Show file locations

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Enigma
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Show file locations

Post by Enigma »

In MainType 4, I'd like to be able to view the file locations of the fonts in the database. As written in another thread, I have different versions of some fonts in different folders, and I'd really like to be able to know which font is placed in which directory, so I can delete fonts more selectively. I have a main font folder (with subfolders for each character a font name can start with), and I'd really like to make sure I have a copy of every font on my system in that folder. The way it is, I can just see which fonts I have, but not where.

I'd also like to be able to copy the installed fonts to that main font folder (there's always some graphics software that installs new fonts). In MainType 3, I could easily find out which of the fonts were already placed in that folder, now I have to guess. And the Idea of a backup folder for uninstalled fonts wasn't bad, either, even if the fonts are now stored in the database itself. What if the database is corrupted and I have no current backup? Do I lose all my fonts?

Cheers,
Jan
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

This is still a problem for me — I can see six versions of some fonts, but I don't know which one to install or move to another group. AFAIK only one of those six is still on my hard disk.
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bobcdy
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Re: Show file locations

Post by bobcdy »

I'd like to second Enigma's request for font files locations. I still use Typograf, which is far inferior to MainType in its ability to show all the glyphs and detailed info on each font, but Typograf default is to show installed fonts. It doesn't go far enough, however, in showing all fonts' locations. For MainType, such an implementation probably will need some type of subheading for all the fonts located in each different file location, and the fonts should be listed in order of their location.
León Fridsma
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Re: Show file locations

Post by León Fridsma »

Enigma wrote:In MainType 4, I'd like to be able to view the file locations of the fonts in the database. As written in another thread, I have different versions of some fonts in different folders, and I'd really like to be able to know which font is placed in which directory, so I can delete fonts more selectively. I have a main font folder (with subfolders for each character a font name can start with), and I'd really like to make sure I have a copy of every font on my system in that folder. The way it is, I can just see which fonts I have, but not where.
We want people to start thinking in fonts instead of folders and files, and because you chose MainType to be your font manager why not delete those fonts though MainType ?. When we started development we changed the concept of working with fonts through MainType we knew there would be some confusion and people needed to adapt to the new work flow, especially those that maintain a font library based on a specific folder structure. But how and where the fonts are stored on your harddisk should no longer be of concern to the user as long as they can be installed, loaded, uninstalled and nicely categorized and grouped.
Enigma wrote:I'd also like to be able to copy the installed fonts to that main font folder (there's always some graphics software that installs new fonts). In MainType 3, I could easily find out which of the fonts were already placed in that folder, now I have to guess.
All installed fonts are automatically added to the MainType database and will even be available after they are uninstalled or deleted from disk. There is always a copy in the vault and there is no need to save it to an additional location.
Enigma wrote:What if the database is corrupted and I have no current backup? Do I lose all my fonts?
With a corrupt database you will only loose your settings and your groups. With a corrupt vault you might lose a few fonts. But the same goes for your current "library" if your harddisk fails, you will also loose all your fonts. Creating backups is something you should do in general and we made that process fast and easy through the FMSConfig utility. It is even faster than creating a backup of thousands of fonts in a folder structure because only a few files need to be backup-ed.

León
Enigma
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Enigma »

León Fridsma wrote:We want people to start thinking in fonts instead of folders and files, and because you chose MainType to be your font manager why not delete those fonts though MainType ?
Mainly because I don't know what will happen. I'd like it to be more transparent. In another thread I already asked if only the selected font version will be deleted - I think so, but I'd like to be sure. When I have the same font version that is installed in a "library" or backup directory, I can't delete the backup version anymore without deleting the installed version, too - or have I misunderstood that? I have to give up control over my files, and I don't like that Idea.

Being a self-employed web developer with a huge number of installed programs, customer projects, own projects etc., I literally have several million files on my system. They are organized very systematically, and I always know where to find which files. I'd prefer to leave it that way. :wink:
León Fridsma wrote:When we started development we changed the concept of working with fonts through MainType we knew there would be some confusion and people needed to adapt to the new work flow, especially those that maintain a font library based on a specific folder structure. But how and where the fonts are stored on your harddisk should no longer be of concern to the user as long as they can be installed, loaded, uninstalled and nicely categorized and grouped.
Well, of course you're right, I'm just accustomed to a different workflow. Nevertheless I like the idea of a database-driven font manager - but not at the price of giving up control and always being unsure what exactly will happen. If I really want to maintain my file-based library, I have to use another tool than MainType 4. And I don't want to use several tools for this one task.

Don't misunderstand me - I'm not asking to get the old system back. I'd just like a little bit more information about what is done/stored where.
León Fridsma wrote:With a corrupt database you will only loose your settings and your groups. With a corrupt vault you might lose a few fonts. But the same goes for your current "library" if your harddisk fails, you will also loose all your fonts. Creating backups is something you should do in general and we made that process fast and easy through the FMSConfig utility.
Well, I'm doing complete backups twice a week and hourly (!) incremental backups, but thanks for your advice. :wink: I'd like to automate such tasks as stated in another thread (thanks for your reply there!) because I'm already working very much and wouldn't want to lose time by doing that manually.

Cheers,
Jan
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Dave Crosby
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Dave Crosby »

We want people to start thinking in fonts instead of folders and files
I think about my fonts based on WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

Names are a waste of time. That is why PANOSE is so important to me.
That is why the fonts I use are in folders and files so I can find the one I want.
Until I get the other 100,000 into visually separated piles I have no idea what they are and remain useless and unused.
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Enigma
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Enigma »

Dave Crosby wrote:That is why the fonts I use are in folders and files so I can find the one I want.
Does it really matter if you use folders and files (file names) or font groups and fonts (font names)?

Cheers,
Jan
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Dave Crosby
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Dave Crosby »

Enigma wrote:
Dave Crosby wrote:That is why the fonts I use are in folders and files so I can find the one I want.
Does it really matter if you use folders and files (file names) or font groups and fonts (font names)?

Cheers,
Jan
Very much so. My folders are the four Panose groups and sub-folders and sub-sub folders are Panose numbers.
When I need a flat nib style of font, a flowing script, or a Hairline Sarif, or a holiday theme, I have hundreds to look at and can choose exactly the one I want.

I also have an alpha-numerical folder with hundreds of sub folders (A-a, A-b, Ac . . . )containing around 150,000 fonts if I ever want to search for fonts by name, but seldom bother to look at them if they do not have Panose information in the font.
If one catches my eye I will toss a copy of it into the proper folder. Otherwise it never gets seen again.
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Enigma
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Enigma »

I still don't get why you can't use font groups named in the same way as your folders. Whether a folder structure or a font group structure uses the Panose group names and Panose numbers doesn't make a big difference for me - apart from the fact that the font groups are more flexible and can be searched more quickly because the fonts are in a database.

Cheers,
Jan
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Dave Crosby
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Dave Crosby »

That is my present free-time job, moving folders into groups. Perhaps in a couple of months . . .
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Enigma
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Enigma »

Dave Crosby wrote:That is my present free-time job, moving folders into groups. Perhaps in a couple of months . . .
Are you doing this by hand? :shock:

Cheers,
Jan
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Show file locations

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Dave Crosby wrote:That is my present free-time job, moving folders into groups. Perhaps in a couple of months . . .
This can be done automatically. Create groups after importing fonts to the library:
Create Groups After Import.png
Create Groups After Import.png (7.26 KiB) Viewed 18758 times
Bug: The text label on the dialogue is too small to show the whole text.
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