AMASSING A FONT LIBRARY is one of the pleasures of digital design, but keeping track of it isn't. Font management is still a problem for many publishers (see "Font Fatigue," January '96, page 111), but the right utilities can help. Here are a couple of new ones:
TypeIndexer
If you're like me, you may have hundreds of fonts in various places on your hard disk -- some installed in the System Folder, some stashed in project folders. It's hard to remember which font is where. TypeIndexer, from Linographics, can catalog all the fonts on your Mac -- even if they're not installed. It generates a simple list -- handy for noting duplicates -- that you can import into a spreadsheet for further sorting and searching. It also allows you to create type-specimen sheets that show complete character sets, keyboard layouts, and text settings with canned or custom text. TypeIndexer is able to generate as many as 60 layouts per page. It works exclusively with PostScript fonts, but it does include an error handler that flags fonts that may be corrupted. You have to be connected to a PostScript printer, however. $50. 800-854-0273 or 714-639-0511.
theFONDler
Created by Jim Lewis, the developer of the theTypeBook cataloging utility, Rascal Software's theFONDler has been described as a Norton Utilities for fonts. It organizes, analyzes, and troubleshoots fonts, whether they're loaded into your system or not. For example, theFONDler can scan fonts on a removable cartridge, locate duplicates, and group screen and outline fonts (eliminating extraneous folders along the way) as well as identify new font IDs that conflict with those of installed fonts, assign unique ID numbers, and preview new fonts on-screen before you install them. It also detects corrupted font files and flags those that are most likely to cause problems in the future. theFONDler works with PostScript and TrueType fonts. $70. 805-255-6823.
Adobe Type Manager 3.9
This upgrade to the truly indispensable utility for working with PostScript fonts isn't for everybody. Adobe Type Manager 3.9's new features are specially designed to work with the new Adobe fonts Jenson and Jenson Expert. These multiple-master fonts contain an intermediate master design on the size axis, which gives you greater latitude and control in creating fonts that look good at any size. Font Creator -- the utility that is used to create custom fonts from multiple-master typefaces -- is built into ATM 3.9. The new version has a list price of $60. It also ships with Jenson ($145) and is going to be rolled into new Adobe product releases. 415-961-4400.
Fine Print
Multimedia by Design
Designing for print is one thing, but learning to design for interactive media demands a fresh perspective. Two recent books can help you make that transition. a Interactivity by Design, by Ray Kristof and Amy Satran, explores the thought processes behind designing for interactive media such as the World Wide Web and CD-ROMs. You'll learn how to plan a project, organize components, navigate structure, and add time-based elements such as sound and video. The book's own design and structure employ many of the same techniques. $40. Adobe Press. 800-428-5331 or 415-961-4400. a For a more hands-on look at creating interactive material, check out Designing Multimedia, by Lisa Lopuck. This book explains the tools and techniques required to produce multimedia content, such as creating color palettes, working in layers, and managing multiple file formats. It additionally showcases successful projects and their designers and provides tips for getting started in multimedia design. $35. Peachpit Press. 510-548-4393.
Face-off
With the introduction of its Creative Alliance last year, Agfa launched an ambitious campaign to commission new fonts. There's currently a score of Creative Alliance Exclusives typefaces, including Matthew Carter's Alisal family, Olivier Nineuil's Comedia Medium, and Panache Typography's Revolution Normal. $49 each. 800-424-8973.
The Font Bureau continues to pump out new fonts at a prodigious pace, including an extended Agency family. Agency is popping up all over the Internet as a fave font for home pages, according to The Font Bureau. Another recent release is Jean Evans' Dizzy, inspired by the handwriting of jazz great Dizzy Gillespie. Available from Font Haus, 800-942-9110; FontShop, 800-363-6687; Phil's Fonts, 800-424-2977.
Image Club Graphics may be owned by Adobe now, but the company continues to produce its own line of original display faces, such as Burweed and the Farrier family, as well as wonderfully witty dingbats such as those in Mini Pics' Naked City. $29 to $40. 800-661-9410.
