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TransType Pro Changelog

What's new in TransType Pro 4.0.1 Build 5099

Aug 6, 2014
  • Bug fixes:
  • TransType now retains OS/2.usWeightClass changes made by the user
  • Non-BMP Unicodes are supported in the Preview panel
  • Improved EOT export
  • gasp table thresholds are retained
  • Composite glyphs are correctly handled by Effects
  • Export of SVG table has been improved
  • Features:
  • Fully redesigned and engineered from the ground up, with support for newest OpenType and @font-face web font standards
  • Ultrafast batch conversion of hundreds of fonts at a time into optimized desktop and web fonts
  • Automatic and drag-and-drop font family reorganization
  • Font special effects for blending, rounded corners, tracking, autokerning, slanting or distorting
  • Create multi-color OpenType fonts from BitFonter Photofonts or by overlaying traditional outline fonts
  • Generate PDF samples and glyph maps

New in TransType Pro 4.0.0 Build 4900 Beta (Jun 3, 2013)

  • The selection of profiles has been reduced. The distinction between “Preserve” and “Optimize” profiles no longer exists. Instead, each export profile tries to be smart — modify as little as possible of the source font, but perform some optimizations if needed.
  • On first launch, the Note about intellectual property will appear. (If it doesn’t, close TransType 4 and then launch it with the Alt key pressed.)
  • The OpenType PS (.otf) output should be fully functional now, with Adobe autohinting. Please test the .otf output extensively! Note: CID-keyed fonts are not supported for writing.
  • In Font Info, the Icon View and the List View, it’s possible to modify the font’s declared Design Parameters (Weight, Width and Slope). Changing the parameters will update the internal font fields (e.g. OS/2.usWeightClass), and will regenerate the Typographic Style Name.
  • EXPERIMENAL subsetting of OpenType Layout features is now implemented. It works if the input font is in the VFB, UFO or PFB format. If you have FEA code inside your VFB, in the features.plist file of your UFO or as a .fea file with the same name and location as your .pfb file, then the FEA code will be automatically subsetted to the current font’s character set. This means that you can have one FEA code for both a "Pro" and a "Std" version of the same font, and TransType 4 will build the correct "Std" font using the FEA file made for the "Pro" version. TransType 4 does not yet do actual glyph subsetting, so if you work in a font editor, remove the glyphs in the font editor, but leave the FEA OpenType code unchanged. Save the VFB or UFO file, bring it to TransType 4 and convert to OTF or TTF. Font developers: please test this feature!
  • The generation of OTF and TTF has been strengthened A LOT in terms of various SFNT tables and "minor" fields therein.
  • Preferences have been simplified, some stuff removed.
  • Some effects such as Blend have been improved.
  • Many bugfixes and internal improvements.

New in TransType Pro 4.0.0 Build 4808 Beta (Mar 25, 2013)

  • Convert fonts with ease:
  • TransType had its start in the days of the ‘font wars’ — when the manufacturers of operating systems were battling it out over font formats. Anyone who worked with fonts needed TransType’s quick and easy conversions between the different formats and platforms. Meanwhile, OpenType has established itself as the font format of choice on desktop computers.
  • But we have new font formats which are used on the web (WOFF, EOT, SVG), and by font developers (UFO, VFB), so the need for conversion tools is just as strong. It still does matter whether the OpenType font exists in the PostScript or in the TrueType flavor (OTF or TTF). Also, a number of legacy PostScript Type 1 fonts still exists, which makes it difficult to move documents between Mac OS X and Windows. TransType 4 supports all these formats (new and old), and makes font conversion between them easier than ever before.
  • Reduce problems with font family organization:
  • One of the greatest hassles of converting fonts between platforms has always been the incompatible font family structures and naming systems on different operating systems. As a result of this, fonts have about a dozen of different naming fields and settings which control how they appear in the applications’ font menus. Making sure that these fields follow the various specs and guidelines set up by OS and app vendors, and that they’re consistent within a font family, has always been a nightmare for font vendors, and especially for font hobbyists and beginner type designers.
  • TransType 4 is the first application on the market that virtually eliminates this problem by introducing a revolutionary, intuitive visual approach to font family management. All you need to do is tell TransType to optimize the styling, and all fonts will be neatly arranged within the family. To make corrections, drag-and-drop a few font thumbnails, or click-and-edit one or two text fields — and your fonts are guaranteed to work cross-platform.
  • The time required to turn any type design project (in VFB or UFO format) or any existing desktop fonts into a font family that works across all operating systems and all web browsers — with TransType 4, it’s literally reduced from hours to minutes.
  • Be more creative with fonts:
  • But fonts are not just about work and hassle — they’re primarily about fun and creativity. So TransType 4 includes a number of sophisticated filters, which can be used to change the font’s appearance. Some are purely functional. The Blend filter allows the user to take any two fonts, and create a new font that looks like a bit of both — perfect for making a Medium weight in a family where the Regular is too thin, and the Bold is too dark. The Tracking filter simply adds or removes space between characters and ‘hardwires’ the changes into a new font. Other filters are much more experimental — Blur or Distort will add a grunge look to the most ‘corporate’ sanserif, while Round will add warmth to the coolest ‘techno’ letterform by softening its hard corners. The Filters are not a replacement for a professional type designer’s work, but they’re fun to use.

New in TransType Pro 4.0.0 Build 4762 Beta (Jan 23, 2013)

  • In addition to TTF, this build also is able to export webfont formats: WOFF and EOT (uncompressed). Future builds will add support for EOT (compressed), SVG and OTF. Stay tuned! And please test the "Webfont TT .woff+.eot (Optimized)" export profile. Check various fonts, generate WOFF and EOT files from them, test them and report results!