Point Clean-up

Stuart Sandler
Stuart Sandler Posts: 362
edited August 2012 in Technique and Theory
Recently as we add lots of fonts to Font Bros, we notice many novice font designers have serious point issues including open paths and errant nodes. I generally direct them to use the Threshold Pen tool from Robofab which does a serviceable job but I'm not sure that's the very best option or recipe for this otherwise delicate work . . .

Any suggestions all?

Comments

  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    If they’re going to sell the fonts they should inspect everything manually. If they can’t be bothered to do that they should just not release their work.
  • Stuart Sandler
    Stuart Sandler Posts: 362
    At minimum, are there tools or functions that will 'flag' these errors? We want to educate these folks how to spot these errors and methods to remedy them,
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    FontLab’s Font Validator is a good tool for outline QA. Just turn it on and go glyph-by-glyph checking every error.
  • PabloImpallari
    PabloImpallari Posts: 806
    in FL -> Select any glyph -> Right Click -> Macro -> Mark Problems
  • André Simard
    André Simard Posts: 186
    Other way is always work with the “FontAudit” tool activated. It will always show every error on your glyph .
  • Russell McGorman
    Russell McGorman Posts: 262
    edited September 2012
    nothing takes the place of inspecting every point in every glyph, but the "false positives" with "FontAudit" are at least a clue to take a closer look.
  • Thomas Phinney
    Thomas Phinney Posts: 2,888
    I've found FontLab's FontAudit to be a very helpful tool in working with my intern. We discuss what gets flagged and how important it is.

    Note that FontLab prefs allow you to decide which of FontAudit's 12 tests you wish to apply. It's not all or nothing.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    I've found FontLab's FontAudit to be a very helpful tool in working with my intern. We discuss what gets flagged and how important it is.
    I learned a lot from reviewing every glyphs with Font Audit, over and over. It is one part of FontLab that works very well.
  • urbanpixel
    urbanpixel Posts: 2
    hi guys I need a wise advice about FontAUDIT in FL,
    I made an oblique version of my font that I'm designing and I get a lot of : "Extrenum point: we recommande placing a node at this extrenum point". Do I have to trust FL about this Audit ? is it a real issue ?
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    In general extreme points are needed to make text render onscreen. But in slanted fonts it can be tough to draw some features with extreme points, so leave them out if you have to.
  • urbanpixel
    urbanpixel Posts: 2
    Thank a lot James

    Michel from Montréal
  • Max Phillips
    Max Phillips Posts: 474
    In general I've tried hard to insert extremum points whenever the control points of the curve would otherwise jut out into the sidebearings. I've been told, or think I've been told, that neglecting this can mess up your letterspacing on screen. But when the extremum-less curve would simply send control points into the middle of the letter, or above or below the letter, I don't worry so much about missing extrema.

    Can somebody smart tell me if I've got this right, half-right, or wrong?
  • Jan Schmoeger
    Jan Schmoeger Posts: 280
    Before I wiped my hard disk, I had a great tool that placed points on the extrema automatically. @James_Puckett You would know the tool, James. Was it Slanter?
  • Mark Simonson
    Mark Simonson Posts: 1,736
    The main reason to put control points at the extrema is for hinting. Hints must be attached to control points. If you don't put control points at the extrema, it makes it impossible to add meaningful hints.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    RMX Slanter doesn’t place points automatically, it reshapes the curve to look similar to what an oblique would and keeps orthogonal points orthogonal. The results are great when it works right.

    Glyphs has the helpful ability to just add orthogonal extreme points at appropriate locations if you shift-click on a curve with the pen tool.
  • Kent Lew
    Kent Lew Posts: 938
    Glyphs has the helpful ability to just add orthogonal extreme points at appropriate locations
    FontLab’s Contour > Nodes at Extremes will do something similar. It seems to disregard certain situations where a node already exists near the extremum and the intervening curve is very short.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,994
    FontLab’s Contour > Nodes at Extremes will do something similar.
    Glyphs has that as well. But being able to add the extema selectively is nice.
  • Max Phillips
    Max Phillips Posts: 474
    Thanks for the clarification, Mark. I knew it was the hinting. Or the international date line. Or something.
  • Georg Seifert
    Georg Seifert Posts: 674
    I improved the Add Extremes command that it will try to avoid adding nodes that are to close and it tries to move points (if possible without curve distortion) instead of inserting another one next to it.

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