[jefferis]

Hi Jim,
So far Fusion 2 is giving me zero problems. I'm testing it out in Fireworks, and all is copacetic. For a font that does not exist on my system, it warns me. I'm trying to see if it is activating others in the background without my knowledge... if so, it is doing so transparently.

I have one question though on the organizing thing. I seem to have a lot of fonts that should be grouped by family. I recognize that duplicate folders occur because I have both TT and PS versions of the font. But even so, within the families, the folders are not grouped.

For example, these fonts are all in separate folders:
URW Grotesk
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow
URW Grotesk/Extra Wide
URW Grotesk/Narrow
URW Grotesk/Normal
URW Grotesk/Wide
URW Imperial
URW Imperial/Extra Narrow
URW Imperial/Extra Wide
URW Imperial/Narrow
URW Imperial/Normal
URW Imperial/Wide

Further more, each of these major headings are divided as well into folders:
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTBolExtNar
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTBolExtNarObl
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTExtLigExtNar
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTExtLigExtNarObl
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTLigExtNar
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTLigExtNarObl
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTMedExtNar
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTMedExtNarObl
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTRegExtNar
URW Grotesk/Extra Narrow/URWGroTRegExtNarObl

So I have 20 folders of URW Imperial styles alone! And they all appear to be the same version number for each type.
That creates a very long list. Actually 21 folders. It appears the separate folders belong to the TT family, but they are grouped in the PS version into one folder...

Why don't they group as a family into on folder for each? Is there any way to fix that?

Any current promos if I decide to upgrade? I'm leaning in that direction :-) My LOYAL coupon expired, since I didn't run into my problems until I upgraded to FEX pro... I would have been in blissful ignorance up until that time :-)
Jeff

[jefferis]

I found the regrouping option in the help files. Very nice feature of Fusion 2

[jkidwell]

Glad that you found the Group Fonts by Family display option in Suitcase Fusion 2. This does make it handy to see your font lists in a much more easy to access way. You can also drag fonts from one family to another to group them as you see fit.

As for repairing PostScript pairs, Suitcase Fusion 2 does require that you have both parts of the pair for it to be considered a complete font. With OpenType fonts, this isn't an issue due to the fact that even if a font is at heart a PostScript font, it's got the OpenType wrapper that contains everything in one file. This is why when you browse fonts in Suitcase Fusion 2, you will see font types listed as "OpenType - PS" or "OpenType - TT".

OpenType fonts have many other benefits, not the least of which is the ability to be used on both Mac & Windows. If you have the opportunity to buy any new fonts in OpenType format, I highly recommend doing so.

Also, since you asked, we've created a special discount code for those of you who frequent Macworld comments and forums. To get a discount of 25% on all new purchases or upgrades to Suitcase Fusion 2:

Purchase from our online store: http://www.extensis....store/index.jsp

Upon checkout, enter the DISCOUNT code: SF2MW25

This discount code is valid through the end-of-day May 31st, 2009, PST. So, if you want to try out a 30 day demo, you can check it out and still have time to get this 25% discount.

Jim Kidwell
Extensis

[jefferis]

Thanks, just upgraded
Jeff

[whitedog]

jkidwell said:

Glad that you found the Group Fonts by Family display option in Suitcase Fusion 2. This does make it handy to see your font lists in a much more easy to access way. You can also drag fonts from one family to another to group them as you see fit.

FYI: You can group fonts by family in Linotype FontExplorer X Pro as well.

Quote

As for repairing PostScript pairs, Suitcase Fusion 2 does require that you have both parts of the pair for it to be considered a complete font. With OpenType fonts, this isn't an issue due to the fact that even if a font is at heart a PostScript font, it's got the OpenType wrapper that contains everything in one file. This is why when you browse fonts in Suitcase Fusion 2, you will see font types listed as "OpenType - PS" or "OpenType - TT".

This brings to mind one of the uses I've found for SoftDesign's FontXChange: I have a number of incomplete PostScript font sets, where one or more of the screen fonts is missing. The missing fonts show up in red in FontExplorer and, of course, are unusable (I imagine Suitcase Fusion handles such cases in a similar manner). I have been using FontXChange to convert these incomplete PostScript fonts to OpenType; this doesn't replace the missing fonts, but does create a set with no red flags. Having converted the fonts to OpenType, I can remove the PostScript versions from FE and thus "clean up" my font collection (fewer red fonts in the font lists).

And I've been converting some old favorite TrueType fonts to OpenType as well so they can be used in print jobs I send to a service bureau if I want to - as long as I include the fonts with the job, of course. Granted this is a specialized use of a product most people probably don't need, but font geeks are always looking for ways to solve problems and this is one I find useful.

Quote

OpenType fonts have many other benefits, not the least of which is the ability to be used on both Mac & Windows. If you have the opportunity to buy any new fonts in OpenType format, I highly recommend doing so.

Indeed a good suggestion.

Quote

Also, since you asked, we've created a special discount code for those of you who frequent Macworld comments and forums. To get a discount of 25% on all new purchases or upgrades to Suitcase Fusion 2:

I have to say Jim is one shrewd dude - finding a way to market his own software on a forum ostensibly discussing a competing product. Not to mention Extensis' quick work in setting up a custom sale just for those who might be reading this forum. This is just the kind of responsiveness and flexibility a business needs to survive in these challenging times. It's nice to know an "old" company like Extensis can still be so light on its feet. :-)

[smoye]

This is basically a good piece of software, but Linotype's support is very much less than good, indeed it is not anywhere near acceptable. Having paid for version 2.x I expected decent, timely support. Snow Leopard has now been out for several weeks, and Linotype has not fixed FEXPro (2.02) incompatibilities with SL. The worst problem is that fonts activated by FEXPro do not show up in application font menus **until** you go to FEXPRO, deactivate the font and then reactivate the font. As soon as you shut down your computer, that 'fix' goes away.

The FEXPro web site makes absolutely no mention of the incompatibilities, much less suggestions for workarounds (I don't think there are any). There was some suggestion that a fix would be available during the week of September 14 -- that has come and gone with no word from Linotype.

I have received email from Linotype technical support acknowledging the problems, but nothing else.

This post has been edited by smoye: 21 September 2009 - 11:26 AM

[jaynelson]

Here is some good news about their server version: through the end of 2009, a 10-user license is available for $999. You can read the press release at http://ir.monotypeim...leaseID=414323.