Converting Mac Postscript fonts to Windows Trutype fonts

Are you on a PC and have problems when Mac people send you fonts? One of my co-workers on Windows was having problems with Macintosh fonts that would get sent to her for ad layouts. Here's part of an email that I sent to her about how to use Mac fonts on a PC:

There’s a few different approaches to a solution. I order them from what is the worst to the best solution.

3) Converting software
Because I’m starting off with this solution means that it’s the “worst” solution. But I don’t think it should be really that bad. There is software out there that should be able to convert the macintosh fonts over to PC. Not being on a PC, I don’t know how well they work. I’m afraid that little details like the kerning pairs will come out funky. When you go to load a layout, some of the lines might break differently. But here’s some programs:

CrossFont 3.6, $45.00 (it also has a limited free trial)
http://www.pcdistrict.com/crossfont-prod1180.html
(this program was recommended by some of the geeks on metafilter)

MacDisk 4.5 for Windows, $54.87 (35 euros)
http://www.macdisk.com/mden.php3
This is actually a program that enables Windows users to read Macintosh-formatted media (cds, floppies, zip disks). But they say, “MacDisk offers certain features to transfer and convert font files between the Macintosh and the PC.”

A decent (although kinda confusing) explanation about why sometimes the mac font files you get are actually showing up empty: http://www.macdisk.com/fontsen.php3 Basically that webpage says, “on the Macintosh, fonts are stored in the resource fork of the file. When files are transferred through a network, or by email, you often get therefore an empty file, the data fork. Transferring fonts between Macintosh and PC must be done using real Macintosh media... MacDisk manages all those data media.”

If you have further problems once you have a trutype font, they recommend Typetool: “try to open the file in a font editor. We use TypeTool by FontLab. From the editor, save the font to another file. The editor will save the file with a more conforming structure, which should allow the installation in Windows.” But remember, you first need to convert the Mac Postscript font into a TruType PC font.

My recommendation (if you are going with the converter approach):
I would recommend trying the CrossFont program. Not only can you preview to see if it works, they also say “Features include Zip and Stuffit support” which is really how you are getting these files. MacDisk sounds like it’s main thing is handling cds and floppies and old school 90s stuff. If it ends up that CrossFont can’t find the Mac files, you might need to get the MacDisk, because it sounds like that software is good at getting empty resource files.

2) Buying the fonts
If the clients use the same fonts over and over again, perhaps you might be able to purchase the PC version of the fonts. That way, things don’t get all wonky with the converting program.

1) Opentype fonts (best solution)
Virtually all applications and operating systems work with OpenType fonts. If your clients used opentype fonts, you’d be able to use the fonts on both a mac and pc. No converting. No buying extra fonts. All happiness. But honestly, I don’t see that happening, because once people have their set of fonts, it’s not like they are gonna go out and start changing them.

Sidenote:
And oh, The Adobe Font Folio is actually not an application, but it’s just a collection of fonts. The current version of Adobe Font Folio is version 11, and that has all OpenType fonts, which rocks, because those are the ones that are compatible with all operating systems. The new complete set is $2,599 which includes 2,300 fonts.

Posted by: spudart on May 02, 08 | 5:00 am | Profile
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