*The Show Must Go FOND* shows all the typefaces on a drive or in selected parts of a drive. One does not have to install typefaces in order to view them, and one does not even have to know where they are. *The Show Must Go FOND* is an excellent way to preview large collections of fonts such as those on CD-ROMs.
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Demo version: This version will expire at the end of 1996. Also, it will only allow one to examine 100 fonts. Other than these two limitations, it is complete. The full version is on Font Pro 5, a CD of typefaces and other goodies available from Wayzata Technology. If you cannot find it at your local retailer or in a mail order catalog, see the address given toward the bottom of this message.
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The program has three basic commands, one to scan and show the fonts it finds, another to set up the rules of the scan, and a final one to generate a list of all the fonts it finds without displaying what it finds. When one chooses the Show-Fonts command, the program presents an open-file dialog so that the user can select where one wants to look for fonts. If one selects a folder, the program will search that folder. If one selects a file, the program looks for fonts in that file.
The program displays the fonts it finds by printing a text sample using that font, and then waits for a while. During the wait the user can pause the program by pressing the P key, which will make the program stay where it is until a key or the mouse is pressed. Or the user can mark a typeface by pressing the M key. When all the fonts have been shown, marked fonts will be listed with full path names. To make the program move as quickly as possible, hold down a key, or set the caps lock key. If one decides that one has seen enough and wants to stop the showing of fonts, press the escape key. (Command-period will also work.) This action may not have immediate results, but do not give up. Keep the escape key depressed until the loop is broken. (However, make sure that you do not have the caps lock key down, or else the program will not notice that you have the escape key down.)
(A last second feature—pressing the c key will capture the current window the the clipboard. This allows one to capture one and only window for future reference.)
When all the typefaces have been displayed, *The Show Must Go FOND* will list all of the FOND resources it found with their ids. Because a FOND resource can contain more than one font, there may be fewer FONDs found than typefaces displayed. (A normal family of plain, bold, italic, and bolditalic all fit into one FOND.) This list may be valuable as a way to find FOND id conflicts, which can be a problem if one installs fonts remotely using utilities such as Suitcase, MasterJuggler, or Carpetbag. (The simplest way to get rid of a conflict is to merge the two conflictors into one suitcase. The finder will give one a new ID. Of course, this new ID may conflict with some other font.)
The Options command gives one control over the search and display. One can decide what sample text and point size should be used. One can also set the number of seconds one wants to have the program wait after it displays a font, and whether one wants only suitcase files searched or all files. (Sometimes there are fonts within applications and other types of files.) If one is searching a really big collection, one might want to look at only a few of the typefaces at a time. A way to do this is to set of range of names to display, such as only fonts that begin with letters A through D. The way in which the program sorts the results at the end can be changed from id-based to alphabetically based. Finally one can set the search so that it does not look inside subfolders, and one can have the program display the path name of the font.
The List-Only command will build a list of the fonts the program encounters. The list contains the path name for the file in which the fonts are to be found, and a list of fonts and their sizes within that file. The search will take the type of files to search from the options menu, but will not restrict itself to only part of the alphabet even if that is specified in the options menu; it lists all fonts. Finally, the list it builds does not include FOND IDs.
You will only be able to see the first 32K of the list from within the program, which should be 400 to 500 fonts. (Mileage will vary depending on a variety of things.) If the list is longer than 32K, but less than 128K, you can see it all by saving it and opening it in a word processor.
*The Show Must Go FOND* is copyrighted 1995 by Robert Schenk.
The standard software disclaimers about liability apply. Those basically are that you use this program at your own risk and I am not liable for anything.
Report any bugs or suggestions for improvement to Robert Schenk. Contact him at
bobs@saintjoe.edu
December 1995
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Known problems and limitations remaining:
Occassionally a font will cause the program to crash. In every case I have found this, the Finder has problems with the font. I would like to fix this, but do not know how. If anyone can help me, I would appreciate their assistence. I need to be able to determine problem fonts so I can skip over them. (If you only scan suitcases, you are much less likely to meet this problem.)
A couple people suggested giving the program printing abilities. I put the printing capabilities in a companion prgram called "Let's Kill Some Trees."
Several very good suggestions about how to improve the user interface have been made. Because the program is doing some things in non-standard ways, some of these changes will be challenging and may take some time.
If you scan really old fonts files, you may not see them. The program looks for FOND resources, and originally (when Apple could not imagine that there would ever by more than 256 fonts, which was about 255 more than the people in the PC world thought possible in 1984), fonts only had FONT resources. FONDS were introduced a couple of years latter. I have no intention at present of trying to support obsolete technology. I believe that if you run these old files through the Font/DA Mover 4.1 and create a new file for them, you will add a FOND resource.
I would like to thank those who have written me with suggestions. I value them, even though I cannot implement them all. Part of the problem is that talent and time limit what I can do as a programmer. I just do the best I can.
December 1995
Other unique programs from Robert Schenk:
Well over 400 original and distinctive typefaces in Adobe PostScript Type 1 and Apple TrueType formats are available on three CDs of Typefaces, Font Pro 2, Font Pro 3, and Font Pro 5. Each has a list price of $25 and all are published by Wayzata Technology, 21 Northeast Fourth Street, Grand Rapids, MN 55744. Phone: 1-800-735-7321; or (218)-326-0597; fax: (218)-326-0598. E-mail: info@Wayzata-Tech.com
The Virtual Maze Book
If you want a book with a zillion mazes which you can print out, this set of programs is for you. It contains about 70 specialized maze fonts, many of which contain several variations, for printing mazes. This is by far the most sophisticated and complex of my programs.It is available on Font Pro 5, Fun Fonts.
Kerning Master
A specialized type tool that lets one compare the kerning sets of two fonts, or scan fonts for various attributes. Requires presence of AFM files. Available on Font Pro 5, Fun Fonts.
The Show Must Go FOND
This programs scans through a folder or a drive, looking for and displaying all the typefaces it finds. The full version is available on Font Pro 5.
Let’s Kill Some Trees
This program is a companion to The Show Must Go FOND. Instead of showing the fonts it finds on the screen, it prints them. It works best with TrueType fonts. It is available in Font Pro 5
ChessEdit
A chess utility which allows one to quickly draw chess boards for export to other programs. (Available on-line various places and Font Pro 5.)
Census Taker
A utility which allows one to learn about the inhabitants of directories or drives. Available on Font Pro 5, Fun Fonts. (Beta version available on-line various places.)
Frankenstein's Helper 3.0
A math game for late grade school or early high school. (This is a commercial product available on Font Pro 3. Version 1 is available on-line various places.)
Be Fruitful and Multiply 1.4
A simple multiplication drill which also illustrates what the purpose of multiplication is. (Available on-line various places and in Font Pro 3.)
Andy's Letters
A simple game to help preschoolers learn the alphabet. (Version 1 available on-line various places; version 1.01 is a commercial product on Font Pro 3.)
MacTykoon 1.1.2
A simulation game in which you try to make a profit running a business. Requires a lot of thought and no hand-to-eye coordination. (Available on-line various places.) The instructional version is called MacBiznes, and is available on Font Pro 5, as is MacTykoon.
