Most Mac applications activate fonts automatically when documents call for them. However, since leading applications from Adobe use proprietary font activation functionality, FontAgent® provides plugin software that you must install to enable automatic font activation in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and InCopy.
Older versions of FontAgent include auto-activation plugins for old QuarkXPress software, but Quark no longer supports the use of external font managers with QuarkXPress.
How Activation Plugins Work
FontAgent plugins intercept calls for activating fonts made by selected Adobe applications and direct them to FontAgent. When you open an InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop or InCopy document, the Adobe apps request FontAgent to activate the fonts contained in the document.
When you open an Adobe document, FontAgent plugins activate the fonts contained in the document. But the Adobe apps update their Font menus on a periodic basis of their choosing, and sometimes the activated fonts can take a few minutes to appears in the apps. When this happens, you can eliminate waiting for the fonts to appear by restarting the application.
Installing Activation Plugins
To install or update your Adobe Creative Suite auto-activation plugins, select the Install Plugins command from the Tools menu. FontAgent posts a dialog showing you availability of plug-ins for the Adobe apps on your Mac. If an application needs updating, click Update Plugin to install available plugin software for that application.
