Adobe Type Manager (ATM) is the name of four different computer programs created and marketed by Adobe Systems.
The original ATM was created for the Apple Macintosh computer platform to smooth the appearance of PostScript Type I fonts on the computer monitor. PostScript fonts come with screen fonts set to display fonts at certain point sizes only. In Macintosh operating systems prior to Mac OS X, Type 1 fonts set at other sizes would appear jagged on the monitor. ATM allowed Type 1 fonts to appear smooth at any point size, and to print well to non PostScript devices. With Apple's adoption of Mac OS X, which has built-in support for Type 1 fonts, using ATM Light code contributed by Adobe, ATM was no longer necessary for font imaging or printing.
Around 1996, Adobe expanded ATM into a font-management program called ATM Deluxe; the original ATM was reschistened ATM Lite. ATM Deluxe performed the same font-smoothing function as ATM Lite, but performed a variety of other functions: activiation and deactivation of fonts; creating sets of tonts that could be activated or deactivated simultaneously; viewing and printing font samples; and scanning for duplicate fonts, font format conflicts, and PostScript fonts missing screen or printer files. One feature that did not work well was the ability to create outlines for missing PS printer fonts; these substitutes failed in commercial printing.
Adobe discontinued development of ATM Deluxe for Macintosh after Apple moved to Mac OS X. Adobe still sells ATM Deluxe for MacOS users, but it is only supported for OS 9 and earlier. ATM Deluxe does not work reliably under OS X (even under Classic). ATM Light is still helpful to Type 1 font users under Classic, however.
Adobe ported these products to the Microsoft Windows operating system platform. As with ATM Lite for Macintosh, Adobe licensed the core code which was used in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, making ATM Lite for Windows obsolete. However, Adobe still sells ATM Deluxe for Windows. Note that users of ATM (Lite or Deluxe on Windows 95/98/ME who upgrade to Windows 2000/XP may encounter problems, and should visit the Adobe web site for technical information and patches.
Last updated: 08-28-2005 16:05:36