation of that
eventual move, I think I'll just leave it alone in Panther as well, for
now.

Googling "FAP" located useful info in a 900 posting thread "OSX General
Info & Troubleshoot" as well.

Thanks, Madson, for your help.

lenny