photoshop cs: September 2008

Thursday, September 25, 2008

CS - Basics - 11 Working with Photoshop

Basics - 11 Working with Photoshop
Matt Kloskowski shows you how to move from your images from Lightroom to Photoshop for fine-tuning. You'll also learn how to set preferences for editing in Photoshop.

Photoshop - Warning: "System restore is turned off..." when you install Photoshop Elements (4.0-5.0 on Windows)

Warning: "System restore is turned off..." when you install Photoshop Elements (4.0-5.0 on Windows)
Issue When you install Photoshop Elements 4.0 or 5.0 you see the warning message, "System Restore is turned off. If you continue Setup, you will be unable to use System Restore to restore the version of Windows Media Player that was included with the Windows operating system that your computer is running. It is recommended that you click Cancel, turn on System Restore, and then upgrade to Windows Media Player 10. F...

CS - Custom paper sizes are not saved with images in Photoshop CS3

Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Windows does not retain custom paper size in the Print dialog when you set the paper size to something other than 8.5 x 11 inches and then save, close, and reopen your image.Manually reenter the custom paper size when you open the Print ... Read More

Photoshop - Free Photoshop Brushes And Textures - Random Roundup

Free Photoshop Brushes And Textures - Random Roundup
I've been finding some very nice free Photoshop brushes lately and wanted to share them with you. First there's some gorgeous high resolution brushes from the always generous BittBox. Secondly, a new offering from Smashing Magazine, and thirdly I found some free textures and brushes from a new site I discovered, Room 122, from design artist Nathan Brown. So here are the summaries and the links: (posted by Jennifer Apple for www.PhotoshopSupport.com)

Photoshop - Nest a Photoshop sequence in your Adobe Premiere Pro project

Discover the time-saving advantages of nesting Photoshop sequences in your video project. Read More

CS - 25 Beautiful Macro Photography Shots

25 Beautiful Macro Photography Shots

Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures that reveal details which can't be seen with the naked eye. For example, while we can see the fly on the wall, our eyes aren't equipped to make out the fine details of the hairs on it's face. This is where macro photography comes in. It gives us a glimpse into the world of the very small, which goes largely unnoticed by us as we hurriedly shuffle through our day.

In this edition of our Monday Inspiration series we present 25 beautiful examples of macro photography. A round-up of some truly revealing and inspiring macro photographs which are sure to have you marveling at the world around you. You may check out the links at the bottom of this post for further resources on the subject of macro photography.

You may also be interested in the following related posts:

By Tim Mercer and Smashing Editorial team

Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures that reveal details which can’t be seen with the naked eye. For example, while we can see the fly on the wall, our eyes aren’t equipped to make out the fine details of the hairs on it’s face. This is where macro photography comes in. It gives us a glimpse into the world of the very small, which goes largely unnoticed by us as we hurriedly shuffle through our day.

You may also be interested in the following related posts:

25 Beautiful Examples Of Macro Photography

Eye of a Tokay Gecko
“A close-up shot of a Tokay Gecko. Their eyes remind me of old-fashioned keyholes. Thanks for looking!” The photo is taken by Alan M.

La force et la passion
“She felt her strength and passion back by 1 small drop of water.”. The photo is taken by Leon Baas.

High-Tech Jumper
“Jumping spider on a DVD reading my data! Shot with a Canon 20D with a Canon MP-E macro lens.” The photo is taken by Coder.

Bubble Magic
“Close-up of a wet leaf … taken with a Canon Powershot A610 :)” The photo is taken by Sophie.

Lasius Vlavius
“This yellow meadow ant is trying to find a way to dry ground after the rain”. The photo is taken by Leon Baas.

Flower Detail
Close-up of a very colorful flower.

Frog’s eye
Photos are taken by Justin Dotson.

Dewdrop Refraction
Taken by Brian Valentine.

Water lily
The photo is taken by Chun-Chih Fan (ddsnet).

A flower
The photo is taken by Indah Susanti.

Another vision
The photo is taken by Kristina Buceatchi.

A Flower
The photo is taken by Cyril Cattin.

Igor Siwanowicz

Under a microscope

Crane Fly
This insect looks like something out of a Sci-fi movie.

A flower
The photo is taken by Chan Chen.

Spider
Stunning detail of a spider.

8.365 I saw the sea
The photo is taken by Lux Tenebra.

Water & Rose
Beautiful colors.

European hover fly in profile

Refracted Daisy
You can see the refracted daisy in the blurred background.

White Spider

Flower in water
Amazing picture of a flower sitting in water. The reflection almost looks surreal.

House fly
Simply wonderful photo.

Red Veined Darter
Truly stunning macro of this insect covered in morning dew. Wow!.

Resources

Closer and closer
A huge macro photography group on Flickr.
MacroPhotography.org
Articles,gallery,forum and more.
Insect macro photography
Very informative how-to on the subject.
Macro photography on a budget
Get into macro photography without going broke.
Macro Photographers Flickr Pool
Macro Photos: No Limits
Water Macro Photography

You may also be interested in the following related posts:

About the author

Tim Mercer is a photography enthusiast, graphic designer, artist and blogger. His blog digital artist toolbox offers free resources to the digital artist and graphic designer as well as tutorials, artist interviews, inspiration and more.

CS - Catalog from earlier version does not appear in Photoshop Elements 6.0 Organizer

When you open the Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 Organizer, your catalog from an earlier version of Photoshop Elements does not open, and you do not see your photos.... Read More

CS - Adobe ImageReady CS2 feature location guide for Photoshop CS3

Adobe ImageReady CS2 feature location guide for Photoshop CS3
Adobe ImageReady has been discontinued. Most of its core features have been included in Adobe Photoshop CS3. This document is provided as a guide to help you locate ImageReady CS2 features that have been included in Photoshop CS3. In cases where a feature is not available in Photoshop CS3, the location of equivalent features in Adobe Fireworks CS3 is listed. Location of Adobe ImageReady CS2 features in Adobe Photoshop CS3...

Photoshop - Creating a Web 2.0 Template Design

Learn the basics on creating a Web 2.0 Template design for your web.

Learn the basics on creating a Web 2.0 Template design for your web.

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CS - Understanding Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 4

Photoshop Camera Raw 4 introduces important changes from Camera Raw 3 and earlier versions. This paper primarily explains these changes, and discusses some nuances of features carried over from th previous Camera Raw versions that are often misunderstood. Read More

Monday, September 15, 2008

CS - No Camera Raw features in Bridge CS3 when installed with Photoshop Elements 6 (Mac OS)

No Camera Raw features in Bridge CS3 when installed with Photoshop Elements 6 (Mac OS)
You do not see any Adobe Camera Raw features in Adobe Bridge CS3 on Mac OS. Details Open In Camera Raw does not appear in the File menu or shortcut menus, and nothing happens when you press this command's keyboard shortcut, Command+R. Develop Settings does not appear in the Edit menu or shortcut menus. Camera Raw Preferences does not appear in the Bridge CS3 menu. When you open a camera raw file, the Camera Ra...

Photoshop - Troubleshoot installation problems in Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Mac OS X

What's covered Beginning troubleshooting Intermediate troubleshooting Advanced troubleshooting This document can help you resolve system errors that occur while you install Adobe Photoshop CS3 in Mac OS X. System errors can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following: A... Read More

Photoshop - Making a better slideshow in Lightroom, part 1: Organization and layout

In this first part of a two-part series on making great slideshows, learn some tricks for making top-notch slide shows. Read More

CS - Unlock Now button is unavailable (Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.2)

When you enter an unlock code in the Product Registration dialog box in Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.2, the Unlock Now button is unavailable.... Read More

Photoshop - Configuring a slideshow in Lightroom

In this comprehensive tutorial, learn what you need to know to customize your slideshows in Photoshop Lightroom. Read More

Photoshop - Importing Photoshop files into Fireworks

Importing Photoshop files into Fireworks
This video shows you how to import files from Photoshop, including maintaining layer hierarchy, XMP data, layer styles, and blending modes.

CS - Professional Dark Web Button

Professional Dark Web Button
This tutorial will show you how to make a Professional web button and also to use it like a Navigation Bar.

This tutorial will show you how to make a Professional web button and also to use it like a Navigation Bar.

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Photoshop - Error: "The Specified Module could not be found: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue\CS3\Client\3.1.0\VersionCueUI.DLL" when you start Photoshop CS3 or open files (Windows)

CS - Split toning for color

Learn how to use split toning to affect highlights and shadows separately. Read More

Photoshop - Remove redeye with Photoshop Lightroom

Remove redeye with Photoshop Lightroom
Remove redeye quickly and easily with the Redeye Removal tool in Photoshop Lightroom.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Photoshop - Straighten crooked photos in Photoshop Lightroom

Straighten crooked photos in Photoshop Lightroom
Learn how to use the crop tool in Photoshop Lightroom to straighten out a crooked image.

