Refresh Word's Font List

[Eric L.]

I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around Windows
only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after reinstalling it and
having the font work in all other apps (including Excel), it isn't
corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches font information
separately from Windows.

Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is refresh
Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?

So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office installer
doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office and it
doesn't bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office, which is
pretty disappointing.

Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Have you restarted both Word and Windows since you reinstalled the font?
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around Windows
only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after reinstalling it and
having the font work in all other apps (including Excel), it isn't
corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches font information
separately from Windows.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is refresh
Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office installer
doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office and it doesn't
bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office, which is pretty
disappointing.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

[Eric L.]

Post by Suzanne S. Barnhill
Have you restarted both Word and Windows since you reinstalled the font?

Yes. I restarted after uninstalling word, reinstalling word, and
installing the font.

[Eric L.]

Post by Suzanne S. Barnhill
Have you restarted both Word and Windows since you reinstalled the font?

Yes. I restarted after uninstalling word, reinstalling word, and
installing the font.

[Tom Ferguson]

The font list that Word generates depends on the printer drive installed and
selected as default. Try deleting the present driver, rebooting and
reinstalling the printer using a new copy of its driver from the maker's web
site.

Is Acrobat Distiller as a printer?

Personally, I have not seen this particular problem affecting Word before
but have seen it with Works.

Let us know.

Tom

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around Windows
only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after reinstalling it and
having the font work in all other apps (including Excel), it isn't
corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches font information
separately from Windows.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is refresh
Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office installer
doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office and it doesn't
bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office, which is pretty
disappointing.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

[Eric L.]

I previously tried changing the printer and then changing it back, but I
didn't think of going to this extent.

However, after following those steps exactly, nothing changed.

I don't have Acrobat Distiller, although I do have CutePDF installed.
The default printer has always been the HP Laserjet which I reinstalled.

Is there a way to just rename the font and force it to recognize the
changes?

Post by Tom Ferguson
The font list that Word generates depends on the printer drive installed
and selected as default. Try deleting the present driver, rebooting and
reinstalling the printer using a new copy of its driver from the maker's
web site.
Is Acrobat Distiller as a printer?
Personally, I have not seen this particular problem affecting Word
before but have seen it with Works.
Let us know.
Tom

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around
Windows only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after
reinstalling it and having the font work in all other apps (including
Excel), it isn't corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches
font information separately from Windows.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is
refresh Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office
installer doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office
and it doesn't bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office,
which is pretty disappointing.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

[Tom Ferguson]

What printer are you using as default? What is the type and source of the
printer driver?

Do you have any PostScript fonts installed? If so, is there a PostScript
version of Optima installed?

Have you ever added any entries to any font substitution table or modify any
font substitution defaults?

Tom

Post by Eric L.
I previously tried changing the printer and then changing it back, but I
didn't think of going to this extent.
However, after following those steps exactly, nothing changed.
I don't have Acrobat Distiller, although I do have CutePDF installed. The
default printer has always been the HP Laserjet which I reinstalled.
Is there a way to just rename the font and force it to recognize the
changes?

Post by Tom Ferguson
The font list that Word generates depends on the printer drive installed
and selected as default. Try deleting the present driver, rebooting and
reinstalling the printer using a new copy of its driver from the maker's
web site.
Is Acrobat Distiller as a printer?
Personally, I have not seen this particular problem affecting Word before
but have seen it with Works.
Let us know.
Tom

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around Windows
only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after reinstalling it and
having the font work in all other apps (including Excel), it isn't
corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches font information
separately from Windows.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is refresh
Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office installer
doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office and it
doesn't bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office, which is
pretty disappointing.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

[Character]

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around Windows
only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after reinstalling it and
having the font work in all other apps (including Excel), it isn't
corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches font information
separately from Windows.

No it doesn't. But it is selective in decideing which ones to show in
its list - based primarily on the printer driver, but you say that
you've already addressed that particular issue.

Post by Eric L.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is refresh
Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?

Word doesn't have a font cache, although it maintains a list of
recently used fonts.

However, WINDOWS has a font cache that could be giving a problem. It
can be deleted with no ill effects, as it will be regenerated as
needed AFTER REBOOTING. For Windows 2000, XP, and vista, it's here:

C:\Windows\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT

Post by Eric L.
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office installer
doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office and it
doesn't bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office, which is
pretty disappointing.

