Using QuickDraw GX with PostScript fonts and applications that manipulate PostScript font data can sometimes lead into some compatibility issues. First, QuickDraw GX is a new, emerging technology that not all applications can take advantage of. This article describes some procedures that let you keep QuickDraw GX installed and still use applications that do not support QuickDraw GX.
Background
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The following is a simplified explanation of fonts. See Font Facts in Information Alley Volume I, Issue 3 for further information on how fonts are handled on the Macintosh.
To understand how QuickDraw GX handles PostScript fonts, it is first necessary to understand how System 7, without QuickDraw GX, handles PostScript fonts. Under System 7.5, fonts are stored in the fonts folder. There are three types of fonts supported by the Mac OS:
* Bitmap
* TrueType
* PostScript
Bitmap and TrueType fonts are stored in the Fonts folder inside the System Folder. A bitmap file has a single letter A on the icon, a TrueType file has three successively smaller letter As on the icon. PostScript fonts consist of two or more files per font -- a suitcase file that contains bitmaps and a printer outline font file.
To determine what type of font you are looking at, when in the Fonts folder, select View by Kind from the View menu. Use the same procedure to determine the type of font contained within a font suitcase. Open the suitcase and select View by Name from the View menu.
Installing QuickDraw GX and Enabling PostScript Fonts
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QuickDraw GX brings to PostScript fonts the same benefit TrueType has had for years - the ability to store the printer font data in the font suitcase along with the bitmap data for a PostScript font.
The benefits are:
* Less confusion about what files go with what font since the PostScript Font files (printer fonts) are no longer needed
* Consistent way of handling all fonts whether they are TrueType or PostScript
Using QuickDraw GX, you can open a suitcase and see the (printer) outline portion of the font (either TrueType or PostScript) and the bitmap portion of the font. To have this ability, QuickDraw GX must first enable the PostScript font. Enabling involves combining the bitmap and printer font files into a font suitcase.
The QuickDraw GX installer enables all PostScript fonts installed in the Fonts folder. Copies of the unmodified fonts (both suitcases and printer font files) are placed in a folder called *Archived Type 1 Fonts* inside the System Folder. The installer does not delete any fonts.
Tip #1
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If you use a lot of PostScript fonts, use the QuickDraw GX customize option and install the QuickDraw GX utilities. This provides you with the latest version of the LaserWriter Utility, QuickDraw GX helper, and the Type 1 Enabler application. The Type 1 Enabler application should be used to convert any PostScript fonts you add to the system after installing QuickDraw GX. It performs the same operation as the QuickDraw GX installer, combining bitmap and PostScript font files into a font suitcase.
Using Your PostScript Fonts and the GX Helper
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Most of the QuickDraw-compatible applications work fine with QuickDraw GX and PostScript fonts. QuickDraw GX comes with printer drivers for most Apple printers. QuickDraw GX printer drivers check if applications support QuickDraw GX, and revert back to older QuickDraw printer features (usually referred to as compatibility mode), if applications do not support QuickDraw GX.
The programs that could take advantage of QuickDraw GX fonts, such as PageMaker, Quark XPress, Illustrator, Freehand, and FrameMaker, are not QuickDraw GX compatible yet, and often do not work in the compatibility mode. You should check with the application's vendor for QuickDraw GX compatibility information.
When using these applications with QuickDraw GX on, you get messages like "You will be unable to print since no outline fonts are present" and "Font Mismatch Helveobl..." and "No PostScript fonts are present" along with other miscellaneous messages. Usually these are applications that manipulate PostScript data (especially font data). The applications are not QuickDraw GX compatible and usually either come with their own printer drivers or make assumptions about where font data is stored (believing that PostScript fonts are still kept in separate files).
Tip #2
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Use the QuickDraw GX Helper extension, installed by the Customize option in the QuickDraw GX installer, to print from non-GX compatible applications. QuickDraw GX Helper is a system extension that lets you disable QuickDraw GX desktop printing. It gives you the option to select what type of printing to use from the Apple menu. The setting is preserved by applications and is stored in the QuickDraw GX Helper preferences file in the Preferences folder.
When desktop printers are inactive, the Mac OS does not use the QuickDraw GX print driver. All printing calls are routed to the non-QuickDraw GX print driver. The non-QuickDraw GX print driver acts as if QuickDraw GX is not installed, and looks for PostScript printer outline fonts files in their previous location. The printer driver is not aware of QuickDraw GX enabled font suitcases.
Tip #3
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QuickDraw GX Helper uses a non-GX printer driver, so you must re-install the PostScript font files into the Fonts folder. These are listed in the Finder as PostScript Font when you view the files by kind. This is necessary because the older printer drivers have not been updated to support the QuickDraw GX font suitcase format (created by the GX installer) that places PostScript fonts in a suitcase.
Both the PostScript font file and the new QuickDraw GX compatible suitcases can be present in the Fonts folder at the same time, and there are no performance problems, however extra disk space is required for the duplicate fonts.
You can find the original PostScript font files in either the *Archived Type 1 Fonts* folder in the System Folder, or on the original fonts disk. Do NOT copy suitcase files from the archived folder, or from fonts disks to the fonts folder -- this removes the enabled fonts required when QuickDraw GX helper is not being used. Use the Type 1 enabler application to enable and install fonts.
Tip #4
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If you are using a non-Apple printer, do not use Apple print drivers. You need to contact the manufacturer to obtain a QuickDraw GX compatible driver. There are no workarounds to use the older QuickDraw print driver unless you turn off QuickDraw GX.
Turning QuickDraw GX Off and using PostScript Fonts
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If you have an application that does not work even with GX Helper, or have decided to wait until your applications are QuickDraw GX compatible and you turn off QuickDraw GX, you have problems using your PostScript fonts. Without QuickDraw GX, the non-QuickDraw GX Printer drivers cannot find the PostScript font data inside the enabled suitcases.
Tip #5
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If you are sure you will not be using QuickDraw GX again, use the remove option in the QuickDraw GX installer to remove QuickDraw GX. The removal process cannot un-enable PostScript fonts. Copy the PostScript fonts and the other fonts files from the *Archived Type 1 Fonts* folder in the System folder or from the original fonts disk. Reinstall the fonts in their prior format -- a font suitcase of the bitmaps and a separate PostScript font (outline) file.
This article was published in the "Information Alley":
Volume I, Issue 25, Page 9
Article Change History:
21 Apr 1995 - Added keyword; made minor technical updates.
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