Photoshop - Adobe Creative Suite 3 application installer closes with error code 2739 in Windows Vista

When you install Adobe Creative Suite 3 or a stand-alone Creative Suite 3 application in Windows Vista, one or more of the following occur:After you launch the Setup.exe file, the application returns the error message, "This software cannot be installed ... Read More

CS - Adobe Creative Suite 3 application installer closes with error code 2739 in Windows Vista

CS - Presentation possibilities in the Slideshow module, part 2: Customizing the slideshow's appearance

Presentation possibilities in the Slideshow module, part 2: Customizing the slideshow's appearance
In this second part of a three-part series on creating slideshows, discover how to customize a slideshow and make it uniquely your own.

Photoshop - Making a better slideshow in Lightroom, part 2: Timing, music, titles, and transitions

Making a better slideshow in Lightroom, part 2: Timing, music, titles, and transitions
In this second part of a two-part series on making great slideshows, learn some more tricks for taking your slideshows to the next level.

Photoshop - Custom paper sizes are not saved with images in Photoshop CS3

CS - Drawing a character’s face in Illustrator

CS - Photoshop CS3 10.0.1 update printing notes

Photoshop CS3 10.0.1 update printing notes
With Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe made a significant effort to improve the printing experience for our users. A number of issues have come to our attention since Photoshop CS3 shipped, and the 10.0.1 update addresses several of those�issues. The attached PDF document�contains information and instructions specific to the printing issues fixed in the 10.0.1 update. The�PDF document�contains installation instructions for...

CS - Designing with images in Dreamweaver

In this excerpt from Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Classroom in a Book, learn how to add images to your web pages. Read More

CS - Inside Lightroom 2: The Serious Photographer's Guide To Lightroom Efficiency

Bypassing the obvious features covered in a variety of existing Lightroom books, Richard focuses on customizing Lightroom to suit your workflow. For example, he covers using presets to automate the way Lightroom deals with photos, optimizing your Lightroom workflow for your own hardware and preferences. He covers sophisticated calibration techniques, helping you render your pictures accurately both onscreen and in print. Unlike the other 'guides' on the market, Inside Lightroom doesn't tell you what you already know. Instead, it focuses on what you don't. (posted by Jennifer Apple for www.PhotoshopSupport.com)

CS - Printing photos

This video shows you how to effectively print a Photoshop image to a desktop printer. You learn how to manage settings and options for both Photoshop and the printer. Read More

Photoshop - Auto FX Software Announces The Mystical Painter Bundle

Auto FX Software Announces The Mystical Painter Bundle
Get Mystical Tint Tone and Color, Mystical Lighting and Corel Painter X Bundled together for $349. As a bonus, you will also receive training videos for each program. All 3 programs ship with both the Mac and Windows platform. (posted by Jennifer Apple for www.PhotoshopSupport.com)

Photoshop - Error "Licensing for this product has stopped working" when you start any Adobe Creative Suite 3 application

Error "Licensing for this product has stopped working" when you start any Adobe Creative Suite 3 application
When you start any Adobe Creative Suite 3 application, you see the error message, "Licensing for this product has stopped working. You cannot use this product at this time. You must repair the problem by uninstallin...

CS - Adobe ImageReady CS2 feature location guide for Photoshop CS3

CS - Create a web gallery in minutes using Photoshop Lightroom

Create a web gallery in minutes using Photoshop Lightroom
Get an edge up on the competition by being fast. In this short video tutorial, see just how quickly you can get your photos up on the web in a web gallery.

Photoshop - Working with Vanishing Point in Photoshop and After Effects

Working with Vanishing Point in Photoshop and After Effects
In this tutorial, you create and modify planes and create grids using the Vanishing Point feature in Photoshop. You export the Vanishing Point grid data from Photoshop for After Effects. In After Effects, you then import the Vanishing Point data and then use the camera tool to examine the effects you can create wi

Photoshop - Adobe Setup initializes then disappears in Creative Suite 3 or Photoshop CS3

When you run the Adobe Creative Suite 3 or Adobe Photoshop CS3 installer, the Adobe Setup dialog box disappears after it finishes initializing. The installer does not continue.... Read More

Photoshop - Architectural and engineering workflows for Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended

Learn how Photoshop CS3 Extended builds on a long tradition of powerful imaging tools that have been a part of the AEC design process for years. You'll discover how the robust Photoshop CS3 Extended toolset has allowed design and engineering professionals to work seamlessly with digital imagery in their normal des Read More

