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FontLab VI 6.1.3: faster, more precise, more streamlined

FontLab VI 6.1.3 is faster and leaner — up to 2× quicker to open and save, using up to 40% less memory — with sharper editing, better class and feature handling, and Sketchboard text frames.

Note: VFC and VFJ files saved in 6.1.3 cannot be opened in 6.1.2 or earlier versions.

Drawing and editing glyphs

  • Move nodes or handles with the cursor keys right after dragging them.
  • Edit Tunni lines more freely with the cursor keys.
  • Do simple maths in numeric fields for widths, coordinates and the like.
  • Add or remove nodes, guides, components and kerning pairs using two mouse buttons.
  • Edit non-node segments directly, with more precision.
  • Free-transform a selection spanning multiple elements across layers in one go.
  • Scale and flip instantly with the Selection frame.
  • Make slanted glyph guides easily, and move nodes and handles along the italic axis.
  • Relocate the first node automatically with Set Start Point, add nodes with the new Add Nodes action, and add horizontal PostScript ghost hints by hand.

Elements

  • Filter and remove elements in the Gallery panel.
  • Add new elements or components to a group easily.
  • Remove or reorder elements and components from the Font window.
  • View a component’s index and coordinates.
  • Copy appearance or element structure when filling a new layer from another font or master.

Metrics, auto layers and expressions

  • Edit kerning exceptions more intuitively.
  • Update linked metrics and auto layers live or on demand.
  • Turn auto layers on or off across all masters.
  • Get the right anchors when decomposing glyphs.
  • Edit glyphs straight from the Metrics window.
  • Search for glyphs that contain expressions.

Classes, tags and features

  • Import and export classes; import features from more font formats.
  • Control what happens when you add glyphs to a kerning class.
  • Use additional virtual tags, view tags in Font window cell captions, and search for partial tags.
  • Use tags and virtual tags in feature definitions.

Font formats

  • Save backups in a subfolder.
  • Use Sketchboard text frames to edit, space and kern glyphs, and save them in VFC/VFJ.
  • Customize font export settings easily.
  • Use hyphens in glyph names.
  • Better export of single-stroke fonts for engravers and plotters.
  • Many improvements to exporting instances, OpenType color fonts and UFO packages.

Plus a long list of bug fixes across Undo, glyph drawing, Tunni lines, Smart Corners, Paste Special, the Mask layer, kerning, the Gallery panel, OpenType features, Variations, hinting, Python and font-format support. You can also choose whether to receive stable or beta updates.

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