I propose a more font-management capability be embedded in PageStream. Although some platforms contain font managers to support them requires using their API which means duplicated work. To add such a capability to PageStream natively gives the same interface to all users on all platforms.

1. Adding fonts. Fonts can be added singly, multiple select or a directory at a time. When adding there should be an option to "use from existing location" or
"copy fonts". The location to copy to should be automatic and transparent/invisible to the user. This would also be somewhat platform specific? Possibilities are:

Windows: Application subdirectory. Advantage, all users have it in the same place. Disadvantage, only administrators can do so on WinXP, etc. This behavior can be seen as a bonus as it helps insulate PageStream on a "corporate desktop" from the vagaries of users. Even on such systems normal users could still add fonts with the "use from existing location" option. Complication: that location might not be available to all users. Solution: maintain two font listings: system wide (in the application directory) and user (under documents and settings, local settings). These are then merged on startup.
Linux: same as Windows, though the user directory is under /home and the user location should be in ~/.PageStream5
OS X: same thing, though different directories again.
Amiga: no user management so it is the simple case with "use from directory" merged? No, probably better to have "use from" font dirs as a separate file for platform consistency.

2. If a font directory is added a matching font collection is automatically added. If fonts, singly or multi-select, are added they do not get into a font collection.

3. All Fonts. Includes all fonts, whether or not they are in a collection. Internally perhaps this would be represented as a collection? But I think from a user stand point there should be a catch-all that is logically distinct from the collections. For one, a font should not be removable from this catch-all so it behaves differently from a collection.

4. Font Collections. "Collections" are logical groupings of fonts. They can be created and removed, activated and deactivated. A collection is simply a list of fonts. A font can be in any number of collections. Allowing collections of collections is a nice convenience, but I suspect complicates the behind doors mechanisms. Or maybe not. In any case, nice but not essential.

5. User interface preferences. This is tricky. I propose some modification to as well as extension of the current system.

In the edit palette there is a font popup menu. This should only show fonts in collections marked as active. Fonts not in any active collection but used by currently selected text should have entries at the top of the listing above the "mixed" entry.

The font dialog window should have two scrolling lists (one for collections, the second for fonts in the currently selected collection) and the font sample.

------- Additional Comment #1 From Tim Doty 2006-05-07 15:07 -------

I knew I was forgetting something. The font dialog needs further enhancements to allow:

1. Adding of a new collection
2. Removal of an existing collection
3. Adding a font to a collection
4. Removing a font from a collection

1. Adding collection. A simple button "New Collection" pops up a dialog for naming it. If collections can include other collections a popup menu of existing (hierarchical) collections to choose the parent.

2. Remove collection. A button "Remove Collection" pops up a dialog to confirm deletion of the current collection. This should be immediate action to avoid in/out of the dialog and is destructive so it needs confirmation.

3. Add font. Drag a font (second pane) to the desired collection (first pane) and drop.

4. Remove font. Use a button (with confirm). Dragging out of the window should also work.

Also, forgot there should to be *four* special groupings whose membership is
managed by PageStream:

1. All Fonts. This "collection" has all fonts that are installed in PageStream, whether or not they are in an active collection.

2. Orphaned Fonts. This "collection" has all fonts not in a font collection.

3. Active Fonts. This "collection" shows a synthesis of all active font collections.

4. Inactive Fonts. This "collection" shows all fonts not in any active collection.