CS - Photoshop CS3 or Photoshop Elements 6 crashes when you open more than one image (Windows)

When you open more than one image in Adobe Photoshop CS3 or Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 on Windows, the program closes unexpectedly. There may be no error message, or you may see one of these errors or a similar error: "Adobe Photoshop has encountered an error and needs to close." "Adobe Photoshop Elements has stopped working." "Could not complete your request because of a program error." "An unhandled win32 exception o... Read More

Photoshop - Troubleshoot installation problems in Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Mac OS X

Troubleshoot installation problems in Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Mac OS X
What's covered Beginning troubleshooting Intermediate troubleshooting Advanced troubleshooting This document can help you resolve system errors that occur while you install Adobe Photoshop CS3 in Mac OS X. System errors can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) the following: A...

Saturday, September 6, 2008

CS - Nest a Photoshop sequence in your Adobe Premiere Pro project

Nest a Photoshop sequence in your Adobe Premiere Pro project
Discover the time-saving advantages of nesting Photoshop sequences in your video project.

Photoshop - Error "Licensing for this product has stopped working" when you start any Adobe Creative Suite 3 application

When you start any Adobe Creative Suite 3 application, you see the error message, "Licensing for this product has stopped working. You cannot use this product at this time. You must repair the problem by uninstalling and then reinstalling this product or contacting your IT administrator or Adobe customer support for help." If you receive the error message, "The licensing subsystem has failed catastrophically," when you open an Adobe Cre... Read More

Photoshop - Playing and exporting a Lightroom slideshow

Playing and exporting a Lightroom slideshow
Learn how to play back and export a slideshow you've created in Lightroom

Photoshop - Digital Backgrounds in a snap!

(View this tutorial…) Read More

Photoshop - Upload limits for Web Gallery in Photoshop Elements 6.0

Upload limits for Web Gallery in Photoshop Elements 6.0
Web Gallery Upload Limits 100 images (no larger than 100 MB each) 100 videos (no larger than 100 MB each) 1 Gallery (no larger than 100 MB total size)...

CS - Importing Photoshop files into Fireworks

This video shows you how to import files from Photoshop, including maintaining layer hierarchy, XMP data, layer styles, and blending modes. Read More

CS - Setting up an organizational system in Lightroom

See why creating a good, solid organizational system is a necessity when working with large quantities of images. Read More

CS - Photoshop CS3 doesn't open or error occurs, when you Edit in Photoshop CS3 from Photoshop Lightroom 2

CS - Importing Photoshop files into After Effects

This video shows you how to import layered Photoshop files into After Effects. This tutorial also shows you how to preserve Photoshop layers, adjustment layers, and guides when you import a PSD file into After Effects. The video also demonstrates how to make a change in Photoshop, and update the footage in After E Read More

Photoshop - Function keys don't work in Adobe applications (Mac OS X v10.5.x)

When you press one of the function keys (the keys at the top of your keyboard, labeled F1, F2, and so forth) in an Adobe application on Mac OS X v10.5.x, the application does not perform the expected action. This issue occurs when some of the function keys on your system are assigned to OS-level commands, such as to adjust the screen brightness, control media playback, or activate Dashboard, Exposé, or Spaces. On some keyboards&nb... Read More

Friday, September 5, 2008

CS - Common catalog issues when you upgrade to Photoshop Elements 6.0

What's covered Convert your catalogs Manage your catalogs Creations from earlier versions may not appear in the catalog Changes that occur during catalog conversion Changes made to the catalog location and format Use your catalog with an earlier version of... Read More

Photoshop - Straighten crooked photos in Photoshop Lightroom

Straighten crooked photos in Photoshop Lightroom
Learn how to use the crop tool in Photoshop Lightroom to straighten out a crooked image.

Photoshop - Creating and configuring a web gallery in Lightroom

Creating and configuring a web gallery in Lightroom
Learn how to use the Histogram in Photoshop Lightroom to evaluate the tonality of your images.

CS - 25 Font Management Tools Reviewed

25 Font Management Tools Reviewed

If you are one of those people who work with fonts on regular basis, then choosing, comparing and analyzing fonts is a serious business for you. Font management is not always as easy as a walk on the cake. Font management issues like installing and uninstalling fonts, handling missing fonts, taking care of font conflicts always keep graphic designers and typographers on their toes.

