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Posted By: CoachVickie Download issues - 01/22/11 03:06 PM
I need help with a download problem. In the past I have downloaded free fonts from the web before with no problem but I tried to download some yesterday and my computer is not doing what it normally does and it will not open them. In the past when I downloaded a font a little screen would open on my desktop and then I could save it from there and it would be available for use. Now I don't get that little screen and I don't know what to do to be able to open these and save them. Any ideas?
Posted By: jchuzi Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 03:44 PM
Welcome to FineTunedMac, Vicki. smile

Could you post a link so that we can try to duplicate the problem?
Posted By: joemikeb Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 04:56 PM
In addition to Jon's request, it might also help us to know...
  • what version of OS X you are running (Click on the Apple Menu and select About this Mac)?
  • do you happen to remember what the extension was on the file you downloaded. Was it by any chance ".dmg"?
  • What is the extension of the font files you are having the problem with?
Posted By: alternaut Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 04:57 PM
In addition, you might want to tell us which web browser you're using: that determines the kind of download manager window that will pop up.
Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 07:07 PM
Thanks for your responses.

I am using Mac Os X version 10.5.8, Safari for the browser. The file type is ttf. I'm not sure what you would like me to post a link to though.
Posted By: jchuzi Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 07:32 PM
Post a link to the download. That way, we can try it for ourselves.
Posted By: alternaut Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 07:35 PM
OK, what I think is happening is that you used to have the checkbox 'Open "safe" files after downloading' ticked on Safari Prefs General tab*. When you open a .ttf font, the Fontbook utility (in your Mac's Applications folder) will open to load that font, which will then allow you to install it. But since that preference box apparently isn't checked any longer, Fontbook won't open automagically either. You'll have to do that manually by double-clicking the downloaded font file.

Another issue may be where Safari puts downloaded files like your fonts. You can see (and change) that on Safari Prefs General tab too.

*) NOT checking this box is very good practice from a security point of view.

PS, the request for a link simply would allow us to try things for ourselves with a file that caused you trouble.
Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 08:36 PM
When I double click on the font file the file opens up with a bunch of text that I can't read.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 08:42 PM
Originally Posted By: CoachVickie
When I double click on the font file the file opens up with a bunch of text that I can't read.

If you select one of your font files and do a command-I (Get Info), what is the "Open with" app?

If it's not Font Book, use the apparatus in the "Open with" pane to change it.
Posted By: dkmarsh Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 09:46 PM

Quote:
When I double click on the font file the file opens up with a bunch of text that I can't read.

What application does the file open up in?
Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 10:09 PM
Okay I checked the settings and the little box is still checked.

When I "get info" on the font it does not have any info about what program was used to open it (I haven't been able to open it) In the menu bar the "open with..." is dimmed, so I cannot select it.

I have looked everywhere I can think of for "Fontbook" on my computer (including spotlight) and I can't find it. Is it possible that I lost it. I do remember now that that was the name of the window that used to pop-up.

The link to the page I downloaded from is http://www.1001freefonts.com/ffonts6.php and the name of the font is Fraulein.

Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 10:14 PM
Oh yea one more thing... I tried today to download it using Firefox and it still did not open the little window and I cannot open the file.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Download issues - 01/22/11 10:24 PM
Originally Posted By: CoachVickie
Okay I checked the settings and the little box is still checked.

When I "get info" on the font it does not have any info about what program was used to open it (I haven't been able to open it) In the menu bar the "open with..." is dimmed, so I cannot select it.

I have looked everywhere I can think of for "Fontbook" on my computer (including spotlight) and I can't find it. Is it possible that I lost it. I do remember now that that was the name of the window that used to pop-up.

The link to the page I downloaded from is http://www.1001freefonts.com/ffonts6.php and the name of the font is Fraulein.

Font Book (correct spelling) is located, by default, in /Applications; if you can't find it there, and Spotlight can't find it elsewhere, it is likely that you somehow trashed it, and your fonts are probably opening up in Text Edit (thus the gobbledygook). (I don't understand why your "Get Info" pane hasn't got an "Open with" section. [You may have to click on the little arrow-head to expand it.])

If Font Book is really missing from your Mac, post back for instructions on how to restore it.
Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/23/11 03:35 AM
Yep I definitely lost it somehow.

