New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
How to Install RoboFab on Windows for Dummies
Hello,
since two weeks i try to install robofab on mi windows vista system. but it doesnt work.
i got phyton 2.4 and now also python 2.3, install dialogkit and fonttools with a phython file... so on. Can anybody tell my -step by step for dummies- how i can install robofab and it will work?
thanks a lot
User login
Support our Sponsors
9 May 2011 — 10:06am
Hi,
Just installed RoboFab on XP myself and indeed it wasn’t completely straightforward. Especially getting FontTools to work required manual editing of a file. Here are my steps:
1. Python 2.4.4
http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.4.4/
download: "python-2.4.4.msi"
Run the downloaded file
2. NumPy
http://sourceforge.net/projects/numpy/files/NumPy/1.2.1/
download: "numpy-1.2.1-win32-superpack-python2.4.exe"
Run the downloaded file
3. Robofab+FontTools+DialogKit
http://robofab.org/download/index.html
download: "RoboFab + FontTools + DialogKit Combo"
Unzip file and place it in Program Files directory. I also shortened its name to "RoboFab226"
4. Robofab install
Go the the abovementioned "RoboFab226" directory, open the "RoboFab" directory and either:
– double click: install
– or open the Command Prompt and use C:\Python24\python.exe "C:\Program Files\RoboFab226\RoboFab\install.py"
5. DialogKit install
Go the the abovementioned "RoboFab226" directory, open the "DialogKit" directory and either:
– double click: install
– or open the Command Prompt and use C:\Python24\python.exe "C:\Program Files\RoboFab226\DialogKit\install.py"
6. FontTools install
Go to C:\Python24\Lib\site-packages
Open "dialogKit.pth" in a text editor
Replace its text by "C:\Program Files\RoboFab226\FontTools\Lib"
Save the file as "fonttools.pth"
Now open FontLab,
check in the properties window if Python is installed (otherwise you might need to check the FontLab preferences)
open a new macro window ("Edit macro")
type "from robofab.world import world ; print world"
and run it.
Hope this helps!
9 May 2011 — 11:29am
ok,
thank you much,
i will check this tomorrow
and give you an awnser.
hope tha'll work
10 May 2011 — 5:34am
DAMN!
Works very well, thank you so much!
10 May 2011 — 7:27am
No problem! I was pretty chuffed to get it running myself considering I’m a Mac user... :)
And before I forget: there’s a collection of scripts in the Robofab directory. Copy them to the Macros directory in the FontLab application directory.
26 May 2011 — 5:29am
Thanks for the post, Paul! Very useful to have the steps and versions listed.
Volunteers offering to build a better installer for Windows are always welcome :)
3 Jul 2011 — 4:21pm
Thank you! Finally it works!
29 Sep 2011 — 7:56am
Thanks again for posting this information, Paul. I just had to install Robofab on a new system while travelling, and I couldn't remember the fonttools.pth step.
30 Sep 2011 — 7:24am
Happy to help. :)
3 Oct 2011 — 6:35pm
Saving this thread for later (in case I forget). Thanks again!
11 Jan 2012 — 11:23pm
A great contribution. Thank you, Paul.
12 Apr 2012 — 1:38am
Than you for the information
in steep 3
I not find the "DialogKit Combo" from the link
"DialogKit" only is the same file?
13 Apr 2012 — 3:09am
I suggest to download the “RoboFab, FontTools, DialogKit, Vanilla Combo” from that page. I haven’t checked it out myself, but it is the current “all-in-one” package.
15 Apr 2012 — 11:13am
Thanks again