I have used V5.5 for 26 days, and have found the following error:
subfamily name changed to “bold” or changed to “regular”, but after saving the file the old subfamily name was saved. (no change to the new entry)
then I got V5.6, but found the following error:
subfamily name was not able to change.
can’t use fontcreator without these functions.
The correct font sub-family name to use for a font is determined by the settings on the metrics tab — Font Design and Mac Style. If your font is a regular font, then the Autonaming Wizard in 5.6 will not now allow you to modify the subfamily.
This helps less experienced users to avoid errors. If you really do want to name a regular font as Bold you can do it from Format, Naming dialogue. However, if you run the Autonaming wizard, it will change the subfamily back to regular, because that is the setting on the metrics tab.
See this earlier thread in the Bug Report forum, and especially the last post by Erwin.
What I like about FontCreator is that it does what it can to make life easier for non-experts. Later versions have improved in this respect, with better font validation, and more automation. Sometimes that can lead to problems for expert users, but they can usually find a way around that, whereas new users need as much help as they can get.
So this is not a bug, but is the intended behaviour when using the Autonaming wizard it will get the subfamily name from the metrics tab, and will not permit the user to enter a (wrong) value.
I have a Bitstream font called “David Bd BT”
Its font family name is Davida Bd BT
Its unique font identifier is Davida Bold, Decorated 021
Its full font name is Davida Bold BT
Its postscript name is DavidaBoldBT-Regular
Its Panose weight is five, which makes it a demi-bold weight classification.
On the metrics tab it is marked as “Regular.”
If it was my font, I would call it “Davida Decorated”
I would mark it as bold on the metrics tab
The full font name would then be Davida Decorated Bold
and the postscript name would be DavidaDecorated-Bold
I think that is much more sensible. Then I could create a lighter version of Davida Regular with a Panose weight of about six, and use the two type styles together as a pair.
Thanks.
Regret having to say, that Format/Naming does not work properly either.
For example:
I have an Italic font, the subfamily name shows “Regular”.
I change at “Autonaming” to “Italic”, save, when look, it’s “Regular” again.
When looking at Format/Naming, it’s “Italic”.
Installed at Windows it’s “Regular”.
Think, there is no need to protect “unknown” users. Who works on this level, must have a tool that works. If I want to purchase the full version of FontCreator, I need a good working tool for subfamily names.
Maybe I have to ask another question:
How to change a “Regular” font into an “Italic” font?
AutoNaming does not do it all. Other settings have to be made in Format.
Click on Help or press F1.
Look up “Font Type” in the user manual:
To change the font type (for example from Regular to Bold) you need to change a few settings:
Things that need to be done in order to change an existing regular font to italic, bold or bold italic are:· Mac Style fields - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click the Metrics tab.
· Font Design - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click on the Metrics tab.
· All font subfamily name fields in the Naming window. This can be done through the AutoNaming feature.
· For a bold or bold italic version:
· Set Classification Weight to Bold - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click on the General tab.
· Set PANOSE Weight to Bold - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click on the Classification tab.
· For an italic or bold italic version:
· Set Italic Angle to a negative value (e.g. -16.33) - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click on the Post tab.
· Set Caret Slope values through Calculate Rise and Run - on the Format menu, click Settings and then click on the General tab. >
Hey, great! It works! Thanks.
Okay, but another file I tried does not work.
It’s a Bold-Italic file, that is shown in Windows as Italic.
… 
Why ist there no way that works over all?
Running either the trial version or the Professional Edition, you can also use the Italic script available through the Transformation wizard. That script allows you to convert a regular font into an italic font and also takes care of updating italic sub family settings. I’m not sure if this script is useful for your purposes, as it will also alter the outlines of the glyphs.
It is possible to convert a regular font to an italic font using the italic script, without modifying the glyphs, but we need similar scripts to modify a regular font to bold, and an italic font to bold italic.
To Convert a Regular typestyle to Italic without modifying the glyphs
Currently, you will have to use the manual methods already explained to convert an italic font to bold italic, or a regular font to bold.