Help : Type File Formats

PostScript Type 1

The PostScript Type 1 format is platform-specific for Windows or Mac OS.

To use PostScript Type 1 fonts, Adobe Type Manager (ATM) and the Adobe PostScript Printer Driver must be installed for Mac OS versions other than OS X, and Windows versions other than 2000 or XP.

PostScript font support is built directly into Mac OS X, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. Mac OS X only needs ATM Light to provide support for “Classic” applications. ATM Light is required for multiple master font support on Windows 2000 and XP.

ATM Light is available as a free download from the Adobe web site.

TrueType

The TrueType format is platform-specific for Windows or Mac OS.

TrueType fonts are supported natively in all versions of Windows. To use, move them to the Fonts folder in the Control Panel. TrueType fonts may also be managed by Adobe Type Manager and other utilities if you have them installed.

OpenType

OpenType is a cross-platform font format developed jointly by Adobe and Microsoft. It offers a greatly expanded character set, and advanced typographic features accessible in newer versions of word processing, layout, and design applications.

A detailed listing of OpenType compatibility issues affecting both Adobe applications and other third-party software is available on the Adobe web site.

Adobe Type Manager (ATM) version 4.6 or later and the Adobe PostScript Printer Driver must be installed for Mac OS versions other than OS X, and Windows versions other than 2000 or XP.

ATM Light 4.6 is a free download for Mac OS or Windows. ATM Deluxe version 4.6.1 is a free upgrade from 4.5 for Mac OS.

Mac OS X, Windows 2000, and Windows XP (Home and Professional) provide native support for OpenType fonts and do not require ATM Light or the AdobePS printer driver.

Most Macintosh and Windows applications are compatible with OpenType through the use of ATM Light or native operating system support (see below for details), only Adobe InDesign provides advanced OpenType feature support. Other Adobe applications are expected to support these additional OpenType-specific features in the future.

The following Adobe applications are compatible with OpenType fonts:

  • Adobe Acrobat version 4.0.5 and later
  • Adobe FrameMaker version 5.0 and later
  • Adobe Illustrator version 9.0 and later
  • Adobe InDesign version 1.0 and later
  • Adobe ImageReady version 2.0 and later
  • Adobe Photoshop version 5.5 and later

For more information on OpenType in general, see Adobe’s Introduction to OpenType.

OpenType Resources

PDF document OpenType User Guide | 480KB PDF

PDF document Using Fonts in OS X | 3.7MB PDF

 
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