Font management help

Hi

I recently bought FontExplore X Pro to manage all my fonts.
I was using a free one before but changed to FontExplore X Pro as it automatically activated fonts in my files saving me the hassle of doing it.

I consolidated all my fonts in one folder
Via the FontExplore X Pro > preferences > advanced > organises font files
where they are all stored on my hard drive > library > fonts in folders ranging from A-Z.
I also manually put some fonts in there alphabetically arranged folders.
Bear in mind i have 1900 fonts.

It has really slowed my machine down, where the coloured wheel thinghy would go round at every chance.

Plus sometimes it does not activate the font even though i have it, i think this happens with default fonts like times or helvetica, or it has messed my system fonts up.

Basically all i want is, my machine to run quick,
have all my fonts categorised into san serif, serif, script etc
and have the FontExplore X Pro activate my font automatically where needed.

Iam really not sure on how to manage them correctly, can someone please help/advise

Any questions please ask.
As i really need to get this soured out as it's a real heartache.

I REAL MASSIVE THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

Please someone who know about this stuff help!

Do you have FontExplore X set to keep all fonts open all the time? That would certainly cause the problem you are describing.

I'd suggest carefully re-reading the help files or manual of FontExplore X to learn the program and how to tame the fonts. It certainly sounds like they are all "activated" all the time to me.

Hi
Thanks for the reply!

Yeah They were all activated, which has sped my machine up.
But i have the options selected FontExplore X where it automatically activates fonts but sometimes it does and sometimes it does not. Even though i know i have the font, sometimes it says its missing!

I have all my fonts stored
hard drive > library > fonts in folders ranging from A-Z.
Is this the correct way to store them?

I have messed about with my fonts and FontExplore X i can't even rem what i have done now.

Just really want to know the best practices with storing fonts and using a font manager like FontExplore X.

Whatever i have done it has messed by system fonts up a bit as i receive emails and view websites with this horrible graffiti font you can hardly read. When it was normal arial.

Any ideas where i am going worn Chas!


Cheers

Fonts are very very tricky.

I dont have any experience with FontExplore X, at work I use Suitcase Fusion to manage and activate over 1700 fonts.

As for using font management to increase your computers performance, this really isnt going to do a whole lot for you. If anything it really will just make it worse/more complicated, and as you've notice make things difficult to read sometimes.

My suggestion is Locate all your system fonts have them in a separate folder in FontExplore and set them to always active. I'd also set them to take priority over any other duplicate fonts that may try to activate over them/cause conflicts.

I would then organize all your fonts however you like (as you mentioned, serf, san serif, etc..) set these all to non-active. Now the tricky part is 'auto activation' of fonts, i've never alot of success with this 100%. Im in the same boat, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. I've actually downloaded the Fusion plug-ins for the software i use most to help aid in the auto activation of fonts, which helps but its not 110%.

The best thing you can do to help yourself is make sure you create an 'always active' folder of system fonts, to prevent any conflicts. that will at least minimize the majority of hassle.

There are three font folders already extant in OS X: System Library, Library and User Library.

Unless it is IMPERATIVE that all user accounts on a Mac have access to all the fonts, you should ONLY EVER install fonts in the User Library, no place else. It's even more important you not move, replace or mess with ANY fonts already in those folders by default. In fact, under NO circumstances should a user EVER enter the System Library ever. If you've messed up this folder, the only solution that will actually take less than a few days to undo the damage is to re-install the system from scratch. Seriously.

Understanding this, I'd proceed rom circa bc's advice.

Thanks for the replies really appreciated.

Iam the only user on my mac/account!

Dam, unfortunately its too late, i think i have dumped all my fonts > library > fonts
and in folders ranging from A-Z. Wish i would have left alone now.

What is the best way i can fix this issue.
I don't mind doing some work if that what it takes.

Just need advice on how to do it i.e.
Your system fonts go here, they consist off a,b and c
all your other fonts go here

Basically need a step by step procedure to rectify the problem.
As i want to make sure i get it right this time.

Also if aim doing my scratch i might as well categorise my fonts like serif, san self script etc.

thanks for your help!

