CNET Editors' review
PopChar has been around since nearly the dawn of time, at least in terms of the Mac operating system. PopChar started as a Turbo Pascal-based substitute for Key Caps, created on a Mac Plus way back in 1987. Its core functionality remains the same today, helping users insert unusual characters directly into documents--choosing from an increasingly arcane array of strange and foreign symbols, across thousands of Unicode-supported characters, all without having to learn any difficult key combinations.
Similar to the built-in Character Palette and Keyboard Viewer in OS X, PopChar X is accessed from your menu bar (or with an optional, customizable hot key), but it offers an easier interface and many more options than these built-in tools--including an always-on-top Favorites group, for frequently used characters. PopChar X auto-detects your current font, gives you a powerful search function across font boundaries, offers a variety of input methods, inserts HTML symbols, and more. A cool "reverse font search" even lets you know which fonts support a given character.
Overall, the only drawback to PopChar X is its price, but this app can still be a good value for anyone who uses its features frequently.
Publisher's Description
From Ergonis software:
PopChar is a utility application that lets you insert special characters, accented letters, umlauts, etc. from all installed fonts into your documents. You never need to search for and remember keystrokes any longer. Just pop up the PopChar window, click the desired character, and the character appears in your current document. If a font contains Unicode characters, you can see all of them, neatly arranged in the standard Unicode categories. Features: Simple to use, just click and select, Inserts accented characters, foreign letters and any other character from all installed fonts, Automatic font detection, Full Unicode support, Character search function, Various insertion options, Insertion of HTML symbols, Recent characters view, Displays the keystrokes needed to create selected characters, Automatically starts at login.
What's new in this version: Version 5.1 supports the brand-new version 6.0 of the Unicode standard and can now identify more than 23,000 characters by their names. It features a new command for cleaning up the table of recent characters and allows skipping the announcement of new versions. The new version furthermore improves overall performance and compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and applications like Espresso and FileMaker Pro. A complete list of changes and enhancement can be found at the company's websi... See all new features
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All versions:
4.4 starsout of 39 votes
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Current version:
4.6 starsout of 5 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-5 of 5
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"Most efficient way to find the character you want!"
Version: PopChar X 5.1
Pros
Ease of use, fast access, easily personalized, unobtrusive, regularly updated.
Cons
None that I know of.
Summary
PopChar X is so much easier to use than trying to use Apple's character or keyboard viewer. It is, in my book, a 'Mac Essential.' I've had others, but PopChar X is the full-featured, well polished, champion of its class.
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"Always ready, always helpful. Best font help available."
Version: PopChar X 5.1
Pros
Saves so much time when special characters are needed and/or a different font.
Also see answer to #2 above.Cons
Nothing wrong that I have found.
Summary
Get it. Use it. Be happy and satisfied.
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"Exceptionally easy/and convenient to use and access."
Version: PopChar X 5.1
Pros
Very accessable: tiny button upper left corner. Immediately opens when needed; and immediately closes after insert.. It remembers the previously used character, until a new character is needed. It will work even in website application forms, etc.
Cons
I only wonder if the newer version is going to change the beauty of version 2.3 which we've been using for @4 years.
Summary
Exceptionally easy and accessable to use. Stays out of sight small footprint, but right awake when needed. Small is big!
Just upgraded. Version 5.1 is super. The application is still it's same amazing self. Big yet unpretentious. The engineers on this are to be congratulated
I have used it even in an adobe web site application form!
Updated on Nov 3, 2010 -
"OK but not necessary"
Version: PopChar X 5.1
Pros
Was about the best until Adobe introduced their 'glyphs' panel some years ago. Now it's kind of redundant, at least for InDesign.
Cons
Quirky at times (unpredictable)
Summary
Nice toy if you need font character substitutions often in various applications (Other than Adobe InD).
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"BEST utility for inserting arcane chars in your text."
Version: PopChar X 5.1
Pros
Intuitive and easy to use, PopChar sits unobtrusively in the upper left corner of your Menu Bar at all times and allows you to select from a wide variety of characters, regular, Unicode, or completely arcane fonts & styles, & pop them into your text.
Cons
I've used PopChar on several Macs since version 1 and can't think of a single thing I don't like about the program or that I would change. It does what it's supposed to do quickly and easily and without a hassle. Definitely worth the price!
Results 1-5 of 5
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