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Typography
Typography Tools - Reference Charts, Online Tools, Software, and More
The Typography Tools - Reference Charts, Online Tools, Software, and More section includes annotated links to typography and fonts software, including font creation or conversion software, font management software programs, viewers, utilities, and software to help identify fonts. You'll also find listings to helpful font reference charts, cross-browser, cross-platform font references, online font tools, printed font references, and more.
See also Fonts
Font, Typography Tools.
Do you have favorite typography tools, reference charts, articles, tutorials, books, or other resources related to typography or fonts for Web sites? Recommendations are welcome and encouraged!
On this page:
- Typography and Fonts Software
- Online Font Tools
- Cross-Browser, Cross-Platform Font References, Information
- Printed Font References
Also within Typography:
More Font, Typography Tools within Web Site Resources:
Typography and Fonts Software
Font Creation or Conversion Software
The font creation, editing, and conversion software below are well received and popular. For tutorials on their use, see WebsiteTips.com's Web Resources Typography Articles, Tutorials, and Books on Typography section.
- CrossFont
Convert Mac TrueType and PostScript Type1 fonts to Windows format and Windows TrueType and Type1 fonts to Mac format. $45 shareware from ASY (Acute Systems). - Font Creator
from High Logic. Shareware program to create your own fonts, make your handwriting into a font, or make changes to existing fonts. Two editions are available to suit user needs. For Windows. - Fontlab Studio
Fontlab Studio is a popular font creator and editor. Supports a variety of formats, including TrueType, Type 1, Multiple Master, OpenType, pixel fonts, and more. Available for both Windows and Mac. - Fontographer
from Macromedia. Design your own fonts or add to existing royalty-free fonts with this program, considered one of the main standards for font design. Available for Windows and Mac. - Softy Font Editor
Font Editing shareware program created by David Emmett. Download the latest version, FAQ available, read more about the program, more. For Windows. Shareware is (US) $25, or (England) 15 pounds sterling. For tutorials, also see Grumpy's How-To on Softy Font Editor and Angela Cable's Softy Tutorial.
Download the latest version here (only 16.7KB) from Websitetips.com.
Font Management Software Programs, Viewers, Utilities
- Advanced Fonts Viewer
A basic font viewing program allowing all installed fonts to be viewed simultaneously, including example text to which you can choose font size and color. Printing of samples possible, too. Available for Windows only in freeware and shareware versions. [Thanks to its creator, Alexander G. Styopkin for this submission!] - Extensis Font Reserve
Font Manager is a leading industry font management program, completely integrated application that works in the background, has auto-activation within Quark, Illustrator, and InDesign. Includes integrated direct connection to MyFonts.com, too. Available for both Mac and Windows. Great reputation. I've used Font Reserve for years now and love it. - Extensis Suitcase
A leading font management tool for both Mac and Windows. Organize, preview, automatically activate your fonts, and more. - FontLister
from ConquerWare. Browse fonts on your computer, in a separate file, on a CD without having to install them. This program will install fonts or remove fonts, print complete samples of fonts, and much more. Freeware or $5 shareware (unbelievably inexpensive and a fabulous program). I've used FontLister for years as a lightweight, easy and convenient font tool. For Windows. - MainType
MainType is a powerful font manager for Windows that offers a straightforward and easy-to-use interface to help you maintain your fonts. MainType includes features for novice users who just want to view and install fonts as well as advanced features for graphic designers and typographers. For your convenience the character grid shows all characters grouped in Unicode blocks. You can also print (along with print preview) results in outstanding reports. Available for Windows. [Software by High-Logic.com.] - The FontThing
Font organizer for Windows PCs by Sue Fisher. Often recommended by many designers. Freeware. - Thumbs Plus
"Locate, view, edit, print and organize your images, metafiles, fonts and movies" and more, too. For Windows and MACs. About $75. Good program for font management as well as images and more. Available for instant download at their site as well as on CD-ROM by postal mail.
Software to Help Identify Fonts
For online font identification tools, see Online Tools to Help Identify Fonts below.
- FontMatch
A desktop font identification solution that looks at the fonts on your computer. From their site:You can ask FontMatch™ to “look” at a sample and compare it to each font on your computer. FontMatch™ compares positive and negative space in a manner very similar to the way your eyes do, matching patterns to determine the best “fit.” After examining each font, it displays two images side by side: the one you supplied, and FontMatch's best answer. Or you can scroll through each of the answers, and see a percentage for each one that represents the closeness of the fit. Unlike the online font identification utilities, this program matches only to the fonts that you already have in your computer.
