Freemix Tools for FontLab

05.03.2012

FMX is a set of macros for FontLab Studio I have written over the last few years. Not a very stringent selection of tools but useful nevertheless, I hope. Works on Mac and Windows, except for FMX Glyph Table.

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Getting started

• FMX only works with FontLab Studio.
• Download and unzip the archive.
• Drag’n’drop the .flw file onto the FontLab icon in the dock (Mac) or the FontLab application window (Windows).
• Reset the macro.
• You will find some of the FMX tools in the drop-down menu of the Macro toolbar.
• Some of the tools can be accessed by right-clicking the font window.

FMX Glyph Table

• This tool currently only works in FontLab 5.1 on Mac OS.
• This is an attempt to represent all glyph-specific data in the font in an editable table.
• To copy the data into the clipboard, run the macro in the Font Window with some glyphs selected, or no selection, which copies the whole font.
• Try pasting the clipboard into a spreadsheet application like Excel or Numbers.
• For built-in documentation, select “add help row”.
• Some columns are editable: modify, copy back to the clipboard, and “paste” in FontLab by running the macro again.
• The tool reports all changes it makes to the font (except mark and selection). While the tool is still a bit experimental, I am confident that this particular functionality is reliable: The tool will not make any changes behind your back.
• In order to rename glyphs (i.e. modifying the base name or extension column), you need to include the index column.
• If the index column is not pasted, the tool identifies glyphs by name, which allows you to quickly apply changes to several fonts.
• Pasting non-editable columns does not hurt – they will be ignored.
• Some columns support meta values such as (base comp) or (base name).
• Screen cast coming soon.

FMX Class Walk

• Step through your classes and see live marking of the key glyph (blue) and members.
• The members are marked red for R classes, yellow for L classes, and orange for R&L classes.
• Break off with OK to resume the walk at the same class later.

FMX Mark Classes

• Marks the key glyphs of all classes blue and all members orange.
• Gives warnings if glyphs are keys or members for multiple classes.
• By default, this tool shows the kerning classes. In the macro code, change class_start to '.' show metrics classes.

FMX Stem Histogram

• Inspired by Peter Karow’s method, it visualizes which stem weights occur in the font.
• This tool merely analyzes the hints and links, it does not detect stems.
• Select a number of glyphs, or none to output the whole font.
• The histogram can be useful when defining standard stems.
• You can use it to detect inconsistent stem weights.
• The histrogram reveals wrongly set hints as they are often created by autohinting when it catches whole terminals as stems.

FMX Kerning/Metrics class

• Select a glyph in the font window, right-click and choose from the Macro submenu.
• This sets up a kerning or metrics class, which you will find in the Classes panel.

FMX Mark

• Select some glyphs in the font window, right-click and choose your color.

FMX Select same Color/Suffix

• Access by right-clicking in the Font Window.
• Selects all other glyphs with the glyph’s color or suffix (i.e. separated by '.').