Also hundreds or thousands of fonts activated on the system can use up considerable amount of system resources which in turn reduces efficiency and productivity. Mac, Windows and Linux platforms have their own font management utilities, but these utilities are not sufficient in a specialized or professional environment. This is where professional font management tools come to the rescue.

Below we have reviewed 25 free/commercial font managers for Mac, Windows and Linux. Which one do you use and why? Your favourite tool is missing? Let us know in the comments!

By Sachin Dhall and Smashing Editorial team

Below we have reviewed 25 free/commercial font managers for Mac, Windows and Linux. Which one do you use and why? Your favourite tool is missing? Let us know in the comments!

Suitcase (Win) / Suitcase Fusion (Mac)

Suitcase Fusion (Mac) and Suitcase (Win) are powerful, quick and clever font managers which have a simple and an intuitive user interface.

While previous versions of Suitcase created a database of information about your fonts, the fonts remained in their original location. You still have this option in Suitcase Fusion but also have the option to collect your fonts in a structured and secure repository called the Font Vault. The Font Vault gives users much more control over their fonts, eliminating unnecessary font conflicts, duplicate font issues and providing easy access to your own library.

Suitcase ensures you have the exact version of the font you need and prevents potential font wrecks (due to missing or substituted fonts. It also keeps fonts in one, secure location – easy to find and back-up. It also offers auto-activation: only the fonts you need are activated when you open a document and deactivated when you close.

With both Suitcase Fusion and Suitcase for Windows you get FontDoctor. FontDoctor is a professional software tool that takes the work out of locating, diagnosing and repairing the most common font problems, so you can stay focused on the task at hand. Suitcase Fusion price starts at $99.95. Suitcase Fusion is for Mac and PC.

Main features:

Easy-To-Use interface
Organization with font sets
Font previews
Font Sense, the most advanced font matching technology available, that allows for a deep level of font analysis when identifying fonts for auto-activation using multiple criteria—font type, foundry, version, etc.
Keeping font library secure and organized
Font auto-activation
Windows Vista compatible
Powerful font diagnosis and repair
Font Doctor (free with purchase)

Linotype FontExplorer X (Win / Mac, free)

What makes Linotype FontExplorer X really different, is the integration of an online store which lets you browse through fonts you are considering for purchasing. Hence, you can examine and compare fonts inside FontExplorer X’s online store as if they were installed on your system. The tool combines font management, font sorting, font shopping and font discovery in one user-friendly interface.

You can organize your fonts using a library, folders, tags and smart sets. That makes it easy to find all typefaces from a certain foundry, all italics or all fonts tagged with a certain keyword.

Auto-activation enables you to you decide which applications may request fonts, and which may not. Plugins for popular DTP apps like Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Quark XPress are available as well. You can examine the complete character set, inform yourself about the legal stuff or just see a few sample paragraphs to know what a font looks like in real-life context.

Finally, you can enable/disable fonts, clear font caches, have a typeface family view, export font information as image/zip/disk image, missing font handling, document font scanner and Growl support. Supported languages are currently English and German. Linotype FontExplorer X is free. The Win-version is released as Beta (currently not available for download), the Mac-version is stable.

Main features:

Powerful font management
Built-in online store
Auto-activation
System integration (Spotlight support)
Missing font handling (system-wide auto-activation of fonts)
Conflict Handling
Document font scanner
Growl support

MasterJuggler (Mac)

A distinctive feature of MasterJuggler is its ability to store fonts anywhere and share them over a network. Hence, you can store your fonts in any folder on any drive and access them from removable media.

With MasterJuggler you can organize fonts in custom sets to work with the fonts you need for your current tasks. You can also preview multiple fonts and sizes with full Unicode support and view a font’s entire Unicode glyph map to find the exact glyph you want. It is possible to create your own sample strings for display. You can customize the MasterJuggler toolbar to include the commands you use most often. The pricing starts at $89.95.

Main features:

Drag’n'drop support
Support of PostScript, TrueType, OpenType and bitmap fonts
Font management via drag’n'drop
You can store and access fonts anywhere
Organize fonts in custom sets
Activate fonts either temporarily or permanently
Preview multiple fonts and sizes with full Unicode support
Glyph maps
Examine fonts for corruption with the integrated Font Guardian
Automate your workflow with AppleScript support

Font Safari (Mac)

Font Safari includes support for multiple language keyboard shortcuts and string encodings. You can view all of the characters in the font and simulate the font in alternative encodings such as Mac Roman, Windows ANSI, Unicode and other common text encodings.

