Font problems - Russian

[Inge-Lise_Christiansen@adobeforums.com]

I have had a text translated into Russian and received it in a Word document. The font was Arial. I then placed the text in my InDesign version 2.0 and it looked all right.

Now, after some time, when I opened the document again, the letters are only squares !!! The problem is not solved by choosing another font or by copying / placing the text in the document again.

What has happened ? The text still looks alright in the Microsoft word document, but in InDesign it is corrupt !

[Discover@adobeforums.com]

Seems like the problem is in encoding. Save your document in .doc format and then place it!

Ismail

[Gabriel_Ayala@adobeforums.com]

The topic "Font problems" is probably the answer. I am almost willing to bet that the problem here is the font. Does the icon for the Arial font you are using in your Windows\Fonts folder show a "O" for OpenType or a TT?

To ensure this is going to work properly you need to be sure you are using an OpenType font to prevent any further issues in InDesign. There are many variations of Arial out there. Try to install the OpenType version.

I've used Arial Unicode and ArialL2 but neither of these were suitable for InDesign.

I found out not too long ago that I could not create an index properly in Latin languages due to using a TrueType font with pseudo glyphs. You may be having the same problem with your Cyrillic character set.

HTH

[Inge-Lise_Christiansen@adobeforums.com]

None of your suggestions help !

My files with Russian and Greek text was previously all right looking. But suddenly the text is now only squares.

I now suspect that it must be one of the updates from Microsoft having caused my problems. Will that be possible ?

Inge-Lise

[Geoffrey_M_Pettypiece@adobeforums.com]

Sounds to me like Office is using one version of Arial and InDesign is picking up another. Check your Fonts folder within the InDesign application folder for Arial. If its there, InDy is using that, and MS is using the one in the Windows/Fonts folder.

Also, you might want to upgrade to InDesign 2.02 - it could be as simple as that.

Another idea - are you still linked to the original Word file, or has it become disconnected?

And another. Test this: Create a new document in InDesign. Copy and paste text from Word. Now place the Word document. Same results?

Geof

[Gabriel_Ayala@adobeforums.com]

I now suspect that it must be one of the updates from Microsoft having
caused my problems. Will that be possible ?




No

Sounds to me like Office is using one version of Arial and InDesign is
picking up another. Check your Fonts folder within the InDesign application
folder for Arial. If its there, InDy is using that, and MS is using the
one in the Windows/Fonts folder.




I actually removed ARIALUNI.TTF because it was just getting in the way and complicating things more. If you happen to have that font or any variations of Arial other than the OpenType edition, get rid of them.

But suddenly the text is now only squares.




You mean brackets [] or pink squares right? That's usually what happens when InDesign has become confused with what font to use when you have fonts of the same name but different types in the fonts folder like Geoffrey said.

[Inge-Lise_Christiansen@adobeforums.com]

My fonts folder for InDesign did not contain any Arial fonts. I tried to copy the fonts from my WINNT fonts folder, but that did not change anything. However, all my Arial fonts are named .ttf although there is an 0 in front of them ! Is that correct or where do I find the OpenType version ?

I will try to update to InDesign CS.

It does not help either creating a new InDesign file and placing the text from the Word file.

Yes, I do mean that the text is converted to pink squares.

[Thomas_Phinney@adobeforums.com]

The text will show as notdefs (boxes with X's or just plain empty boxes) when the character codes of the text are not available in the currently selected font.

This could happen if there were two versions of Arial installed, and one of them didn't have the Russian language support. Of course, other things could cause this problem.

T

[Inge-Lise_Christiansen@adobeforums.com]

I have now solved my problem, although it sounds very odd.

I made a preflight of my InDesign document and could see from which library the font was used. I then moved all Arial fonts to another library and then back again, and now the letters in my files are Greek and Russian letters !!!!!!!!!!

I really to not understand it, but at least now it works.

Thank you all for your kind assistance.

[Geoffrey_M_Pettypiece@adobeforums.com]

Aha! I bet if you had closed all your Adobe apps, done a search on your system for all AdobeFnt*.lst files and then deleted them, (don't worry - they will re-create themselves)the problem might have been solved. Seems like your solution forced these little beggers to update themselves!

Try the above if this problem rears its ugly ahead again. Glad to hear you solved it!

[Gabriel_Ayala@adobeforums.com]

all my Arial fonts are named .ttf although there is an 0 in front of them
! Is that correct or where do I find the OpenType version ?




That's the correct version.

and now the letters in my files are Greek and Russian letters !!




The original font used was probably not set up properly.

I have now solved my problem




Cool, if you still need help let us know. :)