Time Required for Font Assistant to Load Varies
  
PSS ID Number: Q116098
Article last modified on 09-10-1996
 
1.00
 
WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Office Assistant for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft TrueType Font Pack 2
 - Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1
 - Microsoft Word Assistant version 1.0
 - Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a
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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:\WINDOWS). 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.