I need a software solution like FontVista ~ Any Suggestions?

**iamtheblues** · 06 October 2016, 03:22 PM

I have a very large font collection* that I need to organize better than it is now. (*3,000 folders and 23,678 files in my fonts folder)
I use Suitcase Fusion to manage my fonts, but what I really need is software that will catalog my fonts and allow me to print a .pdf version for easy visual reference.
FontVista (link) seems to fit the bill exactly, but as far as I can tell it is only available for Macs.
Does anyone know of a Windows software that would do what I want?
Attached is a screenshot of what I get in Suitcase Fusion, but life is too short to take suitable screenshots of each font and create my own .pdf file from them all.
All suggestions (apart from running a Mac) considered.
Bob.

**roly** · 06 October 2016, 10:42 PM

Hi Bob, I use the Summitsoft font management system. I believe it comes free when you buy one of their font packages. If you register to get their news bulletins you will very quickly get a rebate notice, so it is worth waiting for, but dont jump on the firs one, their rebates go from 25 to 90% and they come very regularly. Here's a link and some brief explanations. http://www.summitsoft.com/products/p...000-fonts.html The large font package (at $300) I got 3 years ago was 90% off on New Years eve.

Ciao

Roly

**Christine Farrelly** · 07 October 2016, 04:47 AM

Check out Maintype http://www.high-logic.com/font-manager/maintype.html it might be what you need.

**iamtheblues** · 07 October 2016, 10:38 AM

Thank you both for your suggestions, it's much appreciated.
@Roly ~ unfortunately the site seems to be down at the moment, I'll keep trying, though.
@Christine ~ Maintype seems to fit the bill, I've downloaded the free version to give it a test drive and I'll report back on my findings.
Bob.

**ss-kalm** · 07 October 2016, 12:33 PM

I use NEXUSFONT, but I'm not sure that it will have all the features that you require.

Never mind. It probably wont do as much as Suitcase Fusion already does for you.

**roly** · 07 October 2016, 01:14 PM

Hi Bob, I got an email from them saying that they are launching a new website sometime today, that would explain why they are down.

Ciao

Roly

**RKissane** · 07 October 2016, 02:14 PM

I took a look at Maintype that Christine recommend and I really like this. Not to sure what the difference is between the free version and the professional edition other than the register fixer.

Thanks for the link.
Ray

**iamtheblues** · 07 October 2016, 04:03 PM

@Ray ~ Maintype comes in several different flavours, depending on how many fonts you have the free edition will only work with a limited number of fonts.
The standard with more and the professional with yet more.

@ Roly ~ Thanks for the heads up, Roly.

@ Keith ~ It looks like Nexus is the perfect software for me, it will print my collection to .xps format so that's really good. The output for printing is able to be
customised and best of all, the price! For freeware this really is a great piece of software. I did a screen capture to show anyone who is interested what the output is like.
I'm really impressed.

Thanks to all, I'm well sorted now.

**ss-kalm** · 07 October 2016, 04:38 PM

Glad you like it. I've been using it for 4 or 5 years now, and am very happy with it. I like the ability to check uninstalled fonts, and install them all in one go. I only have about 10,000 fonts to deal with though.

The only CON I've found is that it checks ALL the current font folder every time it's launched, and in my case that's usually the UNINSTALLED folder. I couldn't wait for it to check 24,000 ... although to be fair, it does it quite quickly considering what it's doing.

**mwenz** · 07 October 2016, 04:53 PM

@Keith--that waiting for the folder(s) to be read is exactly why I don't like it. If they adding caching of fonts and only check that list to any new additions it would be better. And if they added cached previews like MT, it would be yet even better.

@Bob--While I don't use Suitcase Fusion (but I have installed it from time to time to see if it has improved with each version), cannot it print the catalog? I think I remember it could. If so, cannot one print to the XPS or PDF drivers?