WTF (What is The Font size)

[isa_orianthi]

I am required to use Adobe Illustrator CC 2020 (24.3, Mac) for client delivery requirements. We have very strict font specifications. In many graphics, the font sizes appear to reduce by .003 pt no matter which way I select and change the font size (select the element, change to 12 pt, deleselct, select the font element again and it's back to 11.997 pt), and new text elements begin behaving this way as well. 

WEIRDNESS 101: the Character Panel and the Properties Panel side-by-side show different font specs. So what is the font size?! Should we ask the client to switch away from TTF and instead use OTF? Does AI 2021 have this issue? Any advice would be lovely, or if this is a simple glitch that I don't have to worry about, let me know. I'm banging my head against the wall here.

Raw data attaced. 

[Randy Hagan]

Okay, I think there are a few things you may want to consider here:

1. Please excuse me if I'm mistaken, but your post seems to indicate you're scaling the entire type element (frame and contents) with the Arrow/Selection tool. That's not the most precise way to size your type, even if you aren't actively using that tool. You're essentially scaling the frame which contains the text and everything inside it. I would first get the Type tool, then select the type you wish to modify with it and set your specification. Try this and please let us know if you get better reported results. You never know for sure until you do this, but I'm fairly confident that you'll get more consistent results.

2. This is harder. While in this instance I doubt that using the client's TrueType font is the cause of your issue, on general principles I'd suggest that changing out from a TrueType font to an OpenType equivalent is a good idea. For cross-platform compatibility — even if the font is named exactly the same on the Mac and Windows platforms — TrueType font files are different for each platform and anomalies can occur. This probably isn't the best opportunity for you to make your case.

3. Are your clients editing the source files themselves? If so, are y'all using the same platform and software/hardware configurations? That could result in additional complications. And if you're using vector graphics and scaling them, the specific font size isn't quite as important as being properly proportionate in design of the end product. If for some reason that's not the case, fully design the logo for its 100% use size, then get your Type tool and set the type size to client specifications after locking down the final graphic size. That will keep everything technically copacetic.

3a. Or, convert all the type to outlines, hand it over to the client and be comfortable that you did it right plus hide any evidence of a potential crime. Jus' sayin' ...

Hope this helps,

Randy

[isa_orianthi]

Thank you for the tip, unfortunately, it did not work. (see short video attached, let me know if I didn't follow instructions properly).

The issue that concerns me the most is that the specs in the Character Panel and the Properties Panel are different . . . it makes me hope upon hope that this is just a bug.

[Randy Hagan]

OK, try this:

1. Select the text with the Text tool.

2. Change your Leading edit box first from Auto leading (that's where the weird (14.4 pt) leading in parenthesis results from) to 15 pt.

3. Then change the Font Size edit box and see if it sticks at 12 pt.

Though to be honest, I imagine nobody's ever going to drop an E-Scale on the final printed piece and say "I can clearly see this is three-thousandths of a point off the corporate 12-point spec." We're talking four ten-thousandths of an inch difference. Like half the width of the typical human hair.

To be honest, I don't know if you need to be chasing this here ... what file format(s) are you using to provide these logos to your clients?

Good luck,

Randy

[isa_orianthi]

TRUST ME, I understand your ambivalence over the four ten-thousandths of an inch. Remember my head banging against the wall? It's becuase the dsigner in me thinks this issue is ridiculous.

However, I need to do my due diligence should the client open these files to make post-delivery edits, and see 11.997 pt when the contract clearly states 12 pt (ever have a client that tries to get their money back? yeah, THAT. I do not want to be in violation of this particular contract).

If there isn't a fix, I would love is for someone from Adobe to say, "this is a bug, ignore it," in writing, so that I have evidence that we've done due diligence to meet the parameters of the contract. 

[Randy Hagan]

I'm afraid this is a user forum. If you're looking for an official call from Adobe, this isn't the best way to get it. But for the life of me, I don't know where to direct you to get one.

I feel bad for your position. Good luck.

Randy

[isa_orianthi]

Thanks for your help Randy! It really is one of the strangest things we've come up against. WHHHYYYY???!

[Larry G. Schneider]

What does the Properties panel show if you change the font size in the Character panel to 12? 

[isa_orianthi]

12!! It's super strange that the Charater panel keeps reverting to 11.997 while the Properties panel shows 12 (even when character panel gets changed to to 12). I've succumbed to the fact that I have to recreate my templates every cycle if this continues happening.

[isa_orianthi]

Also, yes, these files need to be fully editable for the client (text should be live).

[Ton Frederiks]

Does it also happen in the latest Illustrator version (25.2)?

The file format is the same and you can have both installed at the same time.

[isa_orianthi]

Yes, the files opened in 2021 also have the weird font issue, but the files were created back in 2018 or 2019.

[Ton Frederiks]

I also have 2020 installed and I cannot reproduce your problem.

Is it a specific document?

Did you already try to reset the Preferences?

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html

[isa_orianthi]

This does appear to only happen to graphics (used like templates/starting place with style specs built in) that were created in a previous version of Illustrator (2018). These have also been downloaded rom and uploaded to cloud storage many times...

I would love to avoid having to recreate the templates every year, but it's sounding like there is a glitch in the older files.

[Ton Frederiks]

I had similar problems with the 2020 version opening (older?) document presets with strange measurements. An A4 would show 209,9999 mm X 297,0002 mm instead of 210 X 297, but that does not happen anymore. So it maybe caused by opening older documents in a newer version.