Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

LOOKSystems website down? (FontDirectory Pro)

10 views
Skip to first unread message

gokhart

unread,
Oct 4, 2009, 5:32:24 PM10/4/09
to
Hi,

Been a while since I last posted on csa... anyhow, just thought I'd
ask here if the LOOKSystems website for Font Directory Pro
(riscos.looksystems.org.uk) is down, or whether there is a more up-to-
date web address for downloading Font Dir Pro (www.looksystems.co.uk
works fine, but has no RISC OS section). I still have my Activation
Key.

I'm trying to move my VirtualAcorn installation from PC to Mac and it
seems the ADFS disc image file (which I created solely for installing
Font Directory Pro) won't read properly on the Mac version.

I've posted a question on the VirtualAcorn forums about it, but if I
can't resolve it.... I may have to create an empty ADFS disc image
afresh, and install Font Directory Pro and my fonts from scratch.

Thanks,

Govind

newsgroups

unread,
Oct 5, 2009, 5:32:18 PM10/5/09
to
In message <8749d93c-9755-4d0c...@p23g2000vbl.googlegro
ups.com>
gokhart <gk5...@me.com> wrote:

You have the wrong Look Systems - try

http://www.looksystems.ltd.uk/expertise.php

--
=> Peter Watkins
=>
=================================================

Govind Kharbanda

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 10:56:47 AM10/6/09
to
On Oct 5, 10:32 pm, "newsgroups" <n...@invalid.penhelyg.me.uk> wrote:

>
> You have the wrong Look Systems - try
>
>  http://www.looksystems.ltd.uk/expertise.php
>

I've already been on that website but there doesn't appear to be a
link to a RISC OS products section... I emailed Adrian Look yesterday
using the email address I had for him in 20 June 2005 (which is also a
looksystems.ltd.uk address) but no response yet. At the time he was
very helpful and produced a modified version (3.11 beta) which fixed
some installation problems under VirtualAcorn and also updated the
FontDirPro website in response to my feedback.

I'll wait a few more days, but in case I hit a dead end, would anyone
be able to email me a copy of !Install for 3.11 beta or later - I
assume this is legit as I will be using my own product key...

Govind

M Harding

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 11:40:17 AM10/6/09
to
In article
<b7b77394-e847-4faa...@d23g2000vbm.googlegroups.com>,

I've recently upgraded from FontDir Pro 2 to 3 but it's 3.10 and
certainly doesn't work with VA. (In fact it seems to have gone awry
with my Kinetic, so I've reverted to v 2.

I'd be interested in a version that worked with VA. Please keep us
posted if eventually you track him down - I had to wait a few days for
the key to unlock the program, so that may be some time.

Michael Harding
Rev. Preb. M.D. Harding ris...@mdharding.org.uk

BernardUK

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 1:16:02 PM10/6/09
to
I can't now remember where I saw this, but my understanding is that
FontDir/FontFS uses an image filing system option (for its font store)
that is not supported by RISC OS 6. So although it can still be made
to run under 4, 5 and VRPC+4, it is no longer supported by its author,
and one is better replacing it by a supported solution, such as
EasyFont Pro (from APDL, who no doubt can advise further).

--
Bernard

Steve Fryatt

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 5:16:52 PM10/6/09
to
BernardUK <b.b...@bcs.org> wrote:

> I can't now remember where I saw this, but my understanding is that
> FontDir/FontFS uses an image filing system option (for its font store)
> that is not supported by RISC OS 6.

IIRC, it uses ADFS D format, which has been deprecated since RISC OS 2 days.
Moreover, the formar only supports 512MB of data, before things start to go
wrong -- so if you use it for a lot of fonts, it will probably break.

--
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England

http://www.stevefryatt.org.uk/

Govind Kharbanda

unread,
Oct 7, 2009, 5:57:57 AM10/7/09
to

I've had a rummage around and discovered I have an Easy Font Pro v5
CD. I can't for the life of me remember why I stopped using it and
moved across to Font Directory Pro. Anyhow, as you say, I can move
back across to that option.

Govind

Govind Kharbanda

unread,
Oct 7, 2009, 6:20:03 PM10/7/09
to
> I'll wait a few more days, but in case I hit a dead end, would anyone
> be able to email me a copy of !Install for 3.11 beta or later - I
> assume this is legit as I will be using my own product key...
>
> Govind

I've found it - just clicked the spotlight icon on my Mac and typed
in !Install and hey presto - it was hidden in Macintosh HD >
Applications > Virtual Acorn > VirtualRPC-AdjustSA > HardDisc4 > DTP >
FontDirPro

Seems to be working fine so far, but a bit slow in that it is having
to do everything within a single 186MB ADFS disc image, and resizing
the partition is taking a surprisingly long time. Haven't got as far
as installing my fonts yet... if anyone else wants 3.11 beta please
let me know.

Govind


Govind Kharbanda

unread,
Oct 28, 2009, 2:20:51 PM10/28/09
to

To wrap up this thread...

I did find FontDirPro 3.11 and reinstalled it, however it crashed when
I was adding loads of fonts and at this point, I realised I didn't
want to go through the hassle of using partitions and disc images.

I moved back to using Easy Font Pro v5 - it crashed on installation, I
upgraded from the Fabis version to the latest APDL version and all is
now working fine.

Adrian Look emailed me today - he'd been on holiday and the
riscos.looksystems.org.uk site is now back up and running ;-)

0 new messages