When preparing your file for printing, your document should
include the fonts used in the design. Let us know what font
you are using, so we can make sure we own that particular font.
This protects us both from copyright infringement. We can also
substitute with a similar font. Fonts can be one of the prime
suspects when having problems getting output
from a file.
There are two types of fonts - PostScript (Type 1, Type 3
and Multiple Masters) and
TrueType.
PostScript fonts have two parts -
- A printer font - which tells the printer how to print the
type on paper (or other media).
- A screen font - which tells the computer how to draw it
on the screen.
PostScript Type 1 fonts are considered the industry standard
and are the most reliable when printing to high end digital
devices such as imagesetters and digital presses. Type 3 fonts
are the original non Adobe PostScript font description standard.
This standard is dying and type foundries have all moved to
the Type 1 standard. Multiple Masters were developed by Adobe
to give users the ability to manipulate one or more design
axes giving one tremendous flexibility and control over the
type. Multiple Masters are also
Type 1 fonts.
TrueType is most popular on the PC platform and is not PostScript.
While TrueType can be used for day-to-day output, it is often
the culprit of many printing problems. We don't suggest you
use TrueType fonts because they may require additional processing
time and sometimes cause unexpected font substitutions. If
you
must use TrueType fonts, be aware of these potential problems.
Do not use PostScript fonts and TrueType fonts in the same
file!
Be aware that many companies produce fonts and often give
them the same name. However, these fonts will usually print
and format differently causing reflow of text and a
different "look" to the document.
Providing the Fonts
Font software licenses are very specific and your printer
can only use fonts they own. Once you know which fonts your
printer can work with, include them on the disk. Fonts have
many characteristics including line spacing and character spacing
and as these type faces are improved, some of these characteristics
will change. Therefore, it is acceptable for your printer to
request that you provide them with a copy of the font to run
your job as designed. Once the job is completed, the font file
will be deleted. Using the font anywhere else is a violation
of software licensing agreements. If you are a regular customer,
it would be a good
idea to ask for our font listing.
Are All the Fonts on Your Disk?
If only the screen font is available, your printer's digital
output device will attempt to recreate the font from the information
available. However, the result will be a low resolution or
bitmapped image. If the digital output device cannot find the
font, it will typically substitute "Courier" and will cause
the document to reformat.
Bargain Fonts
A word to the wise: There are many companies who create fonts,
and bargain fonts can be
found everywhere. "1000 fonts for only $9.99." Remember, you get what you pay
for and
don't be surprised if these "bargain" fonts do not print well on a digital output
device.
Embedded Fonts
Embedded fonts are fonts used within a graphic. There is a
crossover issue (PC to Mac or Mac to PC) on fonts and graphics.
EPS graphics sometimes include fonts. For the graphic to print
properly, the font used in the graphic must also be provided.
Another solution is for
the font to be converted into "curves or outlines" in the drawing program in
which it was created. Changing the font into a graphic element will prevent it
from being modified or
altered avoiding the font substitution issue.
If you have Freehand or Illustrator it is fairly simple to
convert the font:
- Choose "Convert to Paths" (Freehand) or...
- "Create Outlines" (Illustrator)
If you don't have either software application your printer
will need to convert the fonts for
you.
