CAN I DELETE FONTS?

[Adam_Hawkes@adobeforums.com]

The suggested fix is for OS10.3 as far as I can tell (you can't use Font Book otherwise).

A similar technique would work for OS9, but the fonts are in different locations.

[Adam_Hawkes@adobeforums.com]

Since someone mentioned muddy fonts in OSX, here's a quick summary:

System > Library > Fonts - These fonts are for the system
Library > Fonts - These fonts are available to all users
Users > JonDoe > Library > Fonts - These fonts are only available to JonDoe
Library > Application Support > Adobe > Fonts > Reqrd
- These fonts are installed by Adobe for their apps

As a general rule, if you want to manage fonts in the finder and don't have a font management app like Font Book or Suitcase, you will put fonts into and take fonts out of Users > JonDoe > Library > Fonts.

You should definitely NOT remove fonts from System > Library > Fonts. Doing this incorrectly can have very bad results: Complete crash at startup, or menus with no text in them. Trust me on this one. I've seen both. :)

The worst that will happen if you muck with Library > Fonts is that an application will be missing fonts. This isn't really a big deal, you can just activate the missing font by putting it back or opening it in your font Management tool. For example, you should make sure there's a version of Verdana open for Safari.

Okay. Here's the part where I give you enough information to make you dangerous. :)

Here's the minimum fonts you need in your System > Library > Fonts folder

Times.dfont
Helvetica.dfont
LucidaGrande.dfont
Keyboard.dfont
LastResort.dfont

No fonts are required in Library > Fonts. However, some applications would really like to have some fonts there. :)

No fonts are required in Users > JonDoe > Library > Fonts

As a side note, here's the minimum fonts required for the classic System Folder > Fonts:

Charcoal
Chicago
Geneva
Monaco

And ALWAYS remember to restart after you move any fonts in or out of any of the OSX folders.

Before you do ANY font moving in OSX remember these tips:

1. Don't delete the fonts, just move them to a folder on the root of your drive (not the desktop). That way you can access them from another boot volume.

2. Don't do anything with OSX fonts unless you already have an alternate boot disk. If you screw up and remove a font that makes the system crash, you'll have to boot by another disk to put the font back. Note that this disk must give you the ability to do that. The DiskWarrior or Norton Disk Doctor CD's won't. If you have a way to boot your machine into OS9, that will be fine. You can move the files around that way. If you have a machine that is not 9 bootable, you should invest in an extenal firewire drive and install a system on it. It will save your butt.

3. The best time to do all of this font manipulation is when you are first setting up a machine, before you install any apps or utilites. Get the fonts trimmed first. That way, when you install applications, they can put their fonts in Library > Fonts and you'll know they ought to be there.

4. More specifically, if you are installing OSX yourself, do a custom install and uncheck ANY of the additional Fonts or foreign language stuff (unless you need it)

5. There's no excuse for not having a good backup. Period.

Hope this helps. Hope it doesn't make any of you too much more dangerous. :)