Fonts and Typefi

31 January 2018

"Fonts have different personalities that can create trust or mistrust, give you confidence, make things seem easier to do or make a product taste better. Understand the science behind how fonts influence what you read. They're hidden in plain sight, they trigger memories, associations and multi-sensory experiences in your imagination. You may not believe it, but fonts can change the meanings of words right before your very eyes, alter the taste of your food, evoke emotional responses and reveal their users' personalities." — Sarah Hyndman, author of Why Fonts Matter.

What fonts are supported by InDesign Server?

While Adobe InDesign and InDesign Server both support OpenType (PS or TT), TrueType, and PostScript Type 1 fonts, we recommend OpenType fonts. OpenType, jointly developed by Adobe and Microsoft over 20 years ago, is the cross-platform successor to legacy TrueType and PostScript fonts (and it supports much larger character sets with more advanced typographic features).

Note: Macintosh TrueType and Macintosh PostScript Type 1 fonts are platform-specific and can only be used when InDesign Server is installed on macOS. Typefi Cloud, being Windows-based, does not support Macintosh TrueType (suitcases or .dfonts) or Macintosh PostScript fonts.

Note: Color font support (OpenType-SVG; 🌈) is now available with the October 2018 releases of InDesign CC and InDesign Server CC (aka InDesign CC 2019 or InDesign v14.x). No version of InDesign or InDesign Server currently supports variable fonts (OpenType Font Variations).

How do I upload my fonts to Typefi (Cloud or Workgroup)?

Before you upload a font, please make sure that your fonts are supported by Typefi (see above; Typefi Cloud supports OpenType (PS or TT), Windows TrueType, and Windows PostScript Type 1 fonts) and confirm that your font licenses provide for all named Typefi users in your organization (most standard end user licenses license fonts for use on up to five computers and one printer). If everything is set, simply upload your fonts like any other file. For more information on uploading files, see Getting Started: Working with Files.

I've uploaded my fonts. How do I get Typefi to activate them?

While font management utilities like Extensis Suitcase Fusion, Monotype Font Explorer X, or FontBase can auto-activate fonts for InDesign, none of these tools support InDesign Server. Instead, activating fonts for InDesign Server is done using document installed fonts—that is, fonts in a "Document Fonts" folder located in the same folder as the InDesign template. These fonts are temporarily activated whenever the template is opened, and turned off when the job completes.

Use the InDesign Package command to create a "Document Fonts" folder on your local computer (make sure that both Copy Fonts and Include Fonts and Links from Hidden and Non-Printing Layers are selected).

Note: Double-byte fonts (typically Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) and subscription fonts (for example, Adobe Fonts) cannot be packaged due to licensing restrictions. For more information on subscription font limitations, see Can I use fonts from my Adobe Fonts (Typekit) or Monotype Mosaic with Typefi Cloud below.

Tip: If your organization uses Extensis Universal Type Server to organize and distribute your fonts, you may be able to use Extensis FontLink to automatically identify and match your template fonts using the Gather Fonts action in your Typefi workflow. Contact your IT department to check if FontLink is available.

Whether you've manually uploaded your fonts or will use FontLink, the next step is adding a Copy Folder action to your Typefi workflow (before any InDesign actions). Use Copy Folder to copy from the folder containing your template fonts to a "Document Fonts" folder inside your job folder:

Note: You must upgrade to at least Typefi Server 8.3 and Adobe InDesign plug-in version 18 to support document installed font activation.

How do I add a font to Typefi Desktop?

Since Typefi Desktop is a desktop application, you can install or activate fonts using your operating system or any standard font management utility. For more information, see Installing Fonts.

And because Typefi Desktop is a desktop application, you can also use any cloud-based font subscription services like Adobe Fonts (Typekit), Monotype Mosaic, or FontStand. For more information, see Can I use a font subscription service with Typefi Desktop below.

Can I use Google Fonts with Typefi?

Yes! 😀

To download Google Fonts, simply create a selection of fonts, open the drawer at the bottom of the screen, then click the Download link in the upper-right corner of the selection drawer. You can download the fonts to use locally on your computer, or on a server such as Typefi Workgroup or Typefi Cloud. Google Fonts are licensed for personal and business use, and include embedding in any ebook format such as EPUB, Kindle (mobi), and PDF.

For more information, see Google Fonts' Frequently Asked Questions.

Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Mosaic with Typefi Desktop?

Yes! 😀

Fonts synced from Adobe Fonts (Typekit), FontStand, or the Monotype app can be used with any desktop program (such as Typefi Desktop and Adobe InDesign) for both personal and business use. Adobe Fonts (Typekit) and Monotype Mosaic fonts are licensed for embedding in any ebook format which adequately protects the font data such as EPUB, Kindle (mobi), and PDF. But FontStand does not allow embedding with its subscription license (you'll have to purchase an embedding license directly from the foundry instead).

Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Mosaic with Typefi Cloud?

No. ☹️

Adobe Fonts (Typekit), Monotype Mosaic, and other cloud-based font subscription licenses do not allow you to use the fonts with a hosted InDesign Server. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or from an authorized reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, or Phil's Fonts).

Can I rent fonts from FontStand for Typefi Cloud or Typefi Workgroup?

Maybe. 😕

FontStand is different from other cloud-based font subscription services. Instead of paying an ongoing monthly fee, FontStand fonts are "rent-to-own" and after renting for 12 monthly rental periods, you are "paid in full". So while a rented font will not work, a paid-in-full font might work… it all depends on any restrictions in the EULA included with your download of the paid-in-full font from FontStand.

Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Mosaic with Typefi Workgroup?

Not really. 🙁

Subscription fonts are installed in a secure location on your computer and the licenses do not allow copying or moving fonts, which would be required to use them with InDesign Server. Although you might think you could install the Creative Cloud Desktop app or Monotype app on the same computer as your InDesign Server, it won't really work because InDesign Server doesn't support auto-activation or syncing of fonts from Adobe Fonts (Typekit) or Fonts.com. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or from an authorized reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, or Phil's Fonts).

Can I send fonts from Monotype Mosaic to Typefi Cloud?

Nope. ☹️

Sending a font requires the recipient have the SkyFonts Client software installed to accept the font sharing license terms. SkyFonts Client is not supported by Typefi Cloud, nor is it licensed for use with InDesign Server. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or from an authorized reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, or Phil's Fonts).