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DESCRIPTION
FontXChange can easily convert fonts to OpenType (PS), PostScript Type 1, and TrueType for both Macintosh or Windows. Useful features include:
  • Batch processing for converting entire font libraries
  • Preferences to set font encodings
  • Font inspection window with preview
  • Support for many font encodings, including Adobe Standard, Unicode, Mac Roman, and Windows ANSI, and European.
FontXChange is designed to understand many different font formats and can convert fonts into many different formats. This makes FontXChange useful to:
  • Convert PostScript Type 1 fonts (Macintosh or Windows format) into a single modern OpenType font file that works on both Macintosh & Windows. End the headaches of the outdated two-file system of screen font and printer font combinations. Just one font file that works.
  • Recreate missing screen fonts using a PostScript font file in any format.
  • Convert TrueType fonts to PostScript fonts. No more printing problems and incompatibilities associated with TrueType fonts and high-end output devices.
  • Convert Windows fonts to Macintosh to Macintosh and vice-versa. Easily share fonts across different computers, even different operating systems.
WHAT'S NEW
Version 2.1.1:
  • Snow Leopard compatibility and 64 bit support
  • Support for TrueType Collection fonts (.ttc)
  • Support for PostScript Type 1 font previews in Leopard
  • Enhanced kerning support when converting from Mac PS Type 1 fonts
  • Fix a bug that caused fonts with illegal file names not to convert
  • Fixed a bug that caused some problems when trying to convert TrueType Collection files
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

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SCREENSHOT

Developer:FontGear Inc.
Downloads:13,056
  - Version d/l:1,332
Utilities:Font Tools
License:Demo
Date:20 Oct 2009
Platform:PPC/Intel
Price:$99.99
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FontXChange User Reviews (7 posts)Write A Review
sort: smiles | time
Apr 23 2009
****.

DOUG S.  This is a great little app but a good example of pricing that doesn't reflect need. I'm not going to say this program isn't stable—it is—or that it isn't easy to use—it really is—or anything like that because I'd be lying. This app is brilliant. It does exactly what you'd like. What's more it does it fast. I can't confirm this but I'm relatively certain that it fixed a few fonts while it was converting them. Or, at least, made them stop causing problems.

The problem lies with the price. To give people an example of other programs in that cost the same or less we have VMware's Fusion, Panic's Coda, Apple iWorks, Apple iLife, OS X... Starting to see a trend? You can get some extremely powerful programs with a hefty amount of features for less than you can this program.

This program is great but far over-priced. After all if something is too expensive it doesn't matter how great it is it still won't sell. $15-35 would be a good price range for his app. Any more than that and people just won't buy it.

Too bad, they'll be missing out on a great app. I myself am going to find an alternative because this one is just too expensive.  
(Version 1.7)

praisebury
+6
[ Reply ]
May 15 2008
*****

JACKWEB  Wow, what a cool little program. Is it really this underrated? I don't think I've seen any information about this anywhere else.

It does what it says and helped me a lot with some corrupt Windows ttf typefaces. It converted them perfectly and now they work, (only had one instance of a font not able to be converted).  
(Version 1.0.3)

praisebury
+2
[ Reply ]
Aug 17 2009
****.

DONNRICHARDS  Great Product, Rescued my older fonts.

Fixed broken fonts that FontDoctor was unable to fix. Converted Windows TrueType fonts to OpenType for my Mac as well. (I am a commercial printer) )Very simple to use. I am very pleased with the application.

Poor Customer Support & Service.

eMails not replied to. Answering Machine when calling toll free number, leave a message. (Apparently the company has no employees)?  
(Version 2.0)

praisebury
+1
[ Reply ]
Apr 26 2009
***..

SUNHILL2227  As previously mentioned, this looks to be a good application. I've had a couple of runs with it, and it certainly does work very well. It would be useful if it were possible to combine fonts in a single "suitcase" rather than creating a folder. Perhaps this can be done with the full version rather than the demo version.

As previously mentioned, the cost is prohibitive. I would certainly like to use the full version of this software, but it's a luxury which I would probably only use a dozen times in a year. So it's a shame, but I'll give this a miss.

If anyone could suggest an alternative (preferably cheaper if not better), I'd be keen to know.  
(Version 1.7)

praisebury
+1
[ Reply ]
Oct 30 2009
**...

KNUCKLESH  This appears to be just a front end, albeit a relatively nice one, to the open source fontforge ( http://fontforge.sourceforge.net ) library. If you don't mind working under x-windows, download the mac binaries, which includes a gui, and save yourself $100.  
(Version 2.1.1)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Oct 29 2009
*....

BELA  This is an attractive, intuitive application. Works quickly and superficially appears to work well.

Be very careful using postscript type1 -> otf conversions. In my experience (~50 fonts across many different foundries and designers) essentially no valid kerning pair data is transferred to the otf. Hence, the conversions cannot be used in text layouts or anywhere else the fonts' original kerning data are needed. It might be fine for display fonts where manual kerning is appropriate anyway. This is a particularly egregious bug for a purported professional typographic application. Caveat emptor!

As an aside, Font Gear, Inc. has been contacted about this problem and was sent comprehensive examples. Their only reply so far was a suggestion to turn OFF the preference item and see what happens. (perhap unsurprisingly, that resulted in no kerning data at all). Since, I have received no acknowledgment of the problem, much less an explanation or anticipated time frame for a fix.  
(Version 2.1.1)

praisebury
0
[ 1 Reply - Reply ]
Replies:
Nov 5 2009

FONTGEAR SUPPORT  This is just not accurate.

We've reviewed the concerns mentioned here and as it turns out the converted fonts in question included all the kerning pairs stored in several kerning tables with sub-tables for different script and languages (Greek, Latin, et al). This is how kerning pairs are to be stored in OpenType fonts per the Adobe OpenType file spec (http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/opentype/index_table_formats.html) and others.

Hope that helps!  
(Version 2.1.1)

praisebury
+1

Aug 15 2009

TIM27  I am kind of confused as to why one would need such an app if you're using Mac OS X? Since it can handle any type of font, what is the point? I suppose if you wanted to trade with Windows counterparts? But if you wanted that then you are probably already a font developer and have a font creation program, otherwise you could find the same font someone on the internet.

I suppose it could be useful under certain constrained circumstances, but not for 100 bucks.  
(Version 2.0)

praisebury
-1
[ 2 Replies - Reply ]
Replies:
Aug 15 2009

LIBCRYPT  Mac OS X cannot handle just any type of font, e.g., PC-style type 1 postscript fonts are unusable.  
(Version 2.0)

praisebury
0
Aug 16 2009

TIM27  I have never once in my 15 year career as a graphic designer come across a Windows postscript font working on a Mac. They have always been truetype or opentype.

And if it is a postscript font, that means that someone paid for it and it has licensing restrictions and should not be converted and redistributed to anyone else.  
(Version 2.0)

praisebury
+1