Hinting

[dberlow]

Goal is to get the hints of Roboto-Regular.ttf onto RobotoClassic.vf, ie, match the regular of a variable font to the regular of the family’s hinted TrueType font, and then expand the hinting to work on all the styles in the new variable font’s design space, Which includes all of the hinted truetype fonts of the original family. Backward concern for rendered compatibility to whatever degree it can be solved.

Note: this will require use of new ms software that allows editing to cvar table, since 1 yr, but now editing intermediates of cvar table.

Also note: neither of these processes described below include manual glyph hinting.

A. Match to the tt instructions 1.Compatibilize: glyf, new source to old target Roboto-regular vf Compatibilize to Roboto-Regular ttf This will ensure the Glyph instructions of Roboto-Regular work the same as the original.

2. Make matching vf from old masters, however design space dictates, beyond dictated that ttf that was “Regular” in the family of ttfs, is the variable font’s default instance.
3. Add instances as ness.
4. ttx copy: Roboto-regular.ttf to Roboto-regular.vf A. CVT B. fpgm C. prep D. loca E. gasp F. Make CVAR in vtt
5. See if it works at all, (pilot only)
6. For full compatibility, test

Or, Goal is to remake a family of truetype fonts into a variable font and truetype autohint them, backward compatibility except perhaps the contours themselves.

B. A Remake w/ttfautohint

1. Make matching vf from old masters, however design space and contours dictate, dictated that ttf that was “Regular” in the family of ttfs, is the variable font’s default instance.
2. TTF autohint
3. VTT edit cvar
4. Compile vf
5. Test for compatibility of instances to ttfs of Family
6. Add intermediates for backward compatibility to ttfs as ness.
7. Edit cvar
8. Compile vf
9. Test for compatibility

[dberlow]

CJ,

I think the contour compatibilization would be done by FB, then the rest would go to you.

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/tools/vtt describes the process of making a cvar.

Can you try this out?

Thanks.

[dberlow]

While posting this, I guess we’re also waiting for Mark Foley’s process to be documented and provided to us for the beginning of the weights project.

[m4rc1e]

@dberlow I have our process outlined in the following doc. I don't have your email address so please request access and I will share it with you.

I'm also having a hangout with @djrrb @cjdunn and Jill on Friday where I will demonstrate the workflow and our current tooling.

[dberlow]

Thanks Mark! dberlow@fontbureau.com

[davelab6]

A critical goal is to keep filesize minimal.