MSTrueType fonts lost and reloaded but how best to backup?

[theread]

msTrueTypeFonts

I was not a little annoyed to find that an update to Lucid Lynx v10.04 had
obliterated my msTrueType fonts, not something I would have expected from a
routine update to the LTS version....Grrrr...

None of the usual methods of retrieving these fonts worked, it was only by
chance (or desperation) that I visited my
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts folder and clicked on the single file
there out of curiosity to find it open in Kate to reveal

License refused.

Please reinstall the ttf-mscorefonts-installer package, e.g. via
apt-get install --reinstall ttf-mscorefonts-installer
to get prompted for the license again.

so I did that and now have them back again.

A note of caution - the licence comes up in what I call an old DOS Shell screen
on which the mouse does not work, so go for your TAB key to highlight the OK
(Ah! memories are made of this).

I have now copied this folder into a safe backup, but I read somewhere once,
that there are two aspects to font install in Kubuntu/Ubuntu - the 'raw' font
file proper and a configuration file. If this still applies I doubt that simply
copying my backup onto the machine would restore the fonts. What other
file/folder do I need to back up to avoid all the hassle in the future?

Thanks very much

Roy

[oldgeek]

Re: MSTrueType fonts lost and reloaded but how best to backup?

I had the same problem. What I did was to reload and install the original file, not the new update, from the software manager, and got the fonts back. When the update message appeared, I clicked Never Ask Again. Hopefully that solves the problem until the next version of Kubuntu. I have no idea how to back up the file, however.

[theread]

Re: MSTrueType fonts lost and reloaded but how best to backup?

Hello Greygeek,

Thanks for your interest. I think my first attempts at updating failed because my agreement to the eula had disappeared somehow. Anyway like you I hope the problem does not arise for a long time.

I see that there is a hidden folder in all users home directory called .fontconfig that contains a whole load of files which properties in dolphin refuses to classify. Maybe there is more in there than meets the eye, not that I intend to investigate further.

I also see from the ubuntu documentation that there is a font called ttf-liberation which is the same as arial. It is on my system (must be by default) and it is the same as arial, but who does a style sheet that specifies 'liberation' font!

Cheers

Roy