Microsoft KB Archive/116098

Time Required for Font Assistant to Load Varies

PSS ID Number: Q116098 Article last modified on 09-10-1996

1.00

WINDOWS

= SYMPTOMS =

When you start the Microsoft Font Assistant, it takes longer for the application to load if you have installed many TrueType fonts on your computer.

= CAUSE =

The time required to load the Font Assistant depends on the number of TrueType fonts you have installed on your computer. When you start the Font Assistant, a message appears listing the following processes that occur:

Reading font database…

Scanning system for installed TrueType fonts…

Loading font .FOT information…

Loading font PANOSE information…

Loading list boxes…

The more fonts you have installed on your computer, the longer it takes to complete each of these processes.

= MORE INFORMATION =

The processes that occur when you start the Font Assistant are described below:

Reading Font Database
The Font Assistant manages all the TrueType fonts on your computer. To do this, it creates the FAST.INI file in the Windows directory (usually C:). When you start the Font Assistant, it reads the font database, FAST.INI.

For more information about the FAST.INI file, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

font and assistant and fast.ini

Scanning System for Installed TrueType Fonts
The Font Assistant searches for all the TrueType fonts that are installed on your computer.

Loading Font .FOT Information
The Font Assistant searches for the .FOT file for each of your TrueType fonts. A TrueType .FOT file is a dynamic link library (DLL) that contains resources such as the font directory. Other resources are strings that contain information relevant to the font and its location.

For more information about TrueType font .FOT files, query on the following information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

truetype and fot and resources

Loading Font PANOSE Information
The Font Assistant searches for TrueType fonts that have PANOSE number, which is used to classify fonts based on their visual characteristics.

Loading List Boxes
After the Font Assistant loads the font PANOSE information, it loads the list boxes that appear in the Font Assistant, such as Font Group(s) and Fonts In Active Group(s), with all the TrueType fonts that are found on your computer, and the font information for each.

= REFERENCES =

For more information about starting Font Assistant, choose the Search button in Help and type:

starting

KBCategory: kbprint KBSubCategory: Additional reference words: 1.00 6.00 6.00a offasst fontasst ttf true type macppt winppt

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1996.