The previous retail version (6.3) of
DTL OTMaster was released back in the spring of 2016. A lot of functionality has been added since, especially developed for the internal font production at URW Type Foundry and the Dutch Type Library. The current OTM version is already 7.9 and an overview of the extensive new functionality can be found below.
The initial idea was that version 8 would be the next retail version. However, the conversion from OTF to TTF and vice versa, the handling of the UFO 3 format, and the development of the updated manual takes a bit longer than planned. Especially since the TYPO Labs conference in Berlin last April, we received quite a number of requests for a new OTM version. Therefore we have decided to release version 7.9 first. Consequently this version comes without the OTF to TTF conversion, UFO 3 support, and without an updated manual.
However, because of these limitations we lowered the price for OTM 7.9 to €199 instead of the standard €255: please note this is a
one-time-only discount. Owners of version 7.9 will be able to upgrade to version 8 (scheduled for the first half of 2019) for only €25. An upgrade from older versions, for example 6.3, to version 7.9 costs €50.
OTM 7.9 is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The macOS version has not been notarized by Apple for Gatekeeper yet: consequently, when starting OTMaster for the first time, the right-mouse button (or <cntrl> + click) has to be pressed to open the application. Of course, alternatively the settings for allowed downloaded apps in the ‘Security & Privacy’ section of the System Preferences can be changed.
OTM 7.9 is available from Glyphs GmbH, FontLab Ltd., and
DTL.
New in version 7.91. OpenType Font Variations viewer (works dynamically, with sliders):– Instances editor
– Font Viewer
– Side by Side Viewer (shows instances and whether or not glyphs are isomorphic, i.e., ready for interpolation)
– Enhanced Glyph Viewer, Glyph Editor
– Text Viewer
2. Support for OT Variation tables:– fvar, gvar, STAT, HVAR
– meta
– CFF2
3. Table Comparator:– Make tables consistent across a family, enhance, or remove entries
4. Side By Side Viewer:– Print
– Variation-instances
– Isomorphic glyphs, or non-isomorphic only
– Different total width only
5. Consistency Checker:– ‘use_typo_metrics’ bit checkbox
6. Proofing Tool7. OS/2 table:– Support for version 1–5
– Adds (calculates) default entries if changing version to 3, 4, 5
8. Import/Export Options:– Export UFO format
– Export new instances from variation fonts (QQ, BE)
– Export AFM file with original metrics (1000, 2048…)
9. Glyph Editor:– Glyph Editor Tabs moved from bottom to top
– Glyph Editor Reset to maximum Em-square (instead of fixed size)
– Glyph Editor Point List
– Antialiasing in Glyph Editor and other displays
– Shift tool: center vertically in Em square
– Spacing Editor
– Numbering of coordinates (no virtual anchorpoints in TrueType fonts)
– Preferences: Marker Size, Fill Anchor Points
10. Feature Editor:– H/V lock in Mark Attachment Display, H=Shift, V=Alt+Shift
11. Text Viewer:– Spacing Editor in Text Viewer and Glyph Editor, arrow key support
– Simplified sample text handling in Text Viewer and Text Editor
12. Glyf table– X,Y positions in ‘glyf’ table comments
13. General:– Font selectors with file names instead of full path names
Comments
Right-to-left writing direction is correctly displayed, but needs to be manually toggled in the Text tool. In the Text tool you also need to open the Features panel and set the script and language to invoke default shaping features correctly. The Text tool then displays the Arabic layout, including kerning and cursive attachment positioning:
[The numbers in the rectangles are glyph IDs.]
In the GSUB/GPOS viewer, there are some issues in OTM 7.3, which I will review in the new version when I am able. The Image panel is only showing one of the two 'curs' lookups in the font, and I can't find a way to access the second. In the Data panel, both lookups are correctly presented. In the Report panel I get a message saying
The 'kern' feature behaves well in all panels, but writing direction may need to be manually toggled for the left-to-right kerning of numerals.
Frank: the raising of the body rectangle is a nice visualisation of the cursive attachment positioning. I wonder if something similar could be available as an option for visualising horizontal positioning adustments in kerning. In this image, the first two glyphs on the right are kerned. It would be nice to have an option to display the kern as some form of overlap between the rectangles, e.g. a pale grey region.
I've made the payment for upgrading from 6.3 to 7.9 version but I've only receive link to download the 6.3 full version.
Could you help me, please.
Regards
Sami
Thomas, good to know that FL will start delivering OTM 7.9 within a couple of days!
This upgrade is Great, especially working with variable fonts!
But 7.9 version still can't edit names in Character Variants features, this is very frustated for me.
Please, if there is a way to edit the names in CVxx, I would like to know.
Best Regards
Sami
I have no problem there.
The problem is to link the CVxx tables with name table.
Please, take a look at the adobe source code pro font (open source font):
https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Source+Code+Pro
You can enter in the entries of Stylist Set Fetures (Grow option) but not in the Character Variants features.
The name table is not a problem.
DTL OTMaster still is my best font software.
The DTL team are great.
The main OTMaster page on FontLab still needs some work, we are actually replacing it with a new, more modern page.