Font Managers

[RTK]

What do you use and what do you like about it? Compared to other products that you have tried?

Post a URL to a trial download if possible.

Need to find something that works for me - losing control - horribly.

Also, perhaps some tips on how you organize projects (that doesn't include imbedding) and fonts?

Risto

[RTK]

Side question: are there any limitations on how many fonts you can have installed on Windows Vista at one time before you see a noticable performance hit (for office, illustration/DTP work) --- fractions of "something" for gaming is not an issue for me.

Thanks.

Risto

[steve.ledger]

Font bog-down has not been true since Windows XP.
You would most definitely experience a "bog-down" in Win9x/ME but the method of font-handling was changed in XP and remains that way in Vista.
Adobe got out of the Font Manager business when the XP came along.
Personally I don't feel I need one, even though I have over 2000 fonts installed.
Xtreme4 loads my list in a second or two, I hardly notice it.

More discussions about font limitations (iow: there are none) can be read at Vista Forums.

[iamtheblues]

Risto,
I use Extensis Suitcase 9.2 which has now been superceded by Extensis Suitcase Fusion at $99:95 from here, where you can download a 30 day free trial. A quick google found this link for an OEM version of 9.2.1 at $20.
I don't know how the latest version works with Xara, but 9.2 works fine, with nothing to do to make Xara recognise it.
Initially when first using Suitcase, you have to add your fonts to it, and the way I did this was to create folders of fonts for different sets, ie; Script, Casual, Gothic, Antique, Grunge etc, etc. This is the only time consuming part of the operation, but only needs to be done once. I've saved all my font sets to removeable media and when reinstalling Suitcase to a new version of Windows adding the already assembled sets is quick and straightforward.
The big advantage of Suitcase is that you can activate/deactivate font sets with just one click, and the changes are reflected in your application, Xara, InDesign, Corel or whatever the next time you start the program. This makes searching for a particular style of font similar to applying a filter to your search. Attached is a screenshot of how the interface looks.
Hope this helps,
Saludos,
Bob.

[David O'Neil]

I have both FontRainbow and MainType installed. You might like either of them--they are both useful, and both have trial versions at the links.

[-=Drifter=-]

Don't any of you like/use FontSeeker by our own AccessD? I love it!

[RTK]

Steve,

Thanks! I had no idea about the non-limitation. I simply assumed there still was one. It seems that if you are willing to scroll you can have any number of fonts installed.

Bob,

A bit steep paying $99 for a font manger, but if it does the trick, I guess I will have to go and get it.

David,

As for MainType, I have tried to find the info, with no luck. Does, MainType have an auto activation feature for PDF/CS embedded fonts?

Bob,

I have always used an old version of AF and never gave it a look. We'll see... Thanks for the free suggestion though - free works for me, if it works for me.

Thanks for pitching in.

Cheers.

Risto

[David O'Neil]

Does, MainType have an auto activation feature for PDF/CS embedded fonts?

Not to my knowledge.

[ZEBtoonz]

Risto, I use Font Xplorer http://www.moonsoftware.com/fxplorer.asp. It is freeware and I have used it for years now. What I like about it is that I can type in some text that I want to compare in various fonts, select the fonts that I like and then isolate them and compare to make my final selection. It works only with TTF, installed or from any location.

[ss-kalm]

Risto,

Although not true font "Managers" or not what I understand a font manager to be, I use the freeware AMP Font Viewer (http://www.ampsoft.net/), Bitstream Font Navigator (Which came with Wordperfect Office) and AccessD's Fontseeker for most of my requirements. You may also like to try The Font Thing - Freeware from http://members.ozemail.com.au/~scef/tft.html (the only real drawback to The Font Thing is that it takes forever to read all my fonts - installed and not-installed when it loads).

I find Fontseeker the quickest and easiest overall (Since Dmitry increased the font size option, so that I could actually see it), and AMP Font Viewer the most flexible - with its installation options.

EDIT: Thanks for the link to Font Xplorer Zeb, I think I will give that a try too.