Specifications
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Working with Auto-Activation Plug-ins
To automatically activate precisely the correct fonts used in documents, Suitcase Fusion includes plug-in software
modules that use the Extensis Font Sense technology.
The plug-ins save Font Sense metadata—information that uniquely identifies fonts—with documents, and then use
that metadata to automatically activate the correct fonts when you open a document.
In addition, to enable precise font identification and activation, the plug-ins can identify all the fonts used in a
document, and then create a set or collect the fonts for delivery to a service bureau. The Create Document Set
feature and the Collect Fonts for Output feature both streamline the process of locating all of the diverse fonts
used in documents.
Understanding Font Sense Technology
As most publishers know, when you open a document and it requires a specific font, activating any font with that
name is not an option. In the font world, Helvetica is not Helvetica is not Helvetica. Even fonts from the same foundry,
such as Adobe Garamond, exist in multiple versions. Using the wrong fonts can result in text reflow, which can alter
line breaks, affect the design, cut off text, etc. To ensure that you're always using the correct fonts, Suitcase Fusion
and Font Sense provide unique font identification and automatic activation.
Font Sense technology is designed to overcome the limitations of font names. Most applications record the names
and sometimes the types (OpenType, PostScript, etc.) of fonts used in documents. But with the various types of
fonts, vendors, and versions that exist, font names are not unique identifiers. Most users have multiple versions of
many fonts on their computers—particularly common fonts such as Helvetica and Times—and the applications they
use cannot identify which versions are used in their documents. Font Sense solves this by saving complete font
metadata into documents.
The font metadata generated by Font Sense starts with the name, type, foundry, and version number of the fonts.
Then, for truly unique font identification, the metadata includes additional items such as checksum values. The final
result is the Font Sense identification number, which you can view in Suitcase Fusion (View > Columns > Font
Sense).
Each time you save a document in a supported application, the plug-in records updated Font Sense metadata with
the document. The documents no longer rely solely on names to identify the fonts used in them.
When you open documents containing Font Sense specifications, the plug-ins use the Font Sense data to determine
and activate precisely the right fonts. Since the font metadata is saved within the document, detailed font information
travels with it. No matter where the document is opened, Font Sense knows precisely which fonts to activate.
Preparing Documents and Libraries
The ultimate goal of using Font Sense is that you—and the people in your workflow—never encounter missing fonts,
font conflicts, or issues with multiple versions of the same font. To make this happen, you need to:
• Make sure documents have Font Sense metadata saved with them. If the documents were previously
opened with the plug-ins from Font Reserve, Font Reserve Server, Universal Type Server or a previous
version of Suitcase Fusion, they will already contain this data.
• Make sure users in your workflow have all the fonts that they need and have added those fonts to Suitcase
Fusion.
• Users should select the appropriate library from which to activate fonts from the plug-in options in the design
application.
In Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, choose Type > Suitcase Fusion > Library, then select a specific
library or All Libraries.
In QuarkXpress, choose Utilities > Suitcase Fusion > Library, then select a specific library or All
Libraries.
Unless you select the All Libraries option, the plug-ins only auto-activate and create sets from fonts in one
library.