NewDeal Hot Tip 1414

[Hot Tips for...] Fonts

PostScript, Wrong or Missing Fonts

Question:

I'm very familiar with NewWrite and NewDraw. Each month I use them to typeset and print a hobby newsletter. For the most part, printing works fine. However, I don't seem to be able to print certain fonts, most notably, Cooperstown. The printer substitutes Courier (aka URW Mono) for this font.

I have a PostScript printer (actually, an old Canon printer with a QMS JetScript PostScript controller) with 3 MB of memory. Graphics and most text print out fine. I imagine it has something to do with font downloading, but I'm stumped as how to do it. The printer's utilities include a downloader, but it only lists the fonts in my \PSFONTS directory.

Answer:

When you are using a PostScript printer, especially one that is using an emulation board to give you PostScript printing capability, not all fonts are going to be available in the engine.

NewDeal converts (internally) the necessary fonts to the most compatible PostScript font available in the printer. If you can find a downloadable PS font that looks very close to Cooperstown, then you might be able to get it to work. You might want to try using the Apple PS printer driver, as this one is very generic and might help in getting the font across.

While I haven't tried Cooperstown, the QMS font downloader will only work with a PS font in your PSFONTS directory. These should be Type 3 for an old PostScript cartridge, but if yours is newer it may use Type1.

The font download is used so you can store extra fonts instead of needing extra font cards.

Your best bet would be to convert the URW or Nimbus font you want to use to PostScript (Type 1 if you can use it) then download the PostScript font to your printer.

To ensure that your Newdeal fonts match your printer fonts, if you have software to make font conversions, you could convert all of the Newdeal fonts to PostScript format and then download. It takes a bit more printing time, but any kerning and leading applied in NewWrite should then show up accurately in your documents.

PostScript only recognizes the first 15 (or so) characters of a font name, so if you have several font variations that have the same family name, watch out!

Question:

I need to be able to print from NewWrite to a PostScript file, take the PostScript file to another computer, and print it on a laser printer. I've selected one of the PostScript printer drivers and get PostScript code that I then copy to the printer. But when I print it, none of the fonts come with it. I get the default Roman font. What am I doing wrong?

Answer:

You are using the wrong PostScript printer driver. Try the one named PostScript Compatible, or find one that more closely matches the actual printer. You'll notice that many of the PostScript drivers in Newdeal list a number like [17 font] after the printer name. That's because different PS printers have different built-in fonts.

Also, what fonts are you using in Newdeal and where did they come from? The font ID number determines whether NewDeal thinks the font ought to exist in the printer or not. You might actually need to change the font ID number of those that don't show up, especially if you're using fonts downloaded from the public domain.


Return to Index

Last Modified 2 Mar 1999