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 using OpenType fonts. OpenType, jointly developed by Adobe and Microsoft over 20 years ago, is cross-platform compatible with both Windows and macOS, and can support much larger character sets with more advanced typographic features than the legacy TrueType or PostScript formats.

Typefi Cloud (and Adobe InDesign Server) support OpenType (PS or TT), Windows TrueType, and Windows PostScript Type 1 fonts. You cannot use Macintosh TrueType (including .dfont) or Macintosh PostScript Type 1 fonts with Typefi Cloud.

If you have installed Typefi Workgroup on macOS, in addition to supporting Windows TrueType and PostScript Type 1, you can use Macintosh TrueType (including .dfont) and Macintosh PostScript Type 1 fonts.

Note: InDesign and InDesign Server do not currently support color fonts (OpenType-SVG) or 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, Typekit; see also below) are excluded from packaging due to licensing restrictions.

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.

Note: Typefi Desktop is fully compatible with font subscription services like Adobe Typekit, FontStand, and Monotype Library Subscription (see 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" icon 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 fonts from my Typekit or Monotype Library subscription
with Typefi Cloud?

No. Adobe Typekit and Monotype Library Subscription font licenses do not allow you to use the fonts with a hosted InDesign Server. This requires a perpetual desktop license to be purchased directly from the foundry or from an authorized reseller. Perpetual desktop licenses can be purchased through Fontspring, Fonts.com, Phil's Fonts, or other resellers.

Can I use fonts from my Typekit or Monotype Library subscription
with Typefi Workgroup?

Not really. Subscription fonts are installed in secure locations on your computer and the licenses do not allow copying or moving fonts, which would be required to make them available to InDesign Server. You could try installing the Creative Cloud desktop app or the Monotype app on the same computer as InDesign Server, but InDesign Server doesn't support auto-activation or syncing of fonts from Typekit or Fonts.com. Instead, purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or from an authorized reseller.

Can I send fonts from Monotype Library Subscription to Typefi Cloud?

No. Sending a font requires the recipient to have SkyFonts Client software to manage the font sharing license terms. SkyFonts Client is not supported by Typefi Cloud, nor is it licensed for use with a hosted InDesign Server. Instead, you must purchase perpetual desktop licenses from the foundry or from an authorized reseller.

Can I use fonts that I'm renting from FontStand with Typefi Cloud
or Typefi Workgroup?

Maybe. FontStand is different from traditional font subscription services. Instead of paying a one-time fee for a perpetual desktop license, FontStand rents individual fonts for 30 day periods. After you rent a font for a total of twelve 30-day periods you are "Paid in Full". These paid-in-full fonts may be eligible for use with Typefi Cloud or Workgroup; you'll have to look at the original foundry EULA you'll receive when you download paid-in-full fonts.

Can I use a font subscription service with Typefi Desktop?

Yes. Fonts synced from 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. Typekit and Monotype Library Subscription 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 (instead, purchase an embedding license directly from the foundry).