Helvetica fonts

Question

Level 1

8 points

Helvetica fonts

I upgraded my Power Mac (2 x 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon) from 10.4.11 to 10.6.8 Snow Leopard and now I can't use the Helvetica fonts that I see in the Users/(computer name)/Library/Fonts folder. I'm using mainly Font Book as the main program, but I read somewhere that FontExplorer X Pro was better, so I downloaded the trial version, loaded up the fonts and STILL, the Helvetica fonts don't show up in the listing. More precisely the Helvetica Black, Helvetica Rounded family, and several others. I've got 2 Power Macs sitting side by side; upgrading one to make sure everything is okay before upgrading the other. All the fonts I need are still usable on the 10.4.11 OS, but currently not on the 10.6.8 OS. What do I do?

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Dec 6, 2011 8:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,261 points

Dec 6, 2011 8:59 AM in response to FuChingLan

What Helvetica fonts do you have in the user account? Type 1 PostScript? Old legacy Mac TrueType?

Whichever it may be, you're running into font conflicts with the Helvetica fonts Apple installs. Font Book will not allow you to disable Apple's versions at all. FEX Pro also cannot disable Apple's fonts. Suitcase Fusion 3 will automatically disable any Apple Helvetica fonts when you enable your preferred versions in its interface. When you disable your fonts, it will re-enable Apple's versions.

If you really want to dig, read Font Management in OS X. In particular, section 5.

The link, or one of the links above directs you to my personal web site. While the information is free, it does ask for a contribution. As such, I am required by Apple's rules for these discussions to include the following disclaimer.

I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

Reply

Answer 2

FuChingLan Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 6, 2011 4:05 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi Kurt,

Thank you for your suggestions and help. With you and my managers helpful ideas to find the solution, I figured out what needed to be done.

Step 1: Exported all fonts from the old Mac OS 10.4 Font Book to a CD. [the fonts that where copied to the server had no data and that is why they ended up not being usable]

Step 2: I deleted all fonts from the Users/(computer name)/Library/Fonts folder.

Step 3: Copied all fonts from the CD to the Users/(computer name)/Library/Fonts folder.

Step 4: Download and install Suitcase Fusion 3. (demo version for testing purposes)

Fonts such as Helvetica Black and all the necessary fonts I use for graphic/production are usable when I open up QuarkXPress 9.

So thank you again, I greatly appreciate your fast response. Just sorry I was slow on having to reply back. Took awhile because of production, and trial & error process.

Reply

Answer 3

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,261 points

Dec 6, 2011 4:54 PM in response to FuChingLan

Good! Sounds like you got past the issue pretty quickly.

Reply