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| How To Use - dfontifier | | Date Created: 06 Dec, 2004, 02:52 PM |
 In this article I will show you the way(s) that I use Mark Douma's dfontifier utility.
This is a very useful utility. For more information on what dfontifier is and why you might need to use it, please refer to the article titled "Utility - dfontifier" also located in the Resources section of this web site.
dfontifier does two things, but one of them is not as common as the other so I'm going to take you through the process of doing both at the same time.
But first things first...
1. You need to download (520 K) dfontifier 2.0.1 (developed by Mark Douma) at http://homepage.mac.com/mdouma46/dfont/dfont.html.
2. Once the disk image is downloaded and mounted on your desk you will see that it asks you to copy the dfontifier application folder to your Applications folder (on your hard drive). So do that.
Once you've done that you can Eject the "dfontifier" disk image (click on the disk image and drag it to the trash can or type Command + E).
3. Locate the dfontifier application (in the dfontifier application folder in the Applications folder on your hard drive) and launch the application. |
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You will see the main dfontifier application window (above).
Now we're ready to use dfontifier...
4. There aren't may preferences in dfontifier. The only one you have to make sure is checked on in the main dfontifier application window; "Prompt for single output folder during conversion" (below). I should be checked by default. |
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| 5. The next thing you have to do is to get some fonts together. I have created a Sample Fonts folder (below) with various kinds of fonts in them that I'm going to use for the rest of this "how to" article... |
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I have labeled the fonts in different colors to help identify them. The fonts labeled in Green are regular TrueType fonts. The fonts labeled in Orange with the .dfont extension are are .dfonts taken from the System's Fonts folder. The fonts with "O" icon and the .otf extension are OpenType fonts. And the rest of the fonts are Type One font suitcases and their respective printer fonts.
6. Drag your fonts onto the "Drag your fonts here" section in the dfontifer application window (below). |
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| 7. The progress bar will start to run and then you will be prompted to "Choose a Folder" (below). |
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| If you haven't setup a folder to convert the fonts to, you can do so now by clicking the New Folder button and creating a new folder from this dialog box (below). |
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Either way, click on the Choose button in the "Choose a Folder" dialog box when you've made/created your folder for output.
8. You will then find yourself back to the main dfontifier application window where you will see the progress bar scroll to the right. |
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You will see those files that can't be converted by this utility show up in the Conversion Problem Details section of the dfontifier application window (in this case it would be the Type One fonts and the OpenType fonts).
9. When the conversion is done, you will get another drop-down dialog box letting you know if some fonts/files were not converted (below). |
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Click OK to move on...
10. If you find your Output folder you will see what dfontifier did with your fonts (below). |
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In the case of our sample fonts, it turned the True Type fonts in the Sample Fonts folder (shown earlier in this article) into .dfont fonts (labeled in Green). The .dfont fonts were similarly turned into regular TrueType fonts (labeled in Orange) now usable for OS 9 Applications.
Turning .dfonts into regular True Type fonts that can be used by OS 9, Classic, and OS 9 native applications is the most common use for dfontifer.
11. Move your converted fonts to your font management program and/or to the appropriate fonts folder and use them as you see fit.
12. Remember to support this donation-ware. Mark Douma has a PayPal account registered at mdouma46@mac.com. If this has helped you, I encourage you to support him by making a donation.
Note: There is a very good "ReadMe.rtfd" document included with the software once it's downloaded. I strongly recommend that you read it prior to using the software.
Coming Soon... We'll be posting an interview with Mark Douma where he'll be talking to us about dfontifer, Font Finagler, and other thoughts he has about fonts and the Mac OS. |
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