You also can get keyboard shortcut information about all the characters of a specified font, view single characters or the whole glyph table. The pricing starts at $15.00. A trial version is available as well. If you are looking for a simple font previewing and testing tool without overwhelming advanced features, this tool is one of the first to be considered.

FontCard (Mac)

Font Card is a haxie that modifies the Font menu and the font panel in Carbon and Cocoa applications. It can add an icon that displays the format of a font next to the font menu item or font panel list, display the font name in the font face, group fonts into submenus, and add third party font collections to the font menu and font panel.

You can view third party font collections (Insider Software’s FontAgent Pro, LinoType’s FontExplorer X, and Extensis’ Suitcase Fusion). The pricing starts at US $17.00. A trial-version is available.

Main features:

View third party font collections
View the Font Panel with each font displayed using its own typeface (WYSIWYG Font Menu)
Reveal the font in the Finder from the menu
View font collections in the Font menu
View previews of inactive fonts contained in third party font sets directly from the font menu
Mark and reveal duplicate fonts;
Easy to configure as it comes in usual Preference Pane form, accessible through System Preferences.

Font Pilot (Mac)

Font Pilot allows you to browse an entire folder of fonts that are not installed with a compact visual preview. While viewing the slideshow, you can simply click on the install button at any time to have that font permanently installed and activated.

You can view and print a character map, view fonts by file or family, reveal fonts in the Finder, use Mac & PC key combos to produce characters and view invisible fonts. The pricing starts at $15.95.

FontAgent Pro 4 (Mac)

FontAgent Pro is supposed to be the world’s smartest font manager. Its Smart Activation function integrating in documents and determines precisely the fonts you need. The built-in MagicMatch agent ranks the fonts you may want to use in the future and suggests alternatives.

All fonts are categorized automatically, so you can view and search fonts by category or create custom classes to search later. Finally, you can also use multiple criteria to filter the fonts you need: search by name, format, foundry, type, weight, proportion and angle is possible. It is also possible to automate your tasks and workflow with AppleScripts.

What is really interesting is FontAgent’s ability to create separate font sets for projects and clients and store these fonts in separate libraries from your main fonts directory. The pricing starts at $ 99.95.

Main features:

View fonts in Player, Compare, Waterfall and Data views
Activate and deactivate fonts automatically or manually
Share font specimens and sample books
Create nested sets for projects and clients
Store client fonts in separate libraries from your fonts

Fontcase (Mac)

A yet to come Font Manager, Fontcase looks exciting and enticing. The tool lets you create smart collections for your fonts and share your library using Bonjour. It also lets you view the full Udenicode table for each font in your library and view the html entities for all glyphs.

You will have the power to view both installed and non-installed fonts by icons, lists or Preview lists. You can also tag your fonts and quickly filter or search your library to find exactly the fonts you are looking for. Currently you can only subscribe to a newsletter. Price: unknown.

Main features:

Unicode glyph table
Smart collections using Bonjour
Tagging and filtering fonts is easy
Preview of both installed and non-installed fonts

Typograf (Win)

Typograf is one of the most detailed font managers out there. It displays all OpenType, TrueType, Type 1 fonts as well as printer fonts and raster or bitmap fonts on hard drives, DVD, CD, opticals, floppies or specific folders – including all subfolders.

The tool can display a variety of font properties such as typeface classification by PANOSE system, IBM Font Classes or the Windows internal metric structure and kerning pairs. You can find related fonts based on typeface classifications and compare various fonts using tables that show major font features, file data, character width, number of kerning pairs. It makes Typography a useful tool for typographers.

It also, of course, includes the standard font file management functions. The pricing starts at $35. A trial-version is available.

Main features:

View and preview fonts (OpenType, TrueType, Type1, Printer fonts, Raster or bitmap fonts)
Displays all font properties
Advanced tool for comparing fonts
Print fonts and specimens
Font management
Manage fonts in database and font groups
TrueType and Type 1 References, Typeface classifications

FontExpert 2007 (Win)

Apart from a usual suite of font management features, FontExpert 2007 offers you the ability to assign keywords, categories, ratings and captions in the tags view, print fonts, search for duplicates and corrupted fonts as well as examine your system for font errors. You can also export fonts to HTML (example) and add Open, Print and Install font custom menu commands to Windows Explorer context menu.

FontExpert can create face sample images having custom width, height, color and file format (BMP, GIF, JPEG, TIFF, PNG). It can manage and print PostScript, TrueType, OpenType and raster fonts.

