Previously I did a post on How to Install Microsoft Core Fonts on Ubuntu packages for compatibility with the fonts everyone else seems to be using. Of course, as an Open Source Advocate, I prefer to use the non-proprietary fonts but there do arise situations where many of us need compatibility so we’ve got to bend occasionally. This post is an addition to the previous, only this time I’ll outline how to convert and install fonts from your mac-based machine for use on Ubuntu.
First of all you need a quick program to convert the fonts because Mac embeds extra junk information in the fonts themselves. This’ll allow Ubuntu to read the font information and let you use them on your machine.
sudo aptitude install fondu
After this is installed simply copy your mac-based fonts into a folder and convert them using:
fondu * (or fondu <filename>)
Put these newly converted fonts into your fonts directory (~/.fonts) or, while inside the Nautilus file manager type CTRL-L to “Open Location” and type “fonts:///” You can also drag-drop your fonts into either location.
Between these last two posts you should have just about every font you’d ever need!
I’m trying to get all the fonts from my MacOSx Partition working on my Ubuntu Natty Partition.
cd ~/Desktop
sudo cp /media/Macintosh\ HD/System/Library/Fonts/* ./mac-fonts/
sudo cp /media/Macintosh\ HD/Library/Fonts/* ./mac-fonts/
sudo apt-get install fondu
sudo fondu ./*.ttf
This would work fine, but all the *.ttf are 0 Bytes (as viewed on the mac partition)
Why would they be 0 Bytes?