Word saves information about the fonts used in each document, but
unless you've embedded fonts (it's a save option), it doesn't matter
whether or not the fonts are available - the fonts originally used
will be shown when you highlight the text where they were used.

Post by Eric L.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

What operating system and what version of Word?

Are you using Windows presentation foundation (WPF)?

What version of Optima do you have? Specifically, what font FILE or
files (what file names) and from what vendor. Type 1 (.pfb/.pfm)
Truetype (.ttf), or OpenType (.otf)? Have you installed other variants
(e.g., bold, italic, expert)?

When you go to the C:\windows\fonts folder (either directly or through
Control Panel/Fonts) what Optima fonts does it display?

- Character

[Eric L.]

Post by Character

Post by Eric L.
I had to reinstall a font, Optima, because the first time around
Windows only gave me the font in extra bold. But even after
reinstalling it and having the font work in all other apps (including
Excel), it isn't corrected in Word. I think it is because Word caches
font information separately from Windows.

No it doesn't. But it is selective in decideing which ones to show in
its list - based primarily on the printer driver, but you say that
you've already addressed that particular issue.

Yes, I've done the reinstall of the printer, and as I said it works just
fine everywhere else, including other Office apps.

Post by Character

Post by Eric L.
Reinstalling Word did not fix my issue. All I can think to do is
refresh Word's font cache. Or perhaps do something in the registry?

Word doesn't have a font cache, although it maintains a list of recently
used fonts.
However, WINDOWS has a font cache that could be giving a problem. It can
be deleted with no ill effects, as it will be regenerated as needed
C:\Windows\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT

This was informative, but unfortunately didn't solve the problem.

Post by Character

Post by Eric L.
So, can anyone tell me where Microsoft Word 2007 stores the font
information it presents when you choose your font? The Office
installer doesn't even bother to remove it when you uninstall Office
and it doesn't bother to overwrite it when you re-install Office,
which is pretty disappointing.

Word saves information about the fonts used in each document, but unless
you've embedded fonts (it's a save option), it doesn't matter whether or
not the fonts are available - the fonts originally used will be shown
when you highlight the text where they were used.

Post by Eric L.
Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks.

What operating system and what version of Word?

Windows 7 (trial version) and Word 2007

Post by Character
Are you using Windows presentation foundation (WPF)?

No.

Post by Character
What version of Optima do you have? Specifically, what font FILE or
files (what file names) and from what vendor. Type 1 (.pfb/.pfm)
Truetype (.ttf), or OpenType (.otf)? Have you installed other variants
(e.g., bold, italic, expert)?
When you go to the C:\windows\fonts folder (either directly or through
Control Panel/Fonts) what Optima fonts does it display?

TrueType. The details show it is a copyright of Heidelberger
Corporation, but I am not sure of the vendor. It does come in separate
files for Reg, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, and Extra Bold, though, if
that matters.


I'm kind of running out of ideas. If Word's font-handling is mostly
built-in to the program I would like to see it clean those settings up
when you uninstall it, but unfortunately it doesn't.

[Character]

Post by Eric L.

Post by Character
When you go to the C:\windows\fonts folder (either directly or through
Control Panel/Fonts) what Optima fonts does it display?

TrueType. The details show it is a copyright of Heidelberger
Corporation, but I am not sure of the vendor. It does come in separate
files for Reg, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, and Extra Bold, though, if
that matters.

Yes it does!!

Windows only recognizes 4 variants of any given font family, so, for
example, 'Optima Extra Bold' would have to be given a name as a
separate FAMILY, not a style of Optima. It DOES work in a Mac
enviroment, and with most Adobe applications. With non-conforming
font families installed, Windows and MS applications simply get confused.

There are many implementations of Optima that carry a Heidelberger
copyright notice, primarily from Linotype and Adobe. The Heidelberger
copyright comes in many forms depending on who and when produced the
fonts - the complete copyright notices and dates can serve to indicate
the source of your fonts.

If you can, I would go back to where you obtained them.

IF the regular/bold/italic fonts are compatible with each other and
coded and named properly, try uninstalling just the Extra Bold version
and see what happens.

Post by Eric L.
I'm kind of running out of ideas. If Word's font-handling is mostly
built-in to the program I would like to see it clean those settings up
when you uninstall it, but unfortunately it doesn't.