Font
Manager Shoot Out: Auto-Activation.
Intro
| Installation | Interface
| Auto-Activation | Conclusions
| Resources
Today's
modern font manager should automatically activate needed fonts
when you open a document. This saves time and hassle. More importantly,
good auto-activation allows designers to work with fewer fonts
active, because they know the fonts will be activated when they
are needed.
 To
test auto-activation, we created sample documents in InDesign
CS2, QuarkXPress 6.5 and Freehand MX (example at right). Each
document uses the same combination of 40 different fonts from
our sample collection.
For
each test, we first deactivated all fonts. Then opened the documents
to see how successfully each font manager activates the needed
fonts. I've assigned a letter grade to the results of each test:
Apple
Font Book:
Font
Book does not offer font auto-activation.
Extensis
Suitcase Fusion:
InDesign
CS2: Perfect activation.
Freehand
MX: Missing 3 fonts.
QuarkXPress
6.5: Missing 1 font.
Insider
FontAgent Pro:
InDesign
CS2: Perfect activation.
Freehand
MX: Missing 2 fonts.
QuarkXPress
6.5: Missing 1 font.
Linotype
FontExplorer X:
InDesign
CS2: Missing 5 TrueType fonts. Some troubleshooting.
Freehand
MX: About half of the fonts missing.
QuarkXPress
6.5: Missing 1 font. Plus odd dialog box.
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