Font Previews

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Rob Hodgson
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

Hi,
I have a problem concerning previews which seems similar to the following...
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=7488
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=7487
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6736

As I begin to add tags and ratings, some font previews disappear. Their samples and characters either appear in a default font (Arial), don't appear at all, or display the message 'No characters defined'. When I load a font without a preview, the preview appears, but doesn't show samples or characters. The Font Operation window says that the font is 'Not Available', but the font is available in my software, and prints fine.
screengrab_000031an.gif
screengrab_000031an.gif (218.6 KiB) Viewed 6447 times
I first encountered this issue in v7 on Win 10 Pro (pre- creators update). My font collection includes various formats (True Type, Postscript, and Open Type) from a variety of sources (bundled with software, purchased online, and downloaded from Font Squirrel etc), but the issue isn't specific to file format, or source. My computer is highly spec'd, so I doubt it's anything to do with memory, rendering or rasterization.

Recently I did a complete clean install of my OS and all software, and upgraded to v8 in the hope that it was solved. I'm now running the latest version of Win 10 Pro. When I install Main Type and point it at my font collection, it scans and shows all my fonts - no problem there. I hoped that a clean install might help, but as I began to add tags and ratings the issue began again.

Any ideas?
Erwin Denissen
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Re: Font Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

I'll need to look into this. I'll contact you.
Erwin Denissen
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Erwin Denissen
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Re: Font Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

I'm not sure how this happened, but it looks like you did delete fonts, which are actually still partly available.

Can you tell me if you did delete fonts, so I might be able to reproduce and solve the problem.
Erwin Denissen
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Rob Hodgson
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

Yeah, I've deleted fonts. I've been slowly restructuring and consolidating my font library, deleting doubles (preferring OT over TT and PS), fonts I'll never use, and older versions, while adding tags. The missing font previews concern font files that haven't been deleted.
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Erwin Denissen
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Re: Font Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

We've just released an update which solves the issue.
Erwin Denissen
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Proven Font Technology
Rob Hodgson
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

I've come across another issue that seems linked to this one.
I've noticed that some of the fonts that I've deleted are showing as able to be installed.
They preview and show samples and character sets, and if I select install, they seem to do so.
In Word, the font previews but when applied it shows as Arial and can't be printed.
In InDesign, the font previews, can be applied, and printed.
Any ideas?
Rob Hodgson
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

... and another possible issue.
As I've consolidated my font library, I've changed the names of folders.
Now I notice that some of the fonts have kept the name of the older folder as well as the new name.
Any ideas?
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Erwin Denissen
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Re: Font Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

Rob Hodgson wrote: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:20 pm I've come across another issue that seems linked to this one.
I've noticed that some of the fonts that I've deleted are showing as able to be installed.
They preview and show samples and character sets, and if I select install, they seem to do so.
In Word, the font previews but when applied it shows as Arial and can't be printed.
In InDesign, the font previews, can be applied, and printed.
Any ideas?
Just to be sure, you've deleted fonts through MainType, and they are now back in MainType, where you can install them, but then they don't work correctly in Word?

I really don't understand how this could happen, so please explain exactly what is going on.
Rob Hodgson wrote: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:39 pm ... and another possible issue.
As I've consolidated my font library, I've changed the names of folders.
Now I notice that some of the fonts have kept the name of the older folder as well as the new name.
Any ideas?
MainType will only detect a folder is no longer available after a resync of it.
Erwin Denissen
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Proven Font Technology
Rob Hodgson
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

Yes, the one I found previewed in MainType, was installable, but didn't work correctly in Word.
Is there a font cache that should be rebuilt?
I re-synced all folders, which seems to have fixed it.
Thanks.
Erwin Denissen
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Re: Font Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

Rob Hodgson wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 7:53 pm Yes, the one I found previewed in MainType, was installable, but didn't work correctly in Word.
Is there a font cache that should be rebuilt?
I would be surprised, but it is possible a font cache is corrupt. A decade ago we wrote a post about how to clear the font cache, but I'm not sure it is relevant these days:
O.S. and Application Specific Font Cache Files

However it is more likely the font itself is invalid or corrupt. Can you send the specific font file to us?
Rob Hodgson wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 7:53 pmI re-synced all folders, which seems to have fixed it.
Thanks.
Great!
Erwin Denissen
High-Logic
Proven Font Technology
Rob Hodgson
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Font Previews

Post by Rob Hodgson »

I later found that the fonts that I was seeing were from folders I'd deleted in file explorer. I don't think the re-sync had updated thoroughly. I could install them, and in InDesign they would display and print. In Word they would preview, but could not be displayed or printed. I deleted them from Main Type, and rebuilt the Win 10 font cache. That seems to have done the trick.
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