It is easy to manage any typefaces that are shown in any view of the program. You can sort, filter, preview fonts, copy, move, delete font files, activate or deactivate fonts, add or link fonts to font groups (sets). The program can work with fonts located in the Windows Fonts and Psfonts folder (used by Adobe Type Manager), so you do not need to remove fonts from standard folders as some font managers require. The pricing starts at US $59.00. A trial-version is available for free download.

Main features:

View and preview fonts (installed or stored on local drives)
Assign tags, ratings and categories to fonts
Search for duplicates and corrupted fonts
Organize fonts in groups (sets)
Activate and deactivate groups of fonts with one click
Print character maps of selected fonts; you can generate templates with page headers and footers manually
Examine your system for font errors
Export to HTML
Automatic activation of missing fonts (includes Missing Fonts Loader plug-in for Adobe InDesign CS2 and Adobe InDesign CS3)
Windows Shell Extensions (adds font management capabilities to the shell so it is easy to activate or print any font in a folder you browse in Windows Explorer)

Advanced Font Viewer (Win)

If you are choosing a font for printed materials, you can use Advanced Font Viewer to print out the list and make your choice according to the real conditions of font usage. Designers who want to accurately compare patterns of several fonts that look similar, may create collection of fonts. An interesting feature of the tool is its ability to let users view previously uninstalled fonts and to install them.

You can also print list with type specimens, remove fonts duplicates and fix registry fonts problems. The export to HTML is possible as well and you can also print out list of uninstalled fonts. The pricing starts at $49.95. A trial-version is available.

Opcion (Win / Mac / Solaris / Linux, free)

Opcion Font Viewer is a free open source font viewer written in Java. You can view installed and uninstalled fonts, mark fonts as favourite and preview fonts with a customizable sample/display text. Opcion is a very basic and simple font management tool. Its main advantage lies in the fact that it will work on all platforms. Hence, in case you need to look a font up, it may be the optimal quick’n'dirty solution.

The tool provides a default view that allows you to view one font at a time, and a list view which allows you to view multiple fonts at a time. The favourites list can then be saved for future reference or used in finding out the file names of fonts you wish to install. Opcion Font Viewer requires Java 1.4.0+ to run.

Font Frenzy (Win, free)

The special FrenzySnap function enables you to establish “restore points” and re-install the fonts that were in your system on a specific date. The “DeFrenzy”-function removes all fonts except those originally shipped with Windows XP or Vista, or to a previous snapshot. You can specify a folder where all removed fonts will be stored. FontFrenzy is fully-functional freeware – with the nag screen easily removed after a quick registration.

Main features:

Save a snapshot of your fonts folder that you can use as a restore point
Re-install fonts quickly and easily from a previous snapshot
View your font list at any point-size using a customizable test phrase
View a sample of each font in a pop-up window including every upper- and lower-case character and numbers
User-friendly font manager allows you to add new fonts, delete, or unload and store selected fonts
View all fonts from a specified folder.

Font Xplorer (Win, free)

Font Xplorer has the ability to browse both installed and not installed fonts from the local disk. Some other prominent features include renaming font files to use a font’s full name with undo support (i.e. arialbi.ttf to Arial Bold Italic.ttf). A resizable character map that shows all a font’s scripts and allows you to zoom in on any character. You can even copy a symbol to the clipboard as a vector image or rich text. You can also filter fonts by character set so you only see symbol fonts.

Font Xplorer does not support Adobe Type 1 fonts and OpenType fonts with PostScript outlines. It works with TrueType and OpenType fonts that have TrueType outlines. The application is freeware.

Main features:

Browse both installed and not installed TrueType fonts from disk
Print pre-designed, professional sample sheets and font listings
Filter fonts by character set
Integrated Repair Wizard solves most common problems with fonts
Extensive support for calling external programs. Plus support for different variables in callable command lines

MainType (Win)

MainType is an universal font management tool for both novice users and advanced graphic designers and typographers. In order to find the right fonts for your needs, the software includes filter and sort functionality. The main information about the font, such as its properties, supported characters, font type etc. are displayed in a font information pane. A groups pane helps you quickly organize all your fonts.

MainType is a drag’n'drop font manager that offers a straightforward and easy-to-use interface to help you find, preview, organize, install and print your fonts. The tool works with TrueType, OpenType, TrueType Collections, Postscript Type 1, vector and raster fonts.

It also allows you to generate an HTML-based overview of any of your fonts, print reports and export the font information. The latest release includes the ability to type a preview text into the Font drop-down list, a character zoom popup window and more predefined font variables. The price starts at $49.00. Trial-versions are available for free download.