Looks like a fabulous program. Available for Mac and PC. [Software created by Stretched Out Software.]
Online Font Tools
- TypeTester - Compare Fonts for the Screen
The Typetester is an online application for comparison of the fonts for the screen, especially to help Web designers. You can compare fonts in three columns, selecting from their lists or choosing your own. You can also choose your own text or use theirs, and choose font colors, background colors, leading, word spacing, and more. As new fonts are bundled into operating systems, the list of the common fonts will be updated. Typetester will not work without JavaScript enabled and uses CSS to show you the choices and selections. Fantastic and free tool. [TypeTester tool provided by maratz.com. hat tip: Webdesign-L. ]
Online Tools to Help Identify Fonts
Have a graphic, logo or other sample of a font but don't know what it's called? Check one of these sites to help. See also Software to Help Identify Fonts above.
- Identifont
1. Identify a font by answering a series of questions; 2. find a typeface by its name and see a sample. Helpful tool! - Linotype Font Finder: Autmatic Font Identifier
Identify a font by answering a series of questions about various letters. Quite a helpful tool to help you identify a font! - WhatTheFont
Upload a scanned image of a font at this site, and they'll tell you the closest match. Fabulous tool at MyFonts.com.
Cross-Browser, Cross-Platform Font References, Online Font Charts, Information
The sites listed below provide surveys and survey results, listings of fonts supplied with various software and operating systems, and other related information to help you learn about what fonts are being used and how they're rendered cross-platform and cross-browser. This information can then help you choose appropriate fonts that work well for your Web site typography needs.
See also the CSS section, Cross-Browser, Cross-Platform CSS Font Issues and Solutions, for tutorials on how to implement fonts for your Web site.
- CodeStyle Font Sampler
Fabulous information here accumulated by ongoing surveys of fonts on visitors' systems. [Surveys, results by Philip Shaw, CodeStyle.] - Fonts and Products: Fonts supplied with some Microsoft products
Microsoft's listing of default fonts included for a variety of their programs, including several Windows versions, Office products (Access, Excel, Word, more), several Internet Explorer versions, core Web fonts. Also lists individual fonts with information on which programs they're included in and the font creators. [Information via microsoft.com] - Fonts Included in Various Microsoft Products
Well done information here, easy to access. Included: Internet Explorer 4, 5, FrontPage 98, 2000, Office Office 97 SR1a, 2000, Windows 95, 98, ,98se, NT Workstation 4.0, NT Workstation 4.0 SP5, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Word 2000, more. [Information by Brett Merkey] - Fonts Supplied With Windows Vista
In addition to the 6 new ClearType fonts discussed all over, Windows Vista also includes 189 other fonts. This article lists them all. [Article/tutorial dated 02/20/2008, by Safalra's Website.] - Standard Fonts on Windows and Mac Computers
by Peter Perchansky, DynamicNet. Lists basic fonts with Windows 95, Mac standard fonts, Microsoft Web Fonts (for Mac, Win3.x/95/NT), and resources. Good info. - Text Sizing: The Ground Will Not Be Friends With You
Owen Briggs has provided 264 screenshots rendering fonts in the most popular browsers. Owen's screenshots can help provide amazing insight about what all the browsers do (or don't do) to fonts. Absolutely incredible resource. [06-06/2002, Owen Briggs, The Noodle Incident.] - VisiBone Font Survey Results
VisiBone's Bob Stein conducts an ongoing survey of fonts available on users' systems. You can see the latest results here to help you evaluate font choices for your Web site's style sheets. See also VisiBone's Font Chart and Font Card below. [Font survey by Bob Stein, VisiBone.]
See also WebsiteTips.com's Web Site Resources Tools for links to fonts-related programs and utilities, and more helpful tools related to Web design and development.
Printed Font References, Font Charts
- Web Designers' Font Chart, Font Card
The Font Chart and Font Card lists the fonts Web site visitors are most likely to have installed already. Fonts on the cards for Web text are supported by at least 50% of all browsers or 75% of Macs or 75% of Linux systems. The Font Chart is 12"x16". The Font Card is 8.5"x11", and it's on the back of VisiBone's popular Color Card. Both of these high quality, wonderfully helpful tools are available via VisiBone's Web site. [Chart created by Bob Stein, VisiBone.]
