Using Smart Search

FontAgent® lets you search for fonts by their names, properties and metadata using its Smart Search facility.

Smart Search Basics

Smart Search lets you find fonts in your FontAgent database that match one or more rules that you specify. 

To start a Smart Search, click the gear icon to the right of the Search field and FontAgent displays the Smart Search dialog.
 

     


Specifying a Smart Search

Specifying Smart Set Rules

To specify the terms of your Smart Search, follow these steps:

  1. If you have more than one rule for your search, select whether you want the fonts in the set to match any or all of your rules.
  2. Enter a rule by using the pull-down menus and text fields to specify an attribute, operator and value.
  3. Click the plus icon to add a rule.
  4. Click the x icon to the left of a rule to delete it from the Smart Search.

You can search any combination of the following fields in your Smart Search:

                                                           
            
  • Font name
  • Font family name
  • Foundry name
  • Font style
  • Font weight
  • Font type (file format)
  • Activation status
            
            
  • Copyright
  • Trademark
  • Description (by font creator)
  • Comment and keywords  (made by you)
  • Tags
  • Rating (1 to 5 stars)
  • Has Duplicates
            


Click the View Matching Fonts button to see a list of fonts that match the Smart Set criteria you have specified.

Saving Criteria as a Named Smart Set

To save the Smart Set definition to your FontAgent catalog, enter a Smart Set name at the top of the dialog and click the OK button at the bottom of the dialog.

Smart Set Examples

For helpful examples of how to specify Smart Set criteria, see Smart Set Examples.

Editing a Smart Set

To make changes to an existing Smart Set, right-click the set's name in the Sets Sidebar and select the Edit command. FontAgent displays the Smart Set dialog so you can modify the set's name and criteria. To save your change, click OK.

Renaming a Smart Set

To rename an existing Smart Set, double click the set's name in the Sets Sidebar, then enter the new name and press Enter.


Finding and Managing Duplicate Fonts

What is a Duplicate Font?

When you import fonts into FontAgent, duplicate fonts are not imported. To determine if a font is a duplicate, FontAgent compares different criteria to make sure there are no exact matches in the font file before it imports the fonts.

But in some cases, this allows fonts which can appear to be "duplicate fonts." Fonts that have the same name and format can differ in very minor ways and still be imported into FontAgent.

Finding Duplicate Fonts?

Smart Search allows you specify complex search with multiple, specific criteria. It is accessible from two places in FontAgent:

  • When you click the magnifying glass in the Search field
  • When you define a Smart Set

To start a Smart Search, click the magnifying glass icon in the Search field at the top of the center column and FontAgent displays the Smart Search dialog.

Specifying Smart Search Criteria for defining Duplicate Fonts

To specify the terms of your Smart Search, follow these steps:

  1. If you have more than one rule for your search, select whether you want the fonts in the set to match any or all of your rules.
  2. Select Has Duplicates by using the pull-down menu

You can narrow your definition of duplicate fonts by checking the following fields in your Smart Search:

  • Font Name Matches
  • Format Matches
  • Version Number

Font Name Matches

This is the most valuable search criteria for defining duplicates in searches. Most applications will see fonts by name and name alone. Being able to quickly gather and view fonts that have matching font names will help you determine what fonts you want included in your collection or which fonts you wish to activate and make available for your projects.

Format Matches

This selection further refines searches to find fonts that have format matches.

Version Number

This selection will limit the returned fonts to those that have matching versions.

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