FontLab VI Public Preview 2 for Mac
FontLab VI Public Preview 2 (build 5844) is out for Mac, following the expiry of the first preview. We are still not calling it a beta.
This release focuses less on visible features and more on architecture changes that needed doing before the app could stabilize. A few bugs are fixed, but the bulk of the work happened under the hood.
Here is what changed:
- OpenGL drawing: Anti-aliased on-screen drawing can now use OpenGL, offloading work to the graphics processor for a large speed boost on complex shapes. It is off by default in this build (enable it in Preferences › General) because it was not yet stable on Windows. Machines without a dedicated graphics card see little change.
- Native VFC file format: FontLab VI’s own VFC format is in place, though not yet well tested. You can also set the app to auto-save in UFO, VFB, or XFO.
- Windows or tabs: In Preferences › General you can turn off Open new windows as tabs. With it off, the Font, Glyphs, and Metrics windows each open separately after a restart, closer to the FontLab Studio 5 experience.
- Crash reporting: An early crash-reporting system is going in. Opt-out and screenshot options are still to come.
- Internal messaging: The messaging layer the app uses to communicate between its parts is being rewritten.
A Windows version is also in progress.
Public Preview 2 does not run on OS X 10.6.8 or earlier.