How to save fonts for your printer

 

Fonts are one of the top causes of an electronic file to fail. To assure that your file prints properly, you will want to include the fonts you used to create the file. If your file is complete and you want it printed as is, please submit the file as a Postscript file.

Missing fonts, font conflicts, and confusion about how fonts work can add time and cost to outputting a file.

Note: Fonts are copyrighted. Colt Reproduction Center does not condone the use of fonts other than expressly stated in the font manufactures' license agreement. The following is an excerpt of Adobe's position on customers and service bureaus sharing typefaces: "Customers are allowed to give their typeface files to a service bureau along with a print job IF AND ONLY IF the service bureau already owns a valid license for the typeface. The reason for allowing this to happen is to ensure that the customer's revision of the typeface software is the one used to image the print job. Adobe does revise its typefaces periodically. Customers are not allowed to give typefaces to service bureaus who do not already own valid licenses for the typefaces.”

More of Adobe's licensing policies can be found on their web site at: www.adobe.com/type/browser/info/licenseqa.html. Check your font manufacturers' license agreement for more information.

Embedded fonts in Postscript and PDF (Portable Document File) formats are allowed.

To assist our customers in finding the files that should accompany their files, we have included a list of instructions. There are two types of fonts that a computer user must be aware. These instructions cover both Type 1 (Postscript) and TrueType fonts.

Cross-platform issues become critical when dealing with fonts. Macintosh fonts will not work on a Windows computer and Windows fonts will not work on a Macintosh computer. Colt Reproduction Center will work with you to assure we can match the fonts as closely as possible or allow you to select another compatible font.

 

Type 1 Fonts

Type 1 fonts consist of two parts, a screen font for displaying the font on-screen and a printer font for rendering the font when printing. In the Macintosh, screen fonts are simply called fonts and are normally contained in a font suitcase. Notice that the icon is a single "A" when viewed as an icon. The printer font is called a Postscript font. The printer font icon is usually a printer or, in Adobe's case, a single "A" with a series of horizontal rules as a background.

In the Windows '95 environment, the screen fonts are called Postscript font metrics and have the extension .pfm. Printer fonts are called Postscript outline fonts and have the extension .pfb.

 

TrueType

TrueType fonts only require one font file. TrueType fonts are a scalable font that print the same way they are displayed on the screen. On a Macintosh, they are called TrueType Fonts, have an icon consisting of three "A's" and again, are normally contained in a font suitcase.

For Windows 95, the name is also TrueType Font, but have the extension .ttf.

If you are using Windows 3.1 Users, no names are listed, even when viewing "All File Details." There are two files for each TrueType font: the .fot file contains a relatively short header with pointer information, and the .ttf file contains the actual font data. You need the .ttf file for output, but the .fot file is optional.

 

To Include Fonts On Disk

You should list what fonts you used to create the document. They should be identified as either Postscript or TrueType fonts. It is recommended that you use Postscript Type 1 fonts.

If you use TrueType fonts, it may be necessary to for your printer to substitute Postscript Type 1 fonts to allow the file to print properly. TrueType fonts were developed for use with inkjet printers and non-Postscript laser printers and sometime do not print properly on high-resolution output devices used by professional printers. TrueType fonts appear in the Font dialog box with a "TT" logo beside the typeface name in many applications. You can also avoid problems with TrueType fonts by submitting the file as a Postscript (or Print to File) file.

Instructions for Windows 95 Type 1 Fonts

                In order to install and remove Type 1 fonts, you'll most likely have ATM (Adobe Type Manager) and Adobe's postscript driver installed. Remember to include both the screen and printer fonts. Type 1 screen fonts (.pfm) are stored in the C:\WINDOWS folder. Type 1 printer fonts (.pfb) are stored in the ATM default folder of C:\PSFONTS.

If you have Adobe PageMaker installed, check the C:\PM65\EXTRAS\FONTS folder for both screen and printer fonts. In case you don't have a PSFONTS directory, go to the Start menu, select Find File, and do a search for *.pfb.

                1) From the Start menu, go to Programs and select Windows Explorer.

                2) Double-click the [C:\] folder, scroll down to the PSFONTS folder and double-click it.

                3) Select the printer fonts by single clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk.

                4) Scroll down to the WINDOWS folder and double-click it. Select the screen fonts by single-clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk.

                5) With only eight characters for a name it can be tricky to determine which fonts are which. Double-clicking the font will open a sample of the font including its name.

                6) Select the floppy drive, usually [A:\] to make sure that both the screen and printer fonts you just copied are listed. (Example for Helvetica Black: HVBL_.pfm & HVBL_.pfb)

                7) Exit Windows Explorer, eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

 

Instructions for Windows 95 TrueType Fonts

                TrueType fonts are stored in the C:\WINDOWS\FONTS folder.

