TechNote (Archived)

Troubleshooting Font Issues on Macintosh

1	Check for corrupt or incomplete fonts.
	This is the most common cause of font-related issues on a Macintosh. A corrupt or incomplete font must be removed or replaced in order to resolve the issue. Refer to How to detect a corrupt font on the Macintosh (TechNote 15830) for instructions. Corrupt or incomplete fonts can cause many different symptoms, including missing outlines, jagged text, and inability to use a particular font. A corrupt font can also cause Macromedia Flash to crash. Refer toMacromedia Flash crashes due to corrupt font (TechNote 15149) for details. Note:The problem font may not actually be a font you are using. Any corrupt or incomplete font installed on the system may cause problems with other fonts.
2	Rebuild the font cache (OS X only).
	A font cache will be rebuilt automatically after it is deleted. Close Macromedia Flash, and locate and delete the following files: com.apple.FCacheLocalDomain, com.apple.FCacheClassicDomain, and com.apple.FCacheUserDomain for all users. For steps to find and delete these files, refer to How to detect a corrupt font on the Macintosh (TechNote 15830).
3	Use supported font types.
	Make sure you are using a font type supported by Macromedia Flash. Refer to What types of fonts can be used with Macromedia Flash? (TechNote 4105) for information.
4	Keep number of fonts installed under 500.
	Sometimes, problems can occur when the machine has a large number of fonts installed. Refer toMacromedia Flash crashes due to corrupt font (TechNote 15149) for details. If you experience very slow performance or crashing, check the number of fonts you have installed. To troubleshoot, temporarily remove fonts until you have only 300 fonts installed. If the problem is resolved, add more fonts if you need them.
5	Disable or update font management software.
	If you are using font management software such as Adobe Type Manager (ATM), Suitcase, Font Reserve, or any other font manager, turn off or disable it and re-open Macromedia Flash to test for conflicts. If the problem is resolved, check for available updates to your software. If no updates are available, disable font management while using Macromedia Flash. Conflicts with older versions of font management software can result in Text appears incorrectly in Macromedia Flash interface (TechNote 14735) and other problems with text.
6	Understanding different types of Text Fields and fonts
	Input or Dynamic text fields and device fonts render differently than embedded fonts or Static text fields. If you are experiencing problems with incorrect display of fonts on playback or when printing text from Macromedia Flash Player, refer to Working with Text (in the Macromedia Flash Help system,) orUsing fonts in Macromedia Flash 5 and later (TechNote 15403) to learn more about different types of text fields and their expected behavior with fonts.