FontLab 4.6.x requires the Mac OS 9/Carbon version of the Python interpreter, not the native Mac OS X version.
The 2.x series of Python releases are the Carbon versions. e.g. Version 2.3.3 works OK on Tiger.
Download Python from the FontLab site here or from the Python site 2.2.1 or 2.3.3 or from the Mac Python page here.
The Python installer places the “Python 2.x.x” folder in the Applications folder under Mac OS X e.g.
/Applications/MacPython-OS9 2.3.3/
Read the installer instructions. After installing there is a "Configure Python" app that has to be run to hook everything up. The script which the app invokes can also be run directly. If the 2.3.3 version of "Configure Python" freezes, you will need to force-quit it and try again. If this fails repeatedly, then install Python 2.2.1 instead and then try running it again.
Test Python is running by launching the Python Interpreter. If the interpreter terminal window doesn't come up, backtrack.
Once Python is up and running on your system, launch FontLab and enable Python scripting in the application preferences: To do this, go to FontLab/Preferences.../General tab and set the "Enable Python scripting" checkbox option; then restart.
Verify that FontLab can see Python. You can test this in two ways:
View the Properties palette with no font file open. To do this, select /Edit/Properties... With no font open, the properties panel displays the application version and Python install status - as illustrated.
Check that the "Macro" menu item at /View/Toolbars/Macro is enabled: If it is grayed out, then FontLab thinks Python is not installed. Try re-booting FontLab if you know Python is running OK.
EDITORIAL NOTE: These sections will eventually migrate to their own pages in the Book hierarchy.
Within this folder, the sub-directories correspond to the first menu in the Macro Toolbar (ignoring the left-most "tool" menu) and the Macro names appear in the second menu. The first menu lists 3 items: Top Level (Any macros in the root level), Effects and Export. There is a hidden sub-directory called "System" within which you can hook your code into the various context menus and application events (see below).
FontLab Studio (version 5.x) stores macros in a different location:
Add your own directory to group your macros together. e.g.
/Applications/FontLab 4.6/Macros/MyMacros/
Your folder named "MyMacros" will appear in the first macro toolbar menu along with other sub-directories like this:
Top Level
Effects
Export
MyMacros
Drop your python script files into /MyMacros/ and they will appear in the menu.
Macro files must have the .py suffix to be recognized. e.g. HelloWorld.py
The directory structure is scanned at launch time. Therefore, after creating a new sub-directory, you have to re-launch FontLab.
The files in a directory are scanned when you select it. Therefore, to use a newly installed macro, you only need to move out of the directory and back to it via the first menu. e.g. move out of "MyMacros" to "Top Level" and then back again.
Executing a macro manually is a 3-mouse-step action:
select "<yourFolderName>" in 1st Menu; (The default example is "Top Level")
select desired macro in 2nd Menu; (The default example is "Family generator)
click the "play" arrow button to the right of the 2nd menu
The macro selection persists, so subsequent uses of the same macro only require step #3 (i.e. click the Play button). However, if you hit the RESET MACRO button, the selection will revert to the default - usually the first item.
For frequent use macros keyboard shortcuts can be defined.
The "Edit" icon button in the toolbar opens the selected Python script in a text editor window.
The default internal editor window in 4.x is pretty basic and always floats over the font windows.
To select a better editor, go to FontLab/Preferences/General/Use external Python editor and select an app like BBEdit.
File:FontLab Prefs ExtPyEditor.jpgScreenshot of FontLab 4.6.1 application general preference for selecting an external editor for Python script editing