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Using Export and Import Suitcase Sets

Export and Import Suitcase Sets has been tested with Suitcase Fusion, X1 and 10 on PowerPC and Intel Macs running Mac OS X 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5. (Suitcase Fusion 2 and Suitcase Server are not compatible.)

Sample Uses

  • Your group is licensed to use the same fonts and you'd like everybody to have the same sets. Setup the sets on one computer, export the sets and copy the fonts to the other computers. Import the sets on the other computers after making sure that the path to the fonts is the same as it was on the original computer, e.g. Macintosh HD:Fonts:H:Helvetica. It's OK to move the fonts after the import. (Or update the export file- see tips below.)
  • Suitcase is doing strange things and you're about to trash its preferences. Export the sets first (to preserve all the fonts as well, see tips below), disable Suitcase's preferences, then import the sets to put things back to normal.
  • You've got a new computer and you'd like to keep your sets and fonts. Export the sets on the old computer (to preserve all the fonts as well, see tips below), move the fonts, then import the sets on your new computer after making sure that the path to the fonts is the same as it was on the old computer, e.g. Macintosh HD:Fonts:H:Helvetica. It's OK to move the fonts after the import. (Or update the export file- see tips below.)

Exporting All Suitcase Fonts

Fonts are only exported if they belong to sets. If you want to make sure that all of your fonts are exported, put all of your Suitcase fonts into a set before exporting:

  1. Select File->New Set (from the menu bar).
  2. Name the new set, e.g. "Suitcase Fonts 11".
  3. Select Suitcase Fonts or Suitcase Fusion Fonts from the popup menu at the bottom of the Suitcase window.
  4. Select one of the fonts at the bottom.
  5. Select Edit->Select All to select all the Suitcase fonts.
  6. Click on one of the selected fonts at the bottom then drag to the left and up to the new set.
  7. Proceed with the export.

Updating the Export File

If the path to a font changes, you'll need to update the export file before importing. For example, if the export Mac's hard drive is named "Macintosh HD" and the import Mac's hard drive is named "HD1", then you'll need to do a search and replace on the export file before importing:

  1. Double-click the export file- it should open in TextEdit.
  2. Select Edit->Find->Find... (from the menu bar).
  3. Enter "Macintosh HD" in the Find field (without the quotes).
  4. Enter "HD1" in the Replace with field (without the quotes).
  5. Select Replace All.
  6. Select File->Save.

Another example is placing a folder of fonts in a different location before importing. If the export Mac has a font folder at "Macintosh HD:Font Library" and the import Mac has the same font folder at "Macintosh HD:Users:jane:Font Library" then you'd need to do a search for the export path and replace with the import path before importing.

Exporting Permanent Fonts

Only set names and font locations are exported. Special set and font attributes aren't supported, for example Application sets, Suitcase Server sets and temporary fonts. Permanent activation is also not supported but can be preserved after a fashion:

  1. Select File->New Set (from the menu bar)
  2. Name the new set, e.g. "Permanent Fonts 11"
  3. Select Suitcase Fonts or Suitcase Fusion Fonts from the popup menu at the bottom of the Suitcase window
  4. Select the unlabeled column header to the left of Names- an arrow should appear on it- this will group the permanently activated fonts together
  5. Select the permanently activated fonts which have a green bullet in front of them
  6. Click on one of the selected fonts at the bottom then drag to the left and up to the new set
  7. Proceed with the export
  8. After importing, permanently activate the fonts within the "Permanent Fonts" set.