TITLE
    Macintosh: How To Change Font Names
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		3146
9/2/88
6/29/99
TOPIC

    I've had problems changing the names of fonts. For example, the system shows both font names. This brings up questions concerning where font names are saved and what steps I should follow to change font names.

DISCUSSION

    To rename a font properly, you must change the font's name in three places: the FOND, FONT, and sfnt resources. To change a font name, follow these steps:

    WARNING:
    The instructions in this article refer to using ResEdit to alter your system software. Apple Computer, Inc., is not liable for any damage done to your software through the use of ResEdit to alter the software. The User Assistance Center phone representatives (at 800-SOS-APPL) do not provide technical support for ResEdit. It is supported by APDA. For contact information on APDA, search the Tech Info Library under "APDA".
      1. Use ResEdit to open the System file or file that contains the font to be renamed.
      2. Find and open the FOND resource.
      3. Find the font name to be changed, and click it once.
      4. Go to the Resource menu, and select Get Info.
      5. Type the new font name in the Name field.
      6. Close the Get Info and FOND windows.
      7. Hold down the Option key and open the FONT resource.
      8. Click the font name to be changed.
      9. Go to the Resource menu and select Get Info.
      10. Type the new font name in the Name field.
      11. Close the Get Info and FONT windows.
      12. Quit ResEdit and ensure that the changes are saved when prompted.

    NOTE: If you change the name of a font on one Macintosh and then move a document containing the font to another Macintosh that does not have the font name changed, you may have to reset the font manually.

    FONT and NFNT resources are essentially the same, the main difference being that the FONT resource only allows 256 IDs while the NFNT resource allows 32768 font IDs. The sfnt resource is used for TrueType fonts and is documented in The TrueType Font Format Specification, APDA catalog number M0825LL/A. Also see the Macintosh Technical Note, "Font Family Numbers" and "Inside Macintosh."

    A clean install of 7.0.1* gives no FONT resources. Apple recommends that developers use the NFNT resource, but the Font Manager uses either FONT or NFNT resources. A 7.0 system could still have FONT resources if the install was done over an existing system, or if older fonts are installed using the Font/DA Mover. Dragging a font suitcase onto the System Folder doesn't appear to create a FONT resource. There are no names in the NFNT resource, therefore those resources do not have to be modified to change a font name.

    Notes:

    * Apple officially recommends that applications make all references to font families by name rather than ID number, however some applications may still refer to fonts by ID number. The difference between reference by name and ID may be a problem in Windows also.

    * The sfnt resource contains a table with additional font name information that isn't in wide use currently, but may become used in the future. This could create problems when trying to rename fonts. This leads to this final disclaimer: Apple does not recommend that you rename fonts; you do so at your own risk.

Document Information
Product Area: Mac OS System Software
Category: General OS
Sub Category: General Topics

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