FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

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Niko
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FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Niko »

Hello, developers of FontCreator,
I have been using FontCreator 6.5 for a long time. Now I decided to try version 11 and found a very unpleasant thing in it: the program did not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics. FontCreator 6.5 always saves that options, it records them in the Registry, but FontCreator 11 does not do.
Is that a bug or a normal state of the program now?
Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

It's not a bug, it's a feature.

FontCreator no longer works directly with TrueType fonts, but has it's own font project files with *.fcp extension. One exports fonts from this project file using the Export settings to determine the type of fonts to produce.

The project files keep guidelines independently for each project.

If you think about it, each type style even within one font family has different requirements. An italic style might need diagonal guidelines, for example.
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Niko
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Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Russia, Ekaterinburg

Re: FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Niko »

I understand what you said about the projects, but that feature does not like me very much! For example, I do not use the grid in general, and now I have to turn it off for any new project. That annoys me very much! Cannot that feature be optional?! That feature could remain turn on for who likes it and could not for who does not…
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Re: FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

I prefer to have the grid off always, others prefer to have it enabled. Changing the default for new projects will please some and not others.

Setting up a project file with the grid, metrics, guidelines, comparison glyphs, notes, etc., that you want is a one time task. It is not burdensome unless you're using FontCreator just for looking at fonts and not actually editing or creating them.

The advantages of a project based workflow far outweigh the old system settings that were application based. Below is a screen shot of three glyph edit windows, two from the same Bold style project file, and one from the Bold Italic style of the same font.
Project-sensitive Settings.png
Project-sensitive Settings.png (66.64 KiB) Viewed 3287 times
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
Niko
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Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Russia, Ekaterinburg

Re: FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Niko »

You talk to me about using the projects again and again, but I do not understand anyway why that feature cannot be optional?! It could be “on” or could be “off”—what is the problem in that?! I am confused…
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Re: FontCreator 11 does not save the options of grid, guidelines and metrics

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

I keep mentioning font projects because that is how FontCreator now works.

A TrueType font contains no grid or metrics settings, and no guidelines.

In earlier versions, these application-wide settings were saved in the registry. The same settings were used for all fonts that were opened.

Now, when you start a new font, or open an existing font, and save it, a new font project (an *.fcp file) is created. You cannot save the opened TrueType font.

What you do now is export a new version of the font (you could, of course, overwrite the original font when exporting if you wished, but it is better to leave it untouched especially if the font is installed).

Yes, the grid could be on or off by default. As mentioned in the linked feature request thread. It would suit some users for it to be off and not others. William wants it to be on, but with a different spacing and colour to the default.

When you save a project file, all of your settings are saved with it, and are still there on reopening it.

If you're in the habit of starting new projects

Use the Save as... option on the File menu, then the settings used in your current project will be saved with the new project, together with all of the glyphs. Clear the glyphs that you don't want to use for the new project, and start importing your glyphs or drawing new ones. Be sure to edit your Export Settings or you may overwrite exported fonts from the previous project.
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
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