Are Variable Concept Fonts in PDFs Safe to Use?

Question

I created a PDF from an InDesign 2020 document that uses the AcuminVariableConcept font. I used the standard font styles such as ExtraCondensed Bold and Wide Bold. I did not change any of the weights, widths or slants.
When I preflight the PDF, I believe every instance of the AcuminVariableConcept font gives a warning of glyph width mismatches for PDF data versus embedded font data. I also notice that the font name is note consider unique - it seems to be re-embedded for each instance. For example, it is simple "AcuminVariableConcept" rather than "AcuminVariableConcept-ExtraCondensedBold".

I suspect that Acrobat Pro DC and/or PDFs do not fully support variable concept fonts. Is this true? Can anyone enlighten me on the status of them?

(I can get around the issue by using the Adobe Font version via Creative Cloud, but at some point it seems the variable concepts should become more than simply a concept.)

By the way, the version of Acrobat Pro DC I'm using is 2020.006.20034.

Dov Isaacs · Accepted Answer

Please see the thread at https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/variable-fonts/m-p/10956586?page=1#M177364 where the issues of OpenType Variable fonts are discussed in more detail by yours truly.

Test Screen Name · Answer

I don’t know what these fonts are, but PDF has t had any font support changes for 15 years. Nor are any changes likely in the short or medium term: it would take the PDF committee at iSO another 8-10 years to add anything. Doesn’t mean the fonts aren’t safe for PDF, if the PDF creator does any conversions necessary.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded