The (Font) Doctor is In!

Even though I am using Typekit fonts more and more—it’s part of my Creative Cloud subscription, after all—I still wouldn’t be able to function without my trusty font manager. Pre-OS X I was the undisputed Queen of Font Suitcases and could fix any problem I encountered. Those days are long-gone and I now depend on products to help me with the voodoo that is often needed when working with corrupt and troublesome fonts.

FontDoctor—which comes bundled with Suitcase Fusion—is available as a standalone product whose main goal is to diagnose and treat those pesky or ailing fonts. From incomplete Postscript fonts (yes, I still use those) to annoying duplicates, FontDoctor constantly monitors and treats the afflicted fonts so you can just keep working. The newest version (v. 10; $70 from Extensis) uses its AutoScan feature to keep a watchful eye, isolating “sick” fonts in its Quarantine if needed.

In addition to finding and fixing issues, FontDoctor gives you ongoing information on your fonts. This new version includes a font comparison tool to examine fonts in a side-by-side list and can create a library of fonts categorized by font family name and by type foundry.

Erica Gamet has been involved in the graphics industry for over 35 years. She is a speaker, writer, trainer, and content creator focusing on Adobe InDesign, Apple Keynote, and varied production topics. She is a regular presenter at CreativePro Week, regular contributor to CreativePro Magazine, and has spoken at Canada’s ebookcraft, Adobe MAX, and Making Design in Oslo, Norway. Find Erica online at the CreativePro YouTube channel, CreativeLive.com and through her own YouTube channel. When she isn’t at her computer she’s probably daydreaming about travel or living in a Nordic noir landscape.

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