fonts for all users

[Guest theeldergeek]

I need to install some fonts for all users of the Mac network, and I understand that it is possible to install these on our xserve, thereafter each user will have access to them through their various applications (Word etc) after they logon.

 

I have looked at Mac OS X: Font Locations and Their Purposes which says to utilise the /Network/Library/Fonts/ folder.

 

Only trouble is, I can't find a folder via that path on the xserve, all I can find is /main_drive/library/fonts and /main_drive/system/library/fonts (where main drive is the boot volume containing the OS)

 

I have absolutely no idea how to find the path /Network/Library/Fonts/ !

 

I do know that you just double click the font and install using fontbook, but where do you install it to so that everyone who logs onto the network (i.e. those with a network account)?

 

I want to avoid visiting EVERY machine and installing fonts just so a handful of users have access to them!

[AntonioRocco]

Hi

 

"I have absolutely no idea how to find the path /Network/Library/Fonts!"

 

That's because it does not exist. You have create it first. Create a folder/directory on the Server. Call it whatever you like. Fonts is as good a name as anything. Place your Fonts into it. Launch Server Admin. Click on the Server Name and select File Sharing. Select the volume you created the folder in. Click the Browse tab. You should now see the created folder. Click Share. On the Share Tab select the Enable Automount option. From the resulting window make sure LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 is selected. Select Shared Library Folder. You should be prompted to authenticate using the diradmin account details.

 

Leave the default permissions as they are. Hopefully that should work?

 

There are three font locations on OSX 10.5:

 

1 /Users/Home/Library/Fonts

2 /Library/Fonts

3 /System/Library/Fonts

 

Number 1 is where you should be placing any additional fonts. Fonts should be placed 'loose' within that folder. No nesting of fonts within folders for example. Fontbook places/moves fonts to this location

 

Number 2 is where 3rd Party applications such as Microsoft Office generally places fonts. You can place additional fonts here as well although you should really use number 1 as it makes it easier to troubleshoot in case there's a problem.

 

Leave Number 3 alone.

 

Previous versions of the OS added to these locations with an additional Font location. This location was there to support the 'Classic' environment. Although the fonts were also available to OSX.

 

If you have ARD you could simply copy the fonts over to mac clients simultaneously.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

[DMcCoy]

ARD is indeed the better option.

 

I used a network library for fonts etc, but only very briefly.

 

Should the network library become inaccessible for any reason then all the clients will tend to go to the spinning ball of death until restarted. In the end it wasn't worth the potential problems for us to use it.

[Guest theeldergeek]

Hi

 

If you have ARD you could simply copy the fonts over to mac clients simultaneously.

 

 

We use Apple Remote Desktop, but how can I copy to all clients simultaneously?

 

Unfortunately, I'd also have to visit each workstation and power it on too, as we don't have 'Lights Out' management here.

[HodgeHi]

You use the copy facility in ARD to copy the fonts.

 

Make sure that the clients are set up to accept copying for the user that you select, most probably the local admin user.

 

Open ARD. Select the client that you want to copy fonts to. Click on the copy icon. Click on the plus icon and find the fonts or select them in a finder window and drag them onto the copy task you just started. Choose system fonts folder from the place items in drop-down menu. and then click copy.

 

This is how i do my fonts although it is only a few of them.

 

They should automatically be available to use as well.

 

The lights out management is only available on the servers so the best way to do this would be to use WGM to start the machines up at a certain time every morning. You can sometimes wake the machines from sleep, although i found this to be hit and miss. Could be due to the Wake for ethernet network administrator access function found under energy saver options in System prefs.

[Guest theeldergeek]

You use the copy facility in ARD to copy the fonts.

 

Thanks guys - used ARD and it worked like a charm