So how can QuarkXpress offer such a utility? I don't think it would be illegal to collect the fonts used in a FLA by using a utility in the Flash IDE. It's up to the user to ensure that font licensing terms are met in terms of subsequent distribution etc.
Clark On 4/13/06, Shaw, Matt (MTVN) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This would be illegal unless the fonts included a license which allowed > copying them and sending them around. Unless the fonts were free... > > But yes, I agree that it is annoying. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of clark > slater > Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 6:16 PM > To: [ExtendFlash]; [FlashCoders] > Subject: [Flashcoders] RANT: Collect Fonts Button > > Print designers who use QuarkXpress have had an essential utility for > years. > They can collect all the fonts used in a project so that when passing > the source file to a bureau for print the exact same fonts are supplied > along with the artwork and layout. > > I cannot begin to list all the times we have encountered major pain > because the designer who created a particular FLA has lost the fonts or > reinstalled their operating system or for whatever reason can no longer > get their hands on the fonts. It is such a phenomenal pain in the tits. > In terms of production time this is a VERY costly problem. We have > literally wasted hours screwing around with fonts trying to track down > the exact font used in a particular file. Sometimes the font might be > correct version - but different kerning table means it reflows > everywhere. Arrrrggh. > > Often made worse by the way that font names are handled differently in > Flash than in other programs using the exact same file. The scope for > confusion is enormous. Even using third party font management tools like > suitcase does not alleviate the problems because of the way that most > design applications will install their own dirty secret fonts into the > system fonts folder. > > Given the number of FLA files that are shared from designer to > developer, agency to client to agency to freelancer etc. I simply cannot > understand why Macromedia never saw fit to implement a utility like > Quark has so it would be easy to collect all the fonts used in a > particular file for handoff to the next part of the production workflow. > The chance of font piracy is not a strong enough argument to explain why > this critical design feature has been left out. After all anyone wanting > to pirate fonts can just swap the contents of their system fonts folder > etc. > > Clearly, I sincerely hope this is included in the next version of the > Flash IDE - but I'm not holding my breath as it's been a submitted > wishlist item since version 3 or 4! In the meantime it would be great if > there was a way to handle this with JSFL. Unfortunately I can't see any > way to access the fonts used property of a document. > > I'm sure we are not the only agency nearly driven to dementia with these > kind of Flash font related issues. If anyone else out there shares our > anguish please speak up, we need to convince Adobe to include proper > font management in the next Flash IDE. And on the offchance that anyone > has found a funky solution to this most annoying of problems, I will at > the very least buy you a case of your favorite beer. And if anyone has > any insights to how this could be pulled off with JSFL I would be very > interested to discuss. > > OK anyone that made it this far thanks for listening to my ranting. > > Maybe we're the only Flash agency lame enough to be so badly affected by > such font problems coz I don't really see this discussed anywhere, or > maybe there's some really slick or simple solution that everyone else is > using...but I'm betting not. In which case it seems like an extension > that could fix this would be a *really* shit hot item for someone to > develop and offer to the Flash community as a whole. > > > Clark Slater > www.bayinteractive.com > _______________________________________________ > Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > To change your subscription options or search the archive: > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > > Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software > Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com > http://training.figleaf.com > _______________________________________________ > Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > To change your subscription options or search the archive: > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > > Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software > Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training > http://www.figleaf.com > http://training.figleaf.com > _______________________________________________ Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com To change your subscription options or search the archive: http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com
