Font Downloading and Embedding

[mikewitherell_at_jetsetcom_dot_net]

In InDesign CS 3.0.1 preferences, under the General settings, there is a field labeled "Font Downloading and Embedding." Within, it says: Always subset fonts with glyph counts greater than 2000.

What does that really mean, and why is it there in preferences? Is the font embedded in the indd file, or is it referring to the Export of PDFs with embedded fonts?

Mike Witherell in Washington DC

[Bob_Levine]

I'll take a guess that this is to keep file size down and printing times
to a minimum. Some of the new opentype fonts can have thousands of
glyphs. Some of the Japanese fonts are huge. If the entire font were to
be embedded the file size would explode.

Anyway, just a guess.

Bob

[mikewitherell_at_jetsetcom_dot_net]

Bob,

I wonder how you would set this preference to basically preclude font subsetting? Or is it something that triggers in the print or pdf export dialog boxes? Is it making the Indy file smaller? Or is it making the exported PDF smaller? Or both? I am failing to understand its intention.

Mike Witherell in Washington DC

[Bob_Levine]

Since you can't embed a font in the ID file, it's only for the PDF or
actual data being downloaded to a printer.

But again, this is all conjecture on my part.

Bob