add special character as glyph or font

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
August 10, 2023
2 replies
1599 views

I hae a book that uses a special handdrawn image for the word "AND" - this image is used several times per page at different sizes as part of normal text. I've been trying to figure a way to make it into a glyph and add that or to make it a font [it is only the word "and"] to avoid having to place it as an image every time and then having to resize it. Think of it like an emoji - can I make the "and" into a glyph? or a font? I've made the "and" into an svg file via Illustrator and tried things like fontforge and birdfont but am not able to create the font

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Correct answer jmlevy

Did you contact Marc Autret or is it a chance? Answer is here, given by Marc:

https://twitter.com/indiscripts/status/1690354835101528064?s=20

jmlevy

Community Expert

The 2 links given by @Eugene Tyson refer to the same product: Indyfont, which is exactly what you need.

N

notannhavocAuthor

Inspiring

thank you - I tried it and liked it - however - I keep gettign stack overflow error - I've reduced the number of anchor points drastically but am still gettign the error. Windows 10, ID 18.5 - lots of memory. I've created the path in ID using the pen tool and then adjusted teh bezier curves to try to match - so there are really minimal points. I tried with a simple shape [rectangle] and that worked but it really doesn't like my "and". Made sure to drop onto green layer and fill with black form InDEsign

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notannhavocAuthor

Inspiring

yes - thank you - and he replied and discovered the problem. So as I understand, the image must be generated within ID [be filled with black and be on green "outline" layer -copying from other apps [Illustrator, corel Draw, photoshop in a variety of formats: svg, eps pdf, ai] does not work. My workaround for complex images is to use layers and work in a separate ID file

Place image in ID

2. Object - Clipping path - detect edges or alpha channel

duplicate path
copy compound path to new layer [ either copy/paste or move directly within layer window]
select path and fill with black
copy to Indyfont file [check green layer to make sure it is simply a path not a link to source image]
run script

HOWEVER - a much simpler approach as provided by Marc Autret himself is to simply delete while on the green outline layer - select the item and use the "select content" button [see attached] and delete - then what is left is the compound path.

Wow - I never knew about this button!

thanks one and all!

and I should have explained - using the "select content" button - you can import from other apps and place on teh green "outline " layer in ID - no need for workaround!

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Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Some very clever people have made a way to do it for sure

https://typography.guru/journal/generating-a-logo-font-directly-in-indesign-r15/

(link seems to be broken now??)

https://www.indiscripts.com/post/2012/06/indyfont-build-opentype-fonts-from-within-indesign