New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
Optical Adjustments
Hello,
I know that it's possible to have differents drawings for each size, in a OT font. But I don't understand how does it work. Which fonction handle with it ? It is possible to create it with FontLab, or Volt ?
thanks a lot !
User login
Support our Sponsors
29 Mar 2004 — 8:36am
It is possible to create the "size" OpenType Layout feature in FontLab. Please refer to:
http://partners.adobe.com/asn/tech/type/opentype/appendices/features_pt.jsp#size
http://partners.adobe.com/asn/tech/type/otfdk/techdocs/OTFeatureFileSyntax.jsp#8.b
The second document describes the syntax that you should use in FontLab's OpenType panel.
Regards,
Adam
29 Mar 2004 — 11:16am
Elena, note that the OT size feature does not involve 'differents drawings for each size in a OT font'. Rather, you make different fonts for each size, and put information in each font that specifies for what point size or range of point sizes it should be used.
29 Mar 2004 — 11:18am
And then no app will bother using them. :-/
hhp
30 Mar 2004 — 9:31am
Thanks everyone.
Anyway it's so bad that there's no app that support this option yet...!
Regards
30 Mar 2004 — 11:07am
As far as I know, it DOES work in InDesign 2.0 or CS.
Adam
30 Mar 2004 — 11:16am
So you're saying that if somebody uses an Adobe OT font with different optical sizes, InDesign will automatically choose the correct size based on the point size? So is each discrete optical size defined to cover a certain point size range?
hhp
30 Mar 2004 — 11:44am
"The fourth and fifth values represent the small end of the recommended usage range (exclusive) and the large end of the recommended usage range (inclusive), stored in 720/inch units (decipoints). Ranges must not overlap, and should generally be contiguous. " -- http://partners.adobe.com/asn/tech/type/opentype/appendices/features_pt.jsp#size
Adam
30 Mar 2004 — 11:47am
I'm afraid that this is not yet supported in InDesign.
Regards,
T
30 Mar 2004 — 12:20pm
Oh, I'm sorry for misleading. I see.
Adam
30 Mar 2004 — 2:00pm
So wipe that smug smile off your face! ;->
hhp
30 Mar 2004 — 4:01pm
There is a 'Use optical size' preference setting in InDesign 2.0 (I presume it is still there in CS also, but I have not upgraded yet*), but this is for activating MM optical instances. Never tried it.
*I was holding out for InDesign ME CS, but am now thinking I'll probably get both for testing purposes.
30 Mar 2004 — 5:27pm
> for activating MM optical instances.
So you're saying it works with an MM font with an optical axis, but not an OT font with optical masters? I'm confused.
hhp
30 Mar 2004 — 5:41pm
Yes, that's exactly correct.
This was a feature that was put into InDesign 1.0, before Adobe moved away from MMs. The feature has not (yet) been extended to apply to OpenType.
T
30 Mar 2004 — 6:22pm
Hmmm - fascinating.
So Thomas:
1) What are the chances this feature (I mean specifically the handling of the MM optical axis) will be removed from future versions of InDesign? Might it happen when support for OT optical instances gets added, or do you think it'll stay in there even then?
2) What does InDesign need to see to recognize an optical axis? Just see "Optical" as the name, or is there some encoding in the background?
hhp
30 Mar 2004 — 9:37pm
1) Hard to say. Perhaps it will get removed when or after Adobe completely drops support for multiple master fonts. No date has yet been announced for this.
2) MM axes have short names ("Op") and long names "Optical Size"). Presumably InDesign is keying off one of these. Axes do not have any other kind of encoding AFAIK.
Regards,
T
20 May 2004 — 8:57am
ok, novice type question coming up. apologies for off-topic
i've got some MM instances installed on C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Fonts (i'm on windows). they're installed in the control panel font folder as well).
How do I get indesign (using CS)to display these instances? the styles list just has regular, italic etc
21 May 2004 — 8:39am
no takers then :?
21 May 2004 — 8:56am
First, you should try to avoid having the fonts installed in two different places. It just causes confusion (for apps as well as people trying to figure out your problem).
Second, would I be correct in thinking that those are the only styles that show in other applications as well?
My guess is that you are running Windows 2000 or XP. To get full MM support on those OSes, you have to install ATM. Unless you want to pay for ATM Deluxe, install ATM Light 4.1, and the patch to 4.1.2.
Alternatively, if you don't want to access the MM instances in apps other than Adobe's InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop, just remove the fonts from the system fonts folder. Then the ones in the private Adobe location will get used, and you don't need the system level support.
Regards,
T
24 May 2004 — 3:13am
many thanks for this, thomas!
seems to work.