Fonts & ATM
Subject: Re: Fonts questionFrom: George Graves gmgraves@slip.net
Date: Mon, Mar 27, 2000 3:47 PM
Message-id: <gmgraves-D8669B.14475627032000@news.slip.net>
In article <38DFC28A.164CD920@nlonline.demon.co.uk>, neilleslie@nlonline.demon.co.uk wrote:
>Dear group,
>
>When selecting certain fonts I get an error message telling me that I
>won't be able to print with that font or stroke its character because
>the font's outline file is missing or ATM is turned off. What does this
>mean and how can I fix it?
>
>Thanks
>
>Neil
>
These would be PostScript fonts. Each Postscript font has two parts (this is also true for Windows), the screen font, which is just a bitmap and will only be smooth at the resolution for which it is designed, and the outline font file, the file that PostScript printers use to rasterize the font on paper. In order to print "jaggies-free" text, on a PostScript printer, the outline file is required. This file does not show up in the application's font menu because the computer is designed to display only bitmap font files (often called screen fonts) in an application's font list.
There is a Control Panel (which is included with some Mac OS installs, but is not part of the default install, you have to go find it) called ATM. This stands for Adobe Type Manager. This CP runs in the background and it turns the outline font file into a resolution independent screen font which can be shown at ANY font size without getting jagged. This is called "screen rasterization" and this term refers to the action of ATM which makes a smooth screen or print font on-the-fly out of any PostScript font's outline file. If this outline file is missing, or if ATM is not present, the bitmap file will get displayed on the screen instead. This bitmap will be jagged with a "stairstep" appearance at all but the font's default size and will print that way on BOTH PostScript and NON-PostScript printers. While ATM is NOT necessary for a PostScript font to print smoothly on a PostScript printer (assuming that the outline file IS present in the font folder), it is necessary for the font to print smoothly on a NON-PostScript printer. The only exception to this is when the PostScript printer has built-in outlines (many PS printers come with at least 13 PostScript fonts built-in). In this case, only the bitmap file for those 13 is needed on the computer for those fonts to print smoothly at any size (even though they will looked jagged on the screen).
If you are using PostScript fonts (and it seems as if you are) you need ATM in order for those fonts to appear smooth on-screen or to print them to a non-PostScript printer.
TrueType fonts (the standard fonts for Mac and Windows) work the same way. The major difference is that TrueType being the newer technology puts BOTH the screen fonts (the bitmaps) and the outline font file inside the font's suitcase while PostScript fonts have the files separate. Rasterization is STILL required for these TrueType fonts to look and print smooth, but that rasterizer is part of the system software of both Windows PCs and Macs and is therefore invisible to the user.
My advice is that if you are not involved in publishing, where your work has to go to a printer service bureau, stick with TueType fonts and remove any PostScript fonts (also referred to as "Type 1" fonts) from your Mac. You can likely find a TrueType equivalent for any PS font that you have. But if you are doing pre-press publishing work, then the opposite is true. Remove all the TrueType fonts from your system to avoid confusion (they are NOT interchangeable, even for the same typeface). You don't want to send a document with ANY TrueType fonts in it to the printer, Print shops do NOT use TrueType, and when his equipment replaces your TrueType font with the equivalent Type 1 font, 9 times out of 10 your layout will fall appart.
*
Subject: Re: Fonts question
From: Will nospam@noway.com
Date: Tue, Mar 28, 2000 8:59 PM
Message-id: <280320002259056242%nospam@noway.com>
George Graves <gmgraves@slip.net> wrote:
> They [Charcoal (Chicago in older Systems), Geneva and Monaco]
> are system fonts. You have to system fonts in you Mac.
Maybe on you Mac, not on my Mac.
Many people empty out their Font folder for emergency startup disks, RAM disks, etc. The System has enough built-in font info to function fontless.
Monaco is not used by the System at all, that I know of. Either Chicago or Charcoal (depending on System version) is used, by default, as is Geneva. But you can select whatever font(s) you want the System to use instead, and a lot of people eliminate them altogether and select Type 1 fonts to be used for on-screen menus, labels, etc.
As I said, these fonts are _useful_ on-screen, not necessary.
Postscript Fonts
From: daleje@aol.comno (Daleje)Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Date: 20 Jun 2001 02:54:15 GMT
Subject: Fonts
Message-id: <20010619225415.04029.00000107@ng-mc1.aol.com>
I have 51 fonts called Post-Script Fonts (TM). They don't show up in the fonts choices in MS Word. Any idea why they're there? If they're useless, how to get rid of them? Is it just a matter of sending them to the Trash?
*
From: "Eric P. Peterson" <ericp65@earthlink.net>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Fonts
Message-id: <ericp65-FA07E9.20330019062001@nnrp06.earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 03:33:03 GMT
They're for printing, and must be in the Fonts folder, in the System folder, if you want to print anything on paper using the TrueType (or Type 1?) counterparts. At least, that's the way I understand it. If you don't plan to print anything out, you could either keep the PostScript fonts somewhere else, or simply trash 'em (but I'd still back them up someplace safe).
Good luck! Eric
*
From: Macfan <t2allat@hotmail.dotcom>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Fonts
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 23:50:33 -0400
Message-id: <190620012350331470%t2allat@hotmail.dotcom>
Fonts can be placed in the system folder by numerous programs including IE and Navigator. So be careful if you trash them. Post script fonts are printer fonts FYI
Are you using any Adobe Type Reunion or Adobe Type manager programs???
My suggestion would be to take them out of the fonts folder (located in the system folder and put them into another folder on your HD. Don't trash them. Run all your programs and if they seem to run fine in about 6 months move the folder to a floppy and archive them.
RJS
*
From: daleje@aol.comno (Daleje)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Date: 20 Jun 2001 04:12:31 GMT
Subject: Re: Fonts
Message-id: <20010620001231.24559.00000106@ng-cp1.aol.com>
With these 51 in the Trash, I was able to print a Word document using all of the 110 remaining fonts that are listed as options in Word.
I don't use Adobe Type Manager or Type Reunion. But I will take your advice and be very careful about what I delete permanently.
Miscellaneous
From: D. KirkpatrickSubject: HO 3550 and Mac OS 9??
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Date: 2004-10-22 14:55:27 PST
Just ordered an HP 3550 to run on an older Mac OS 9.2.2/G3 Beige Rev A.
Running a Keyspan USB card.
Anyone with a similar set up that can offer dos and don'ts before I run the installer CD?
Thanks.
From: D. Kirkpatrick
Subject: Re: HO 3550 and Mac OS 9??
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Date: 2004-10-23 10:23:23 PST
In article <sunclad-3570F4.17552822102004@news.verizon.net>,
"D. Kirkpatrick" <sunclad@sunclad.com> wrote:
> Just ordered an HP 3550 to run on an older Mac OS 9.2.2/G3 Beige Rev A.
>
> Running a Keyspan USB card.
>
> Anyone with a similar set up that can offer dos and don'ts before I
> run the installer CD?
>
> Thanks.
--------
Well there was no reply so here is what I discovered for posterity.
I installed thedriver and utilities from the installer CD but expected that to be outdated because it was packed in the box.
I noted after installation some immediate print problems even though it seemed to be communicating with the printer.
I went ot the HP site and found an updated OS 9/X driver dated August of this year and downloaded it and ran it against what I had to update it.
That seemed to clear up problems and its running OK now.
The only feature lacking I seem to have is the inability to print in greyscale only as a software option in the Page Set up menu or Print menu.
It was there with the original installed software but the updated driver that fixed the problems seems to also have removed that option.
According to the user manual, if I remove the color cartridge it will print in grey scale as a default.
If anyone else has a solution for this model under OS 9 for greatscale I'd be interested in hearing it.
DMK
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