Can't access all fonts

[sebpeters]

we have about 1600+ fonts in our design deptartment on OS 10.3 and we used to use suitcase to manage our fonts. we had a different font folder for each different job (about 60 jobs) so naturally we had many duplicates in our system. the problem was that after a while, many (90%) of the fonts became orphaned. we used font doctor to clean them up but that just made the situation worse. it got to the point where if we needed to work on a file, we would activate the font folder(which is normal), then we had to locate the fonts THAT WORKED by rummaging through all or our fonts in suitcase. what a pain in the ass. especially when we have to access over 15 folders a day! suitcases' repsonse was that fonts can go bad eventually and that we have to reinstall them the original source.... but who the hell has that or even wants to do that?
so we just decided to move the fonts in USER>LIBRARY>FONTS. now they are all activated all the time and we have no issues. no applications become slow or anything. if we suspect a corrupt font, we just use font doctor fix it. try doing that if you have OS 10.3 . other than that... too bad mac hasn't simplified fonts for us yet like windows. soon i hope.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Having 1600 fonts active at the same time is a bad idea. Even if you think it's not slowing down (it is), I can't imagine why anyone would want to wade through that many fonts in a font menu.

Anyway, going back to your original problem, there is no way to solve it without a font management utility other than deactivating fonts manually, which in effect turns you into a menial font manager. You can rant all you want, but that's the bottom line.

[Ann_Shelbourne@adobeforums.com]

One nice thing about FAP is that, when you copy your fonts into its database, it can be set to import only one copy of each font and it won't install damaged or incomplete ones.

That could solve all of your problems once and for all -- in one step.