User profile for user: rlslim
rlslim Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

a tiger ate my fonts

I posted a short version of my tale of woe yesterday - I've done a lot more troubleshooting since then but with no results. Please help!!!

I recently installed OS X 4.6 on my PowerBook G4 (up from OS X 2.8) and now can't access many of the fonts in my huge font library. When I try to open them in suitcase (an old version, 10.2.1) or in Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign CS2, I get the message that they conflict with fonts in my system folder.

I've already done a lot of trouble shooting and I'm at my wit's end now and totally unproductive!

Here's what I've already tried:
(1) cleaned up my all my system fonts + removed anything unnecessary (yes, from all 4 locations where tiger hides them)

(2) deleted all fonts except the Reqrd folder in my /library/application support/adobe/fonts folder

(3) removed these cache files:
com.apple.ATS.System.fcache
com.apple.ATSServer.FODF.System
fontTablesAnnex
(those 3 from /System/Library/Caches)
com.apple.ATS (from /Library/Caches)
com.apple.ATS.plist (from /Users/name/Library/Preferences)

(4) even tried removing my suitcase preferences folder

I know this is long and specific but I can't find any info on what else to try. I want one more go before dragging my laptop over to Tekserve and paying them to potentially make a bigger muddle of it.

help!!!

G4 laptop, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jul 27, 2006 6:36 AM

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7 replies
User profile for user: rlslim
rlslim Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 27, 2006 7:24 AM in response to FOX-HOUND Zero

thanks.
at least some of the troublesome fonts are fine (validated in fontbook). once i put them into fontbook they will open in a new document but my old indd document still gives me the conflict message.
sigh. i guess i'll be recreating this document.

does anyone know for sure if suitcase 10.2.1 doesn't play well with tigers? would love some more input before i shell out the $$$ for an updated version.
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User profile for user: TildeBee
TildeBee
User level: Level 7
31,923 points

Jul 27, 2006 7:33 AM in response to rlslim

Which fonts did you take out of
System>Library>Fonts?

Have a read of this FAQ
by Kurt Lang, if you haven't already.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607630

Also, please keep your problem in this one thread. It is very confusing
to have to look around for other posts on the same problem.

Here is rislim's other post on the subject:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2795858#2795858
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User profile for user: rlslim
rlslim Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 27, 2006 7:55 AM in response to TildeBee

i actually was a bit intimidated by all the asian language fonts in the system/library/fonts folder and so left everything that was there. i just checked it to make sure that none of my "conflict" fonts were in there and they weren't.

thanks for the link. i'd been working from a best practices guide for font management in OS X from the folks at extensis that has much the same info. all new to me!
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User profile for user: Kurt Lang
Kurt Lang
User level: Level 9
68,520 points

Jul 27, 2006 8:28 AM in response to rlslim

Hi rlslim,

This is some general information I've posted before, but may help.

Where most people have problems regarding Suitcase, is that they still have Font Book on their system. There are a few Apple provided applications that enable themselves on startup simply by being on your drive. Such as iChat, iCal and Font Book.
So what happens is that Font Book is trying to control your fonts at the same time Suitcase is, whether you want it to or not. Not only is Suitcase loading your fonts at startup, but it is fighting against any settings in Font Book that may be set to have a particular font disabled that you have enabled in Suitcase.
This is also a common issue when you double click an inactive font. Suitcase will automatically enable it as a temporary font. Font Book will display it. What Font Book doesn't make apparent is that it has also enabled that font. So when you close the font in Suitcase, you find yourself wondering why the font is still available. That's because it's still active in Font Book.
So try this. Remove Font Book from the hard drive. For ease of putting it back if you prefer, put it on an external drive or CD first. But otherwise, get it off your system. Then go to the Preferences folder in your user account and remove the folder "Suitcase" from within the Preferences folder. Restart the Mac. Note that you will lose any font sets you have created. But this will force Suitcase to create fresh, clean preference and font database files. You will also need to go into Suitcase and reset its options if you have any of them set to other than default positions.
If after that you continue to have issues with Suitcase, then you likely have corrupt fonts. You should have received a bundled copy of Font Doctor with Suitcase. This app is far better at detecting font problems than Font Book. Font Book regularly declares fonts as being fine when they are, in reality, damaged.
The following suggestion means more cash out of pocket, but if after performing the steps above you find Suitcase far more usable, then consider moving on to Suitcase Fusion. It is leagues superior to X1. Both in stability and use.

Your specific problem is likely just that Suitcase's preference/database files have been damaged. Non existant font conflicts is something Suitcase 10 and X1 will complain about when that happens. Go to the Preferences folder in your account and toss out the folder "Suitcase", as mentioned above. Also note that Suitcase 10.x was the first OS X version. It was a rather cludged together version that carries a lot of OS 9 code. Version X1 was completely rewritten as a native OS X app, and so has a few odd bugs of its own. But I can't say enough good about Suitcase Fusion. I almost didn't plunk down the $50 for another upgrade, but am glad I did.
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User profile for user: TildeBee
TildeBee
User level: Level 7
31,923 points

Jul 27, 2006 8:33 AM in response to rlslim

rislim --

Go up to the "Search Forum" box
It's just above your "Welcome rislim" box.

Type in Suitcase and click the return bar.
You will find lots of threads and great information on font conflicts and Suitcase. Read them. I'm hoping they will give you tons of useful tips.
Sometimes they can be resolved, and sometimes not.
I do believe if you want to stick with Suitcase, you'll need version X1.

I use Font Agent Pro, and have had no problems with it.
(I have about 600 fonts.)
But I have seen a new free one that many people here like a lot.
I'm considering switching over, myself.
It's called FontExplorerX.
http://www.linotype.com/fontexplorerX

EDIT: What Kurt Said, LOL.
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a tiger ate my fonts

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