ttfautohint control file process

Wei Huang

While I am still using ttfa, I'm curious about how other people who use ttfa work with control files? My process is as follows:

1. Use Impallari's Tester to see the font in browser at a range of sizes and identify problems
2. Open font in FontForge
3. Activate "Show Grid Fit" at the correct point size and settings
4. Turn off Guide and Back layer to see only the foreground to read the correct point numbers
5. Experiment with values in the control file
6. Generate new fonts and repeat

I'd be very happy to read your processes. Is there another way to read the point numbers other than going through FontForge — this is probably the most tedious part?

Or does anyone have suggestions on how to do this better? I've never done manual hinting myself. I use Glyphs and eventually plan to look at the Glyphs app TT hinting or VTT.

Deleted Account

0. Clean your screen.

5b. Experiment with different values in the glyphs.

And I don't use fontforge, but otherwise, Looks Great!

Dave Crossland

Yep, before controls files were introduced, making minor transformations to the glyph outlines was the way to get the best results from ttfa

Jasper de Waard

The point numbers can also be read in the old Fontlab. Open the ttf file > Edit > Properties. But, note that the point numbers you need to fill in in the control file should all be decreased by 1, since FL starts counting at 1, whereas ttfa starts counting at 0.

Instead of using Pablo's tester I like to upload the font files to my a test-page on my own website and use browserstack's screenshot functionality to see and compare how it renders in different environments next to each other.

Dave Crossland

Jasper de Waard said:

Instead of using Pablo's tester I like to upload the font files to my a test-page on my own website and use browserstack's screenshot functionality to see and compare how it renders in different environments next to each other.

How much does this cost, if anything? 

Jasper de Waard

Dave Crossland said:

Jasper de Waard said:

Instead of using Pablo's tester I like to upload the font files to my a test-page on my own website and use browserstack's screenshot functionality to see and compare how it renders in different environments next to each other.

How much does this cost, if anything? 

I think the first 100 or so screenshots are free, after that it depends on which plan you take (probably $29 a month). But, they make exceptions for open source projects sometimes, so it may be worth sending them an email.

Wei Huang

Yep, before controls files were introduced, making minor transformations to the glyph outlines was the way to get the best results from ttfa

How does that work when in one size a stroke is too thick, and too thin in another size?

Jasper de Waard

Wei Huang said:

Yep, before controls files were introduced, making minor transformations to the glyph outlines was the way to get the best results from ttfa

How does that work when in one size a stroke is too thick, and too thin in another size?

Usually it doesn't, but sometimes aligning a stroke with other strokes (say, x-height, or cap-height, or at the baseline) can have a thinning effect at one size and a thickening effect at other sizes. If that doesn't work, there is always the control instructions file.