New: dtl OTMaster 7.9

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