Issues on Windows

[vv-monsalve]

When creating html-proof for the single wght axis VFs (at commit 07c8561e0), opening them on Parallels -Windows11, and testing the installation of some on actual Windows11, many fonts show some rendering issues that are not happening on Mac.

I've assessed them in a colored schema. You can find the full list here, and the taken pictures here. Please give them a revision and ensure that:

• [ ] All the fonts-models work ok on that platform.
• [ ] Create some VFs without hinting and test them again using diffenator2.

Red - Critical case

Presenting one of the following:

• Letters jumping up and down off the baseline
• Malformed letters. Compressed, expanded, or showing glitches as if there were interpolation issues
• Broken connection between letters

E.g. Playwrite-AUS-NSW

E.g. Playwrite-BEL-WAL

---

The issues stop happening when font size > 100.

https://github.com/TypeTogether/Playwrite/assets/48698976/4a9c36f1-af2c-469b-8aa9-7abb96e498fd

https://github.com/TypeTogether/Playwrite/assets/48698976/31e5fd93-aff4-40e2-a2ed-4f30bf618a43

[vv-monsalve]

Orange

• Letter jumping only happens on caps letters
• Some glitches
• Thin strokes going to extreme

E.g. Playwrite AUS QLD

E.g. Playwrite CUB

[vv-monsalve]

Yellow (to green) - small issues

• No jumping on letters
• Small glitches
• Marks or components not working, for example, for U̸ or cedilla

E.g. Playwrite MEX

E..g. Playwrite DEU-SAS

[vv-monsalve]

Update

After producing some test fonts without hinting it definitely seems to be related to hinting

E.g. Playwrite-AUS-NSW

Playwrite-BEL-WAL

[casasin]

I see. I tested yesterday with diffenator2 in Windows 10 Pro and I could spot the same behaviour. Should the variable fonts then not be autohinted?

[josescaglione]

My best guess after a quick revision is that the alignment zones are not being moved in accordance to the YEXT axis. (eg alignment zones remain at minimum value: 375). Note that the models with a minimum value on YEXT do not present this issue.

[vv-monsalve]

the alignment zones are not being moved in accordance to the YEXT axis. (…) Note that the models with a minimum value on YEXT do not present this issue.

Adjusting the alignment zones could be a good fix. However, the relation with the YEXT value is relative. You can see that this was happening also for models with YEXT = 500. Without hinting, Models like France Traditional at YEXT= 908 are working ok (pic below).

Should the variable fonts then not be autohinted?

Indeed, we require variable fonts to be unhinted. And an important note is this is not happening on static fonts :)

[josescaglione]

Export will happen with no hinting. I think we can close the issue