PDF, Macs, and fonts

**Mickie** · 06 February 2009, 10:16 PM

I just sent out a family newsletter that I did in Xara. I used Cambria, an open type font, for the text, exported it in sections as a PDF and then compiled the sections together in Acrobat 8. A cousin, who is using a Mac, can't read the text. Heads are in a TT font and she has no trouble with them. I never considered I might have trouble with an Open Type font ... are there fonts that can only be read on a PC?

Mickie

**Soquili** · 06 February 2009, 11:28 PM

Hi Mickie,

Cambria is not a font that is included on a Mac.

The following link shows the installed fonts that ship with Mac OS X 10.4
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1538

**Mickie** · 06 February 2009, 11:54 PM

Thanks Bill,

If she got the font, could she load it on her Mac? Would my version be different than one for a Mac ... oh, what I don't know about fonts

Mickie

**Soquili** · 07 February 2009, 12:14 AM

Mickie your cousin could google the cambria font to see if there is a Mac version.

OpenType is supposed to be compatible between Windows and Mac, but there are still some issues with some fonts not being totally compliant.

**iamtheblues** · 07 February 2009, 12:07 PM

I was under the impression that converting the text to shapes meant that the subsequent .pdf file would be readable on computers without the font installed. Perhaps I've been labouring under a misapprehension.

Saludos,
Bob.

**Soquili** · 07 February 2009, 12:40 PM

Hi Bob,

You are correct that changing text to shapes would also work. As well as embedding the font in the PDF.

Mickie google shows that Cambria is distributed for Windows with Vista, Office 2007, and Office 2007 compatibility pack. The font is also distributed with Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambria_(typeface)

**Mickie** · 07 February 2009, 07:15 PM

I ended up changing the font to good ol' Arial (thank goodness for the name gallery!) and she could read it. I'm wondering if Cambria is so new that the Mac doesn't know what to substitute for it? The other fonts used, in heads, she could read.

I've noticed that I get more and more emails that use Calibri, I wonder what happens when you send those to a Mac user?

Mickie

**Soquili** · 07 February 2009, 10:46 PM

Email client software is more flexible, it can and often does substitute fonts.

Some people elect to use plain text email. This ignores any font used by the sender and displays in the system default font.

Some people elect to always use a font of their choice for email and ignore the senders chosen font.

With some email client software you can setup you own font substitions.

The old saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" if very true for people reading email. What fonts and colours someone finds attractive, someone else may find impossible to read.

**Idefriginit** · 08 February 2009, 04:36 AM

I always make two files - one working, one send. On the sent file the fonts are expanded (converted to shapes). I don't mind doubling up on HD space when you can get 1TB for $150...

**steve.ledger** · 08 February 2009, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by Idefriginit

I don't mind doubling up on HD space when you can get 1TB for $150...

PM me with your source. My reseller distro' is dearer than that ex GST

As for the double files (types), yes, I create both as well. Belts'n'braces I call it ..