Fonts

[jdig]

Quick question about updating fonts. I have a business and have 200+ customers a week send me a .pdf or.pub file with thier information. I run the files through Rip, Adobe indesign, and a plate making program... (goes through about 3 computers to get what I need....

Question, I am constantly having problems with fonts I don't have. A customers font gets replaced by me perminitly replacing when I open, or with wierd sybols. Is there a place I can go to once a month or so and download EVERY FONT IMAGINABLE..... This would save me lots of time in my work week. I'm a pretty big business and have the power to hold the font, so not worried about slowing computers etc... Just wondering if anyone has an idea.

[oracle128]

It is not possible to download "every font imaginable", for the same reasons it's not possible to download every site on the Internet. There are literally millions around, there is no central repository or database keeping track of them, and not all of them are available on the Internet. Additionally, not all of them are free to download (in fact, I'd say the vast majority are commercial fonts and require some payment of money). So even if you could, and even if you had enough storage space for them, you couldn't afford them all anyway.

A more realistic option would be to have your customers either embed fonts in the PDF files (http://www.espere.org/pdffile.htm#embed) (MS Publisher also has this option (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HP062504501033.aspx)), or just attach them with the documents they send.

[jdig]

Thank you Oricle128, In all honesty I posted out of a little frustration. But I new the outcome would be the same. Thank you for the realistic options! Great idea for individual files. When the fonts are embeded in the pdf file...... is there a way to... update my computer with the fonts being used in the pdf? That way if they decide to use the font again and forget to embed any fonts, I will have them. My customers send me a file once a week. Some change things and make things "better" by using different fonts or changing styles... Head ache being on the prepress side of things. Anyways, thanks for the options.

[oracle128]

It's theoretically possible to extract fonts from PDF. But it's not a simple process. Additionally, the font is not always entirely embedded, only a subset (ie. just the characters that were used in the file). So it's pretty much useless anyway. Besides this, the font license may forbid embedding in files like PDF. Not sure how well fonts will extract from Publisher, but there may be similar difficulties. If you wish to keep the fonts for future use, you should take the other option and ask for the font file/s to be attached separately.

[jdig]

I looked into it and spent a couple hours trying to figure this whole thing out. I think your right that it would be easier if the world ran on three fonts :) I mean attached seperately. :) Thanks for all your help. I give this issue to the "gotta love computers" saying. Again, thanks!!!!