Sudden installation of many fonts [not reproduced]

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Guest

Sudden installation of many fonts [not reproduced]

Post by Guest »

Hi all,

The other day I suddenly discovered that there were 1400 fonts installed on my system. I don't know how they all got there but I uninstalled all but 200. Today I find 1048 installed again. I think FE 2005 is causing this. Anyone come across this? The only thing I'm doing that I can think might be causing it is right clicking on a group name and clicking install now. I assumed this would just install the 8-10 fonts in the group but it appeared to hang the prog. Is it possible that if you don't select the fonts in the group it may install ALL the fonts in all the groups instead? What do others do? Do you select the fonts from the group or just the group name?

Thanks for any help,

Phil
support
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:32 pm
Location: Proxima Software
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Post by support »

FontExpert doesn't install fonts without explicit user's command, while Windows does. In the case Windows on it's start up finds fonts in the Windows\Fonts folder, it installs those fonts. To prevent Windows from installing fonts please make sure you removed font files from Windows\Fonts folder, or as optional solution, set Hidden attribute on those files (using Properties command in Windows Explorer). Windows will skip hidden files.

When in FontExpert you uninstall fonts located in Windows\Fonts folder, FontExpert uninstalls those fonts and moves font files to special folder (usually Program Files\FontExpert\My Font Groups\Uninstalled from Fonts Folder). It is recommeded to close any applications that may use and lock those fonts.

So please make sure that uninstalled fonts were removed from Windows\Fonts folder.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hmm, thanks for that but I did confirm they weren't in the Windows/Fonts folder yesterday but they still got reinstalled. Is it really not possible that all that processing time, once I hit Install Now was it installing all those hundreds of fonts?

Phil
support
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:32 pm
Location: Proxima Software
Contact:

Post by support »

"Install Now" command is a quick equivalent of "Install..." command, it does absolutely the same in one step. (As if Install... dialog was hidden and you just pressed OK button.)

FontExpert can copy fonts to Windows\Fonts folder in the only case: when you select fonts, choose Install... command and in appeared window the option "Copy files to Fonts folder" is selected. (Or when you choose Install Now command with the same conditions.)

By default, the "Leave files at their current location" option is selected and used.

There is the only case when the Copy option is selected by default (and it is the case when files are coped to destination folder).

This case is used (1) only for PostScript fonts and (2) when so called PFM_DIR and PFB_DIR folders are specified in Adobe Type Manager settings.
In this case FontExpert by default suggests you to copy PostScript fonts to folders defined by Adobe Type manager for PostScript fonts and selects the "Copy files to ATM's PFM/PFB font folders" in Install... dialog by default.

In many cases folders are C:\PSFONTS\ and C:\PSFONTS\PFM, but it is possible to redefine their location to C:\Windows\Fonts\.

Adobe Type Manager font folders are specified in the registry, usually by Adobe Type Manager:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Type Manager\Setup\PFM_DIR

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Type Manager\Setup\PFB_DIR

So in the case both folders point to Windows\Fonts folder, this is the case and font files will be copied to the Fonts folder.

-----

Another thought is absolutely different.

There is an option in Windows XP operating system called "System Restore" and it is active by default (see My Computer, Properties, System Restore tab).
This feature automatically restores important files if they were accidently deleted. Font files are also treated as important files and are processed by this feature.

I'm not sure that this is a key to the problem, but it's just an information. (This feature is described on Microsoft MSDN web site.)
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