Main features:

Install, uninstall, load and unload fonts
Preview and browse fonts on any drive or directory without installation
Full Unicode support
Character grid with Unicode block navigation
Print and print preview your fonts
Support all popular font formats and more: TrueType, OpenType, TrueType Collections, Postscript Type 1, Vector and Raster fonts
Drag and drop support
Font export wizard generates a HTML-based overview of all your fonts

The Font Thing (Win, free)

The Font Thing is a legacy, a still very popular freeware program for managing TrueType fonts in Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0. You can browse installed and uninstalled TrueType fonts, viewing sample text, individual characters, and detailed font information.

Easy font-management functions let you install, uninstall, print, copy, or delete any number of fonts at once. You can also store your own notes with them, filter them according to type (serif, sans serif, and so on), and group them into collections for convenience. Users can rename font files to avoid conflicts, and load fonts temporarily for use without installing them.

AMP Font Viewer 3.82 (Win, free)

AMP Font Viewer 3.82 is a simple free font manager, which allows getting a quick overview of both installed and non installed fonts. You can install fonts from a folder into the system or temporarily (until the program is closed). There are also standard options for organizing fonts in categories and managing them.

You can print a list of all or some of the installed fonts with an example of each font. The applicationhas a Scratchpad area for testing the look of any font. You can also group and categorize your favourite fonts. AMP Font Viewer is free and comes in a dual English/Spanish version.

Main features:

Support for TrueType, OpenType and Type1 fonts
Installation of fonts from a folder (one by one or from a list)
Installation of fonts temporally (until the program is closed)
Several options for organizing fonts in categories and managing fonts
Printing a list of all or some of the installed fonts with examples
Scratchpad area for testing the look of any font (installed or from a folder)

Cfontpro (Win, free)

Just as Typograf, Cfontpro provides many details about the attributes of every installed or non-installed font. You can preview fonts from any folder, CD, disk, or network drive and export the proof sheet to HTML or Rich Text Format file (RTF). Using the advanced character map and a character magnifier you can see exactly what any font character looks like. You can also zoom in and out and look at any part against a grid.

Another useful feature of the Cfontpro is the Font Packager which enables you to package any number of fonts into a single file for ease of transport to another computer. The application is free.

Main features:

Powerful font engine
Printing proof sheets
Export to HTML and RTF
Enhanced Property Viewer
Advanced character map and character magnifier
Portable font packager
Font management

Worth mentioning

Pigfontviewer (Win / Mac / Linux)
Pigfontviewer is a simple but elegant font viewer that allows you to preview all fonts in your fonts folder. PigFontViewer also features the ability to display your fonts in any custom folder and install into them your fonts folder. A simple font management tool without advanced features.

Pigfontviewer

Font Fitting Room Deluxe (Win)
An interesting feature of Font Fitting Room Deluxe is the ClearType Tuning. You can activate this function to switch the system smoothing mode, set ClearType contrast value, or change LCD striping order setting. You can preview the custom sample text with a font list without actually installing them. Unicode Range Character Map allows you to type sample sentence simultaneously containing any locale characters. For example, you can preview English and Korean characters in the same sample string. Price: $49.95.

Fontmatrix (Linux, free)
Fontmatrix is a general font management tool which is licensed under GPL. Standard features such as previewing fonts, installing and uninstalling them as well etc. are available. Good choice for Linux users.

FontHit Font Tools (Win, free)
The main advantage of this handy free application is that it supports drag-’n-drop viewing of fonts within .ZIP files.

Font Showcase (Mac)
A very handy utility if you’ve got too many fonts to remember just what each looks like, and also allows you to print out a catalog of your font collection. You no longer have to install the fonts before you can view and print them. It features basic viewing, font printing, font peek, slide show, FontStream, character view, and font panes.

Windows Fonts Explorer (Win, free)
Windows Fonts Explorer is a very small, very fast and very compact tool for browsing your Windows fonts directory. You can choose your own sample text, and enlarge any character to examine it in detail. Nothing special, yet simple and handy.

Font Wrangler (Win)
Font Wrangler will allow you to install and remove TrueType fonts in batches; preview fonts before you install them; browse downloaded font files and view font copyright information. You can also print a ‘contact sheet’ of fonts so you’ll have a paper reference of what each font looks like and change your font names to make them more easily remembered and to resolve typeface name conflicts. Price: $24.99. A trial-version is available.