Just need to know the best practice

Would be great if someone had experience with FontExplore X too.!

Surely FontExplore X or any other applications automatically organise your fonts
by name and kind (serif, script, dingbats, etc.),

Otherwise i may book a week of work as i have 1900 to sort out!

philrocketman said:

Thanks for the replies really appreciated.

Dam, unfortunately its too late, i think i have dumped all my fonts > library > fonts
and in folders ranging from A-Z. Wish i would have left alone now.

What is the best way i can fix this issue.

Click to expand...

You could probably just find another mac, copy the System fonts folder onto a USB stick, drop it into your System fonts folder and it would restore those with the least amount of head ache, then its just a matter of going through FontExploreX and making sure you dont have any system font conflicts.


This link may also help just for some over all knowledge.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2435?viewlocale=en_US

Thanks

I do have another mac. So can do that.
that will hopefully sort out the system fonts and stop them conflicting with linotype when i open some files

Now just a painstaking case of sorting out the other 1700 or so fonts for FontExplorer X lol

Thanks for the link was very useful.

philrocketman said:

Thanks

I do have another mac. So can do that.
that will hopefully sort out the system fonts and stop them conflicting with linotype when i open some files

Now just a painstaking case of sorting out the other 1700 or so fonts for FontExplorer X lol

Thanks for the link was very useful.

Click to expand...

No Problem, Fonts can be a giant pain in the ***. im in the same boat, luckily i wasnt handed a bag of fonts i've acquired them over working with them over the last 7 years, so i've slowly built my font library. Id recommend seeking out a FontExploreX specific forum/support forum, and see if anyone there knows of an automated way to get the software to organize the fonts for you. personally id rather spend 2 hours researching then 20 hours organizing haha. Good Luck

Yeah dam right!
Will do that and prob try and get something sorted for the weekend.

Thanks again much appreciated

This should help

If you really want to manage your fonts well I suggest the suitcase (another font management tool - not free) guide to best font practices in OS X (the guide is free)

Best Practices for Managing Fonts in Mac OS X - 6th Edition (updated: Oct. 2009)

Just substitute use Suitcase with use Linotype FontExplorer

AS for categorising fonts by type, that's the holy grail of type management, Font Explorer promises to do this for you, by I gave the trail a go and the feature is at best sketchy and realistically, it doesn't work.

I had to simply do the job myself, which was a pain, but I learnt a lot about fonts so here is a guide that I made, its pretty accurate, although as in most visual things, its less scientific and more subjective

View attachment Fonts categories.pdf

Hi Guys

Thanks for the useful posts

There are no font explorer forums, so i emailed them to see if there is away to categorise fonts.

If there isn't!...

I would much rather purchase Extensis suitcase, if it can do this.
Can louishen confirm?

I'm just blown away by a collection of 1900 font's. I don't think that I have used more than 30 in my entire life.

Mostly I like Comic Sans...




(OK, totally kidding on that last line)

_Stormin said:

Mostly I like Comic Sans...

Click to expand...

(thats my not amused face)




ban comic sans :: Putting the Sans in Comic Sans

philrocketman said:

Hi Guys

Thanks for the useful posts

There are no font explorer forums, so i emailed them to see if there is away to categorise fonts.

If there isn't!...

I would much rather purchase Extensis suitcase, if it can do this.
Can louishen confirm?

Click to expand...

I downloaded Suitcase Fusion @ home just to play with on my small collection of fonts, as this discussion had intrigued me. What it does allow you to do is use its 'Attributes' function (like a filter basically) and you can select for example 'Serif' this will show you all the fonts you have loaded up that it believes should be classified as 'Serif'.

So in essence you could import your whole library and use this option to narrow down/find options as you need them. Its not the cleanest method in the world, but it will work with next to no hassle.

Hi

Just On the off shoot, would anyone like to trade some fonts?

Thanks
P

In case anyone still needs help with this, there are several threads on Typophile dealing with aspects of these issues:

Font Management Software | Typophile
Font Management Software | Typophile
Font Management | Typophile

In this instance, Kurt Lang's guide to font management in OS X might be the most useful resource:

Font Management in OS X