Font Validation Fails in Leopard

[reinko]

Either when Time Machine of Spotlight runs (I'm not sure which), my system log fills up with messages such as these:
Nov 18 16:29:08 [hard disk name] /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework/Versions/A/Support/mdworker[627]: FontImporter: Validation failed - "[path to the font + filename]".
Nov 18 16:29:08 [hard disk name] /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework/Versions/A/Support/mdworker[627]: FontImporter: Validation Result - "<CFArray 0x183f90 [0xa023a174]>{type = mutable-small, count = 1, values = (\n 0 : <CFString 0x35f170 [0xa023a174]>{contents = "kATSFontTestSeverityFatalError"}\n)}".

I have a lot of fonts; there fonts are sometimes loaded as a collection into Font Book, sometimes not; it still finds them and reports this error. They preview well in Font Book, so there doesn't seem to be any problem. What's causing this?

For what it's worth, the last entry in the console before this list is
Nov 18 16:18:46 antelope com.apple.launchd[1] (0x10bb10.mdworker[715]): Exited: Killed

[Natobasso]

Ditch FontBook. It's horrible for anything more than the basic user's needs.

I recommend downloading http://www.linotype.com/fontexplorer. Use it first for Tools/Clean System Fonts. It will manage your system fonts and get all the non-system fonts out of there.

Create a folder of your own called MY FONTS or the like, and then link FE to that folder. Don't store all your fonts in the System/Fonts folder because you will experience problems.

Now if FE doesn't work in Leopard (I'm 90% certain it will work) then at least organize your fonts outside the system/fonts folder if you can.

Repair permissions: apps/utilities/disk utility/repair permissions

Let me know if these steps help.

[reinko]

Thanks for the advice. I ditched Suitcase some time ago and actually discovered that in Font book it's now possible to create libraries which aren't moved/copied to your fonts folder but just left where they are. I also removed tons of system fonts (andale mono? Apple gothic? wo needs this stuff?). I hate how it basically activates everything you import though. What a setting.

I've had trouble with it on more than one occasion, so I'm ready to give this a try. I'll get back to you in a few days.
Thanks again.

[reinko]

Wow! I just imported 6000 fonts and it's speedy as hell - the same can't be said for Font Book (or Suitcase).
It did crash when I removed to of my fonts that got landed in ~/Library/Fonts and were active, but since then it's been behaving amazingly well.
I'll post back how it's holding up in Leopard.
I had repaired permissions recently, so I skipped that.