I checked in my trash too and it's not there either, so I guess I need to know how to restore it.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Download issues - 01/23/11 06:21 AM
Originally Posted By: CoachVickie
Yep I definitely lost it somehow.

I checked in my trash too and it's not there either, so I guess I need to know how to restore it.

The easiest way will be if you've got access to another Mac that's also running Leopard. If so, you can simply burn that Mac's /Applications/Font Book to a CD and transfer it to your own Mac's /Applications folder with drag & drop. Follow that up by running the Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update if the source Mac is running an earlier version of OS X.

Alternatively (if you can lay your hands on your install/restore disc #1), you can run an Archive & Install. (Be certain to check the "Preserve User and Network Settings" box if such is your intention and to back up any data you can't afford to lose.) An A&I will leave you with the version of OS X with which your Mac shipped and may need to be followed up with a running of the 10.5.8 Combo, but, under any circumstances, should be followed up with a check of Software Update to see which, if any, other updates you need to reinstall.

If neither of those alternatives works for you, or if you prefer a more technical approach, I'll walk you through a Pacifist ($20 shareware, but free to try) extraction and installation.
Posted By: dianne Re: Download issues - 01/23/11 01:55 PM
CoachVickie,

You might also take a look at – Pacifist at CharlesSoft – which includes links to documentation and screenshots to help decide how you want to proceed in reinstalling Font Book.
Posted By: CoachVickie Re: Download issues - 01/24/11 05:05 AM
Thanks for your help, I have found my disks and will be trying the re-install tomorrow. I have to back everything up first.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Download issues - 01/24/11 05:19 AM
Originally Posted By: CoachVickie
Thanks for your help, I have found my disks and will be trying the re-install tomorrow. I have to back everything up first.

   cool   An Archive & Install is a piece of cake, and besides getting back Font Book you'll learn a bit about your Mac.
Posted By: Hal Itosis Re: Download issues - 01/24/11 07:47 AM
How do these things happen? If i open my /Applications folder now, and select Font Book, and then hit command-delete (i.e., intentionally try to trash [or even move] that app), i am greeted with a dialog asking for my password "to allow Finder to make changes".

It's not easy.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Download issues - 01/24/11 09:30 AM
Originally Posted By: Hal Itosis
How do these things happen? If i open my /Applications folder now, and select Font Book, and then hit command-delete (i.e., intentionally try to trash [or even move] that app), i am greeted with a dialog asking for my password "to allow Finder to make changes".

It's not easy.

You missed the fact that CoachVickie is running 10.5.8. The behavior you described first became OS X default in 10.6.
Posted By: tacit Re: Download issues - 02/03/11 04:20 AM
Originally Posted By: Hal Itosis
How do these things happen? If i open my /Applications folder now, and select Font Book, and then hit command-delete (i.e., intentionally try to trash [or even move] that app), i am greeted with a dialog asking for my password "to allow Finder to make changes".

It's not easy.


I have a client who has repeatedly accidentally deleted applications from his Applications folder. I don't know how he does it, but he's done it almost a dozen times.

I'd pay good money to understand what he's doing that makes it happen. It's not an issue like disk directory corruption--I've checked. Somehow, he'll just be using his computer and wham--some program he's using will end up in the trash.

10.6 made the computer prompt for a password when deleting something out of /Applications like you describe, so I wonder if there is some common thing people were doing or some common mistake people were making that was causing folks to accidentally delete applications. I sure would like to know how it happens.
Posted By: ganbustein Re: Download issues - 02/04/11 03:13 AM
Originally Posted By: tacit
10.6 made the computer prompt for a password when deleting something out of /Applications like you describe, so I wonder if there is some common thing people were doing or some common mistake people were making that was causing folks to accidentally delete applications. I sure would like to know how it happens.

Easy. Just remove the sticky bit from /Applications. You only have to follow someone's advice to use chmod 775 /Applications one time. (It should be chmod 1775 /Applications to set the sticky bit.)

But you don't even have to use Terminal. In Finder, Get Info on /Applications, click the + button to add your user to the permissions list, and give yourself read/write access. Finder responds by adding a new ACL that, among other things, grants you delete_child rights. ACLs trump standard Unix permissions, and the sticky bit on /Applications isn't even noticed.

Or even more simply, just grant everyone read/write access in Get Info. Finder removes the sticky bit when you do this. Once it's gone, Finder never puts it back.
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