Cleaning up fonts on a PC

[TimS]

Originally Posted by gnubler

Nice, thank you. How can I find out which fonts are required by apps? And does Windows install all fonts in the same place?

You might as well go to the source to find out:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/default.aspx

Font handling is much easier on Windows than in OSX, always has been. Fonts go in c:\windows\fonts. ATM, Suitcase, etc. are just fancy front ends for moving fonts in and out of that folder. Just copy Adobe fonts, or truetype fonts into that folder, and you'll see an installing fonts window go flashing by. Delete them when finished, restart your apps.

I haven't used Vista, so not sure what the situation is there.

[gnubler]

Today is font cleanup day on the PC. I'm going through the list and moving out everything that isn't required by the OS. However, when I move the font files to a new folder elsewhere on my hard drive, the name changes to some obscure condensed version of the font name.

For example, Albertus Bold becomes albr65w.ttf. But once moved back in the system Fonts folder, the full name is listed (it has an extra column "Font Name").

Something tells me there's no getting around this "feature". Silly Microsoft!

[Rattles]

Originally Posted by seetomtype

Cool!

Thanks, gig0. I thought so, but on the Mac side there are a few extra for the
applications. I've already tested my list and it seems solid. Not I just need
a decent free font manager. I think almaink mentioned something about
Linotype having one for the FeeCee that'd fit the bill. Is there one that'll
handle TT, Open and T1 fonts reliably for Windows out there? If we have
to pay for it, so be it, but I'm willing to try free stuff for a bit.

Thanks again, gig0 and scott 8)

Linotype Fontexplor for PC is free and works exactly as the OS X version (enjoy)

[fuzorsilverbolt]

Windows puts all fonts into c:\windows\fonts\ The only exception to this rule as far as my knowledge is that Adobe Type Manager puts type 1 into c:\psfonts ... However ATM puts open type fonts into c:\windows\fonts

If you have adobe type manager with type 1 or open type fonts ... Geez it's been a long time since I dealt with fonts on windows. Anyways, to find the type 1 fonts just do a search for *.PFB and *.PFM. It should be something like c:\psfonts\pfm and c:\psfonts\pfb if memory serves.

Everytime that you install a font into c:\windows\fonts\ Windows makes a registry entry for that font. Uninstalling a font in windows isn't just deleting the font from c:\windows\fonts because the registry entry will still remain in the reistry. If the purpose of slimming down your fonts on windows is optimization it isn't worthwhile because you also need to go into the registry and accordingly remove ALL entires that refer to the font that you want removed. I've done it myself before but its more hassle than it's worth considering that I usually reinstall windows XP at least in 1/2 to 1 year intervals on my home pc.

--Afterthought
On fresh installs of windows 2000 and Windows XP after I installed all the updates and microsoft office as well as all other "required" apps I would install Adobe Type Manager and create a "starter" set. That way it'd be slimmed down to only the OS and application fonts. I haven't installed ATM this way in a while because I just don't do designing much more than a crappy business card here or there.