Help with quick python script!

Fernando Díaz

Hi everyone,

I'm in need of  help, I'm using Flab 6-7 and need to automatically set the starting point in several glyphs and their masters.
There is an option in "contours"–"set starting point" but if i have to do it one by one I'll take forever.

Does anyone have a script for this?
Do scripts actually work in Flab 6-7? I had several crashes
Thank you!

Fernando Díaz

Found a way to do it without a script!!!

Either way, if anyone can tell me if there is a python for typography course I would be thankful.

Viktor Rubenko

Don't know how to call FL SetStartPoint function from script, but you can try this:

import fontlab as fl
import math


for glyph in fl.CurrentFont().glyphs:
    for layer in fl.flGlyph(glyph).layers:
        for contour in layer.getContours():
            bbox = contour.boundingBox()
            dist = lambda pt: math.sqrt(
                (bbox.x() - pt.x) ** 2 + (bbox.y() - pt.y) ** 2
            )
            nodes = [
                (index, node)
                for index, node in enumerate(contour.nodes())
                if node.type == "on"
            ]
            start_index = sorted(
                [(index, dist(node)) for index, node in nodes],
                key=lambda _: _[1],
            )[0][0]
            if start_index != 0:
                contour.setStartPoint(start_index)
fl.CurrentFont().update()

Sérgio Martins

@Fernando Díaz there is one, by Roberto Arista, which is (I think) the course version of this.

Thomas Phinney

@Fernando Díaz What you are looking for is among the many functions of TypeRig, the script/add-on that is sufficiently powerful that the FontLab folks made it an optional install in the app, in FontLab 7.

I have become highly dependent on TypeRig for a number of things.

From the FL7 release notes:

“The Scripts menu has a Update / Install Scripts command. Click it to install some useful Python packages as well as TypeRig, a monumental Python extension for FontLab 7 developed independently by Vassil Kateliev. TypeRig brings some example Python scripts as well as TypeRig GUI, a large panel that lets you perform various batch operations. When you run Update / Install Scripts for the first time, you will need to restart FontLab 7 two or three times. Run the command once every few weeks to update TypeRig. Note: This functionality is experimental.”