                1) From the Start menu, go to Programs and select Windows Explorer.

                2) Double-click the [C:\] directory, scroll down to the WINDOWS folder and double-click it.

                3) Scroll down to the FONTS folder and double-click it. All TrueType fonts will have the extension .ttf.

                4) With only eight characters for a name, it can be tricky to determine which fonts are which. Double-clicking the font will open a sample of the font including its name.

                5) Select the fonts by single-clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk.

                6) Select the floppy drive, usually [A:\] to make sure that all the fonts you just copied are listed.

                7) Exit Windows Explorer, eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

Instructions for Macintosh Type 1 Fonts

                Remember to include both the screen and printer fonts for Type 1.

Unless you've created a new "FONTS" folder, all fonts are stored in the FONTS folder within the SYSTEM folder.

                1) Double-click your hard drive icon.

                2) Scroll down to the SYSTEM folder and open or double-click it.

                3) Scroll down to the FONTS folder and open or double-click it.

                4) All fonts will be displayed. Screen fonts are normally within font suitcases. To see a sample of the font, open or double-click the font suitcase. Double-click on the font.

                5) Highlight the fonts and drag them to the floppy disk icon.

                6) Double-click the floppy drive icon to make sure that both the screen and printer fonts you just copied are listed. (Example for Helvetica Black: LBHelvetica Black 12 & HelveBla)

                7) Eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

 

Instructions for Macintosh TrueType

                Unless you've created a new "FONTS" folder, all fonts are stored in the FONTS folder within the SYSTEM folder.

                1) Double-click your hard drive icon.

                2) Scroll down to the SYSTEM folder and open or double-click it.

                3) Scroll down to the FONTS folder and open or double-click it.

                4) All fonts will be displayed. TrueType fonts are normally within font suitcases. To see a sample of the font, open or double-click the font suitcase. Double-click on the font.

                5) Highlight the fonts and drag them to the floppy disk icon.

                6) Double-click the floppy drive icon to make sure that the TrueType fonts you just copied are listed.

                7) Eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

 

Instructions for Windows 3.1 Type 1 Fonts

                In order to install and remove Type 1 fonts, you'll most likely have ATM (Adobe Type Manager) and Adobe's postscript driver installed. Remember to include both the screen and printer fonts. Type 1 screen fonts (.pfm) are stored in the C:\WINDOWS directory. Type 1 printer fonts (.pfb) are stored in the ATM default directory of C:\PSFONTS. In case you don't have a PSFONTS directory, go to the File Manager and do a search for *.pfb.

                1) From Program Manager, open the Main Group and open File Manager.

                2) Double-click the [C:\] directory, scroll down to the PSFONTS directory and double-click it.

                3) Select the printer fonts by single-clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk. You'll see a dialog box pop up asking you to confirm the copy. Click OK.

                4) Scroll down to the WINDOWS directory and double-click it. Select the screen fonts by single-clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk. You'll see a dialog box pop up asking you to confirm the copy. Click OK.

                5) With only eight characters for a name it can be tricky to determine which fonts are which. It's better to have extra fonts than not enough, so if you're not sure, include it.

                6) From the File Manager, select the floppy drive, usually [A:\] to make sure that both the screen and printer fonts you just copied are listed. (Example for Helvetica Black: HVBL_.pfm & HVBL_.pfb)

                7) Exit File Manager, eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

 

Instructions for Windows 3.1 TrueType Fonts

                TrueType fonts are stored in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

                1) From Program Manager, open the Main Group and open File Manager.

                2) Double-click the [C:\] directory, scroll down to the WINDOWS directory and double-click it.

                3) Scroll down to the SYSTEM directory and double-click it. All TrueType fonts will have the extension .ttf. It may be helpful to select View from the menu, and choose By Type. This will display all file types, like .ttf, together for easy selection.

                4) With only eight characters for a name, it can be tricky to determine which fonts are which. It's better to have extra fonts than not enough, so if you're not sure, include it.

                5) Select the fonts, by single-clicking to highlight them and copy them to your floppy disk. You'll see a dialog box pop up asking you to confirm the copy. Click OK.

                6) From the File Manager, select the floppy drive, usually [A:\] to make sure that all the fonts you just copied are listed.

                7) Exit File Manager, eject the disk, and give it to your printing representative.

If you have questions or problems with preparing fonts for transfer, please contact your printing sales representative.  

Some applications automate the font collection process. Please review information on Adobe Pagemaker, QuarkXpress and Microsoft Publisher to see how those applications collect fonts for output by a professional printer.

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