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 plan 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 that 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 dtl 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.
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New functionality since version 6.3
1. 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 Tool
7. os/2 table:
– Support for version 1–5
– Adds (calculates) defaults when 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)
– 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