Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Handwriting Dakota Font Missing after HD format and Snow Leopard Install

Good Afternoon,

I formatted my drive and installed Snow Leopard fresh (I didn't install Leopard first and then do the upgrade to SL). In doing this, my favorite font is missing-Handwriting Dakota. Perhaps other fonts are gone too, but Handwriting Dakota is the one I use more than any other.

Was this a font with Leopard only? If so, is there a way I can easily access and install this font from the Leopard disk that came with my MBP?

Thank you in advance for any help.

17" MBP & iPhone 3GS, Mac OS X (10.6.1), iPhone OS 3.0.1

Posted on Oct 5, 2009 12:50 PM

Reply
13 replies

Oct 5, 2009 1:01 PM in response to BobRocks

Apparently that font was part of Leopard but is not part of Snow Leopard. You can install the font as follows:

How to Use Pacifist to Replace Deleted or Missing OS X Components

Insert the OS X Installer DVD into the optical drive. Use a simple utility like TinkerTool to toggle invisibility so you can see invisible items. Alternatively, open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and at the prompt enter the following:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles Yes
Press RETURN.


To turn off the display of invisible files repeat the above command substituting No for Yes.


The install packages are located in the /System/Installation/ folder on the DVD.

Download the shareware utility Pacifist from VersionTracker or MacUpdate. Use it to extract a fresh copy of the missing item(s) from the file archives on your OS X installation DVD. The file archives are in the /System/Installations/ folder (use Go to Folder option in the Go menu of the Finder.)

Here are Four Basic ways to use Pacifist (courtesy of George Orville.)

A. Drag a .pkg icon onto the Pacifist window .....proceed to step 7.

B. Click on “Open Package ....” and navigate to package desired and click “Open” in the open/save window.....proceed to step 7.

C. Insert Mac OS X installer CD and when it mounts, navigate to .... Menu->Go->Go to Folder.
In the path field enter or paste ....

/Volumes/disc name/System/Installation/Packages (where disc name is the name of the CD/DVD that you inserted.


• Click on the "Go" button .....
• Drag a .pkg to Pacifist..... proceed to step 7.
The package you'll need will have to be discovered by trial and error, but for most applications you should start with the Essentials.pkg and/or Additional Essentials.pkg.


D. Insert your Mac OS X install disk 1 .... and open Pacifist.
1. In Pacifist, select "Open Mac OS X Install Packages" ... dialog may appear asking for disk 2, then disk 3 and finally disk 1 again.... {if DVD is not used)...If “Stop Loading” is selected...the procedure will stop!!!

2a. When loading is complete, a new window appears, click the triangle to display contents of each package...Select item and proceed to step 7.

2b. or click the “Find” icon in the Pacifist window and type the name of the software you need.

3. In the list that comes back, click the top most entry for the item that you want. ..... that is the one for the English language.

4. On the top of the Pacifist window, click “verify” .... you will probably be prompted for your password.

5. Enter checks for.... “verify permissions” and “verify file contents.” and click “verify” ....enter password when prompted.... you will get back output which may look like this:

20 files were scanned.
20 of 20 files were present on the hard disk.
0 of 20 files had file permissions that did not match those specified in the package.
0 of 20 files had checksums that did not match those specified in the package.


6. Click “close”. Go to step 7.

Extract or Install........

7. In the Toolbar (upper left), you now have the option to extract or install. Click a file in the lower list and those two icons will be enabled.

8. If “Extract to...” is selected.... navigate to the location where the file will be placed, select “choose”, select “extract” in new dialog that appears,authenicate , if prompted, click “OK”.

9. In the next dialog, click “Extract”.

10. If “Install” is selected... dialog will appear with the location/path of the installed software. Click “Install”

11. Type in your password, click “OK”

• Pacifist will begin to extract files.

12. In steps 8/10ß.... you also have the choice to “cancel”


Notes.....

• Pacifist may find that a file it is installing already exists on the hard disk. Pacifist will present you with an alert panel....

Stop
Leave original alone
Update ..... Default selection
Replace .... Replace option should only be used on full install packages

Oct 5, 2009 1:32 PM in response to BobRocks

Well, you could erase the drive and reinstall Leopard. You could copy the font into your/Library/Fonts/ folder from your Leopard system backup. Or you could simply follow the instructions since it's really not that complicated. But in the end it depends on how badly you want that font.

As a polite aside: "more simple" is incorrect. It should be "simpler" as in "simple, simpler, simplest."

Oct 5, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Ah-Hah! Thank You.

I have iLife installed, but just installed it last night from my install disk that came with my MBP. The font in question is still not there.

One thing I didn't install when I installed Snow Leopard this last time was the test (or sample) version of iWork. I have Office for Mac 2008, so I didn't see the need. If Handwriting-Dakota is part of iWork that would be why I don't have the font.

Maybe I just need to install that sample version of iWork and see if it shows up????

Thanks for your help; I appreciate it very much. I'll take look tonight and see what I can figure out.

Oct 5, 2009 4:26 PM in response to Kappy

Nope. I have both iLife and iWork installed and the font is not part of either. I do not have the font on my SL system.


That's odd, I do have it. Version 1.2.1 of 2006. Originally I think it was part of iLife, because I remember the first edition had the wrong encoding for characters beyond ascii and I even made a new version for folks who wanted to use it for these in the iWeb app.

Oct 6, 2009 12:01 PM in response to BobRocks

It is with much joy that I can say that my question has been answered. It is with even greater joy that I get to say thank you to Tom Gewecke for being the one to answer my question.

The font is part of iLife. After installing iLife, the font is present and operational on my MBP. I would like to note that no aftermarket software was required; nor did it require me to enter anything into Terminal.

Thank you Tom for your insight, and more importantly for being polite. I appreciate the fact that you were able to provide me with the information to answer my question and be kind in the process.

Also, a quick note of thanks to Jeffery Jones2 as well. You helped confirm that this font was in fact part of iLife.

Handwriting Dakota Font Missing after HD format and Snow Leopard Install

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.