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Generating Fonts Accurately
Posted by Alexander Atkinson in
2 May 2012 — 5:42am
2 May 2012 — 5:42am
I'm trying to generate a font so I can layout a decent proofing sheet. Two problems:
I am able to generate a Win TrueType/OpenType TT file, but when I try OpenType PS, it gives me this message: "ERROR: There was a problem while compiling OpenType font. Final .otf font is not saved. Please, check OpenType features definition for errors." Does anyone know what this is referring to? I looked through the fonts features panel, but didn't see any red flags. Feel like I'm missing something on how to preflight these files before generating.
Also, when I use the Win TrueType/OpenType TT file in InDesign, the small capitals and old style numerals are not accessible through InDesign's OpenType menu, however, I can access them in the Glyphs window. What steps need to be taken to create files that work seamlessly with InDesign
Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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2 May 2012 — 7:30am
Your "Also" suggests that your Opentype features indeed do not work. Although it's a mystery why your font does compile without errors as OTF TT file but not as OTF Type 1. (Which begs the question, by the way, why you are doing that?)
2 May 2012 — 10:30am
Why am I compiling as a TTF? I did that to try out different file formats – to see which ones would work.
2 May 2012 — 1:19pm
Dump all of your OpenType code. Then add features and test compile them one at a time until you find the broken one.
3 May 2012 — 3:07am
test compile them one at a time until you find the broken one
Assuming it is only one gefuched feature -- always risky -- there is a faster way than one at a time. Dump half of them. If that complies, try the other half. Keep splitting in halves. You'll find the bad one a lot quicker this way.
3 May 2012 — 5:33am
Thanks for the feedback – I really appreciate everyone taking the time to out here. I'm new to this, but if I understand correctly, the OpenType code should be accessible in Window > Panels > OpenType. When I open that up, there is no code or classes listed – it is completely blank. Is this the problem? Do the small capitals and old style numerals need to be defined here in order to generate the OpenType PS file?
3 May 2012 — 6:33am
Smooth. You're a closet CompSci guy aren't you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_search_tree
hhp
3 May 2012 — 9:50am
the OpenType code should be accessible in Window > Panels > OpenType. When I open that up, there is no code or classes listed – it is completely blank. Is this the problem?
Yes
Do the small capitals and old style numerals need to be defined here in order to generate the OpenType PS file?
Yes. Well, not necessarily "defined." You need (1) a set of classes and (2) a set of instructions as to what to do with the classes. You can put both in the features file, or you can use the classes file to "define" them. I prefer to have everything in the features file. In fact, I prefer to have that file written off so as to be able to use a text editor on it.
You might have to read the manual...
3 May 2012 — 10:35am
Thanks charles_e. Been going through the manual – it's been hard finding where to start with that though. This helps a great deal though. It looks like they start dealing with this topic on page 833. My plan is to use the manual and some other font's code as reference to move forward with this. Thanks so much.
3 May 2012 — 4:09pm
>Keep splitting in halves.
Super-nice! :^)
7 May 2012 — 6:00am
If it cuts in halves.What are the net effect of it?
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7 May 2012 — 6:48am
Charles: ‘[…] there is a faster way […]’
Another option would be to collect all your OT layout features in one file, to download OTM Light 2.0 (which supports the AFDKO 2.5), and subsequently to use the File –> Import function to compile the features. In File –> Messages a detailed report of the compiling process will be listed. Compiling will abort in case of an error, of course, and there will be an indication presented of what went wrong.
Please note that the export of OT layout features in OTM Light 2.0 is not as perfect as in the latest OTM 2.4 full version.
FEB
9 May 2012 — 5:44am
Thanks for this. I've downloaded it and am figuring it out. Seems to be a bit ahead of where I am in the process, but I can see it being useful down the road. Right now, I'm still troubleshooting and learning how to correctly code the OpenType features.
15 May 2012 — 6:06am
Going through the manual. Wanted to note a couple of things here. I deleted all the OpenType code and it still would not generate an OpenType PS font. I added a small capital and old style numeral class, definition, and feature and it gives me this in the Output panel when I try to generate the font: "[WARNING] Glyph class @Fontname-Demi redefined [/Users/lukeatkinson/Library/Application Support/FontLab/Studio 5/Features/fontlab.fea 90]." Going to keep going through the manual. Not sure what FontLab is saying though.