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Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:45 pm
by VividLizard
My suggestion for FontExpert is to NOT keep duplicating fonts (library, groups, etc.) or create extra folders and "virtual" folders, but simply work off of an internal FontExpert database only that is created by scanning a selected drive, computer, selected folders or whatever.

Original fonts never ever get duplicated, except for when one wants to copy them deliberately. This database is where I would be able view my entire list of fonts (and their properties) throughout my system, and filter them by...

1. Only my "Working Fonts" (fonts I actually use, maybe as another type of category or per a folder I create to hold the files)

2. by Category, like what is done now

3. by Font Types (OpenType, etc. FontExpert now only allows this via the Library LIB View. I choose not to create a library now because it unnecessarily creates duplicate fonts in it and messes up my searches)

4. by Location, within selected folders / drives, etc. (right now a category search is for all fonts everywhere on my system)

5. by Groups... no shortcuts, or virtual folders, etc. In an older version of FontExpert I actually deleted an entire font off of my system because I "removed it" from a group. Woke me up as to how careful I need to be with how this program works!

6. and a COMBINATION of those filters I describe above. This, to me, is ESSENTIAL.

And, thank you for adding the "Uncategorized" category in Search. Brilliant! Plus for allowing me to open the program and by default view fonts by Font Name instead of File Name. Font Name should be the default anyway IMHO. And for how much faster it is compared to my 2014 version.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:11 am
by admin
We plan to provide more convenient control on search scope in the following release.

FontExpert considers folders in My Collections as user's master folders with originsl files. So user is responsible for these folders. Fonts located in collection folders are displayed in the Main view as having additional icon which helps to recognize them.

There is already some control on font types - in the Search view/Properties tab.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:04 pm
by VividLizard
Thank you. I found by further exploring the program that most of what I want to do is handled by a tag search from the internal database, especially if I don't use LIB... that just adds confusing redundancy to my searches.

Actually, I don't even have anything in my My Collections (at least none that I know of, unless it takes it's cue from the internal program database). I only simply use what's in the database, keeping it managed and eliminating all other linked folders other than the ones I have that contain my "working" fonts.

It would be nice if one could lock the database to only certain folders. Right now it keeps adding folders from all over my system on it's own, which messes up my searches.

The My Collections collections don't seem to do much as implemented... if I select a collection and then do a category search, the search still searches the entire database. So filtering searches to only selected folders and adding "font type" (OpenType, etc.) would be extremely helpful, even needed, for me.

And also maybe getting rid of having My Collections, Groups, and Library as three different things that kind of do the same thing... I'm still not sure what the point is. Keeping Groups is important I understand, and maybe My Collections IF that could be made useful, but I really don't see the need for Library. Again, it just messes up searches. Am I missing something there?

Thanks.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:21 am
by admin
Thank you for suggestions. We will use them for other enhancements.

Groups contain font links to real font files in Library. So Groups and Library are used always together. If you add a font to group, it is added to Library.
My Collections are the user's folders. Collection could contain a folder which may exist, or may become unlinked, for example, a shared folder on remote network drive.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:56 am
by VividLizard
OK, then here is a major request from me... please, please find a way to NOT have Groups connected in any way to Library. Have it only connected to the internal database (as it should) or, if that is too hard, to My Collections. But the database is way better.

Again, the Library is my nemesis in this program! It creates duplicates of existing fonts. Not only does it screw up my searches with duplicate fonts, and it takes up major storage space on my system (1.5GB) doing so, it screws up where fonts are installed from if installed from Groups (from the Library and not from where my original fonts are located).

Groups to me are important for setting up a range of fonts for specific jobs, etc. But that should be from my original fonts in my original folders... pointed to from an internal database.

If you have a good reason to even have a Library set up the way it is, please explain it to me. So far, to me, it's just a complete pain in the ass.

Thanks.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 4:11 am
by admin
Unfortunately, users cannot guarantee to FontExpert that they always will keep font collection on a fast drive. User collections can be on a flash disk or on a network drive.
Another reason is that user folders are considered a place where user other software can change folders and fonts. So the folders require synchronization.
This is the reason why we decided to support these folders as "My Collections" (where user is "responsible" for "My Collection" folders),
and Library is the "responsibility" of FontExpert.
Library contains unique font files, while My Collections folders (maintained by user) may contain many duplicates.

Re: Feature Request FontExpert

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:34 am
by admin
FontExpert 2019 version 16.0 provides control on search scope: [x] Library and/or [x] My Collections.