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Download issues
#13860 01/22/11 03:06 PM
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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?

Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13863 01/22/11 03:44 PM
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Welcome to FineTunedMac, Vicki. smile

Could you post a link so that we can try to duplicate the problem?


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13864 01/22/11 04:56 PM
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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?


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13865 01/22/11 04:57 PM
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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.


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Re: Download issues
alternaut #13867 01/22/11 07:07 PM
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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.

Last edited by CoachVickie; 01/22/11 07:08 PM.
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13868 01/22/11 07:32 PM
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Post a link to the download. That way, we can try it for ourselves.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13869 01/22/11 07:35 PM
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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.


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Re: Download issues
alternaut #13871 01/22/11 08:36 PM
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When I double click on the font file the file opens up with a bunch of text that I can't read.

Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13873 01/22/11 08:42 PM
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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.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13876 01/22/11 09:46 PM
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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?



dkmarsh—member, FineTunedMac Co-op Board of Directors
Re: Download issues
artie505 #13877 01/22/11 10:09 PM
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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.


Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13878 01/22/11 10:14 PM
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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.

Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13879 01/22/11 10:24 PM
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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.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Download issues
artie505 #13885 01/23/11 03:35 AM
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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.

Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13888 01/23/11 06:21 AM
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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.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13895 01/23/11 01:55 PM
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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.


Back up everything you can't afford to lose: documents, mail, movies, music, photos, and other data and settings.
Re: Download issues
artie505 #13903 01/24/11 05:05 AM
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Thanks for your help, I have found my disks and will be trying the re-install tomorrow. I have to back everything up first.

Re: Download issues
CoachVickie #13904 01/24/11 05:19 AM
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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.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Download issues
artie505 #13905 01/24/11 07:47 AM
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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.

Re: Download issues
Hal Itosis #13906 01/24/11 09:30 AM
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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.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Download issues
Hal Itosis #14007 02/03/11 04:20 AM
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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.


Photo gallery, all about me, and more: www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
Re: Download issues
tacit #14037 02/04/11 03:13 AM
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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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