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Om Nath Jha
Om Nath Jha
Legend
November 6, 2019
Question

Variable Fonts in InDesign

  • November 6, 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 15302 views

OT (Open Type) Variable Fonts are highly flexible and customizable typefaces. InDesign now supports Variable Font They are the equivalent of multiple individual fonts compactly packaged within a single font file.  

You can change the custom attributes such as weight, width, slant, optical size, etc. using convenient slider controls available when you click in the Control panel, Character panel, Character Styles panel, and Paragraph Styles panel. 

 

 

Check this help article for complete details about this feature.

 

Feedback and questions:  

Reply to this post to share your feedback on this feature, and any questions you have around using it. Our team of experts here will do their best to assist you.

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    5 replies

    eWalthert
    eWalthert
    Participant
    October 13, 2023

    There are unexpected issues with Variable Fonts in InDesign 2024 19.0x86 on Windows 11.

    The font was tested in CC 2023 on Mac, works fine in Illustrator on Windows 11 and in all other environments.

     

    In InDesign 2024 on Windows some letters go from Bold back to Thin instead to ExtraBold or UltraBold.

    On top of that, the spacing and kerning is all messed up.

    Please see secreensots below.

     

    The typeface is produced with the latest version of fontmake and has the STAT table added via statmake .stylespace

      Rag and Bone
      Community Expert
      Rag and BoneCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 13, 2023

      Problems aren't confined to Windows, see this thread.

        L
        Community Expert
        LaubenderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        April 30, 2020

        Hi Rag_and_Bone,

        best you report the issues with Macklin variable fonts at:

         

        https://indesign.uservoice.com/

         

        Thanks,
        Uwe Laubender

        ( ACP )

          Rag and Bone
          Community Expert
          Rag and BoneCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          April 30, 2020

          Thanks, Uwe.

          Rag and Bone
          Community Expert
          Rag and BoneCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          April 30, 2020

          I just installed the new Macklin variable fonts from Monotype. They work as expected in Illustrator, and the "regular" cut works as expected in InDesign. However, the Macklin Sans font doesn't work well in InDesign: the prebuilt weights are functional, but when one varies the axis sliders, they seem to have no effect. Bug in the font or in InDesign?

            A
            AlxMarroquin
            Participant
            January 10, 2020

            I have seen several press articles where they talk about the new option of Variable Fonts in InDesign, although I have the latest version, it does not bring that tool. WHY?

            L
            Community Expert
            LaubenderCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            January 13, 2020

            Hi AlxMarroquin,

            it seems that your issue is resolved. Actually it was a non-issue, I think:

            https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/variable-fonts-indesign/m-p/10848440#M170699

             

            Regards,
            Uwe Laubender

            ( ACP )

            Dov Isaacs
            Dov Isaacs
            Legend
            November 7, 2019

            As much as Variable Fonts do represent new and exciting technology with much potential going forward, you may wish to limit your use of these fonts at this point especially for production workflows! Why?

             

            Be aware that Variable Fonts are not directly supported by PDF. This isn't a matter of what can be supported by Acrobat or other PDF viewers, but rather it is an issue of Variable Fonts not being supported at all by the PDF language specification, including PDF 2.0 and the upcoming PDF/X-6 and PDF/A-4 specifications. It may be several years before such support is added to the PDF specification and according support added to PDF viewers (such as Adobe Reader and Acrobat). If you do use Variable Fonts in an InDesign or Illustrator document, generated PDF (as well as PostScript and EPS) use derived “instances” of the Variable Font  based on the settings for the text being formatted. As a tangible result, text formatted in these applications using Variable Fonts is effectively not editable within Acrobat! (You can change the text to another, non-Variable Font, but you cannot at all access Variable Fonts within Acrobat!)

             

            Also be aware that web browser support for Variable Fonts (both the OpenType CFF and OpenType TrueType flavours) is not universal and/or consistent.

             

            Similar advice applies to “color” and SVG OpenType fonts.

             

            Good for experimentation at this point, but be very cautious in any use for production.

             

                            - Dov

            - Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)
              Om Nath Jha
              Om Nath JhaAuthor
              Legend
              November 8, 2019

              Thank you so much for your valuable inputs, Dov!

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