Adobe Indesign, How to Convert a Variable Font (Inter) to Outline!? I can't merge it completely, this type of font, when convert its creates several shapes and irregularities in the corners, when converted to outline. Which I can only solve in Adobe Illustrator using Pathfinder, but when we got many pages with text, this is not pratical!!! - Is there any solution to do it!? Could Adobe Indesign review the Pathfinder, as it exists in Adobe Illustrator!? So I don't need to take all my text to Illustrator, use the Pathfinder there, and only Then, bring that convert Text to Indesign Again!!!? Thank You for Your Help.
18
Replies
Hello, BobLevine! Thanks for the answer and tip! My problem is that certain graphics companies, for the production of certain media (inauguration signs / car vinyl) need the fonts in outline, to make their cutters! The question and problem is with this type of Font (Variable Fonts (Name - Inter, to help you) - but if you can see the printscreen that I pasted here! When I open my work in Illustrator, that Font continues to present some irregularities (extra shapes and crazy corners) And only in Adobe Illustrator I can solve this with Pathfinder. And I Hope one day the Indesign Pathfinder could do the same as the Adobe Illustrator does
Adobe Illustrator Pathfinder
Hi, Willi Adelberger! Thanks for the answer and your tip (I used to that with some Pdf)! My problem is that certain graphics companies here in Portugal, for the production of certain media (inauguration signs / car vinyl) need the fonts in outline, to make their cutters! The question and problem is with this type of Font (Net Variable Fonts (Name - Inter, to help you) - I did what you said and the preflight in Acrobat, but when I open in Illustrator, what I see ... and I hope you can see the printscreen that I pasted here, the Font continues to present some irregularities (extra shapes and crazy corners) And only in Adobe Illustrator I can solve this with Pathfinder. Thank You
Hi @carloss67 ,
below a screenshot from Acrobat Pro that is showing the feature to convert text to outlines in a PDF.
In category Print Production open Preflight and Single Fix Ups like that:
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )
Hi, Laubender! And Thanks to answer to to my call. I use to work with Acrobat, Indesign, Illustrator & Photoshop ... With This New Variable Fonts (Name Ex: Inter) ... and You Open in the Acrobat & do the Preflight - it´s looks great, but if you open in the Adobe IlLustrator, just to check my question - You got the mess I had talk before, were you can see a font build with diferent shapes & crazy corners ... But Thanks Anyway Brad"Roaring Mouse get my point of view - Now only depends de Adobe Indesign to look better to this problem A PDF open in the Acrobat and convert with the Preflight (Just didn't done the test with the Flattener Preview yet) - What Adobe Illustrator show us ... is
Dirk Becker! Thanks Bro ... I don't know if you understand my problem ... But what I heard and ready, the problem it's in this new Variable Fonts (Inter) and The Vendor says that isn't a variable font version (crazy, but maintains the same construction philosophy), they are great for the WEB ... But a big mess to Graphics - and the problem it's my Company (Where I work) had purchased (buy) and are using these Fonts ... Thanks for your time
I understand the problem.
You are using generic software and a generic font and expect them to work in the special production scenario involving vintage signage vinyl cutters.
Enclosed a scan from the "Adobe Type 1 Font Format" dating back to 1990, that explains the very problem.
So, once upon a time fonts were required to avoid this problem. Of course we all know by now that Type1 is not supported any more, otherwise it would b a quick way to choose a font exactly for your purposes.
A few decades later (2014):
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2014/01/overlapping-paths-in-type-design/
> Overlapping paths are sort of okay in TrueType fonts—the rendering engines will deal with them better. But they will still produce bad results if a user does something like apply an outline or stroke to the text.
Thomas exactly describes your problem, and steps by the font designer of those days to avoid them. If they care, they are not required to any more. So you have to look for fonts that are specifically fit for your purpose. Maybe your font vendor can follow Thomas' steps, especially as you now tell us it is not a variable font. Maybe they charge an extra price, maybe they won't do it at all.
Now continue to variable fonts (2019).
https://typedrawers.com/discussion/3216/overlap-in-variable-fonts
The images from John Hudson demonstrate why variable fonts require overlaps to work. All experts around there agree that it is ok to have them.
Quote directly below that image
> I trust a system that knows about variable fonts and can instantiate them for download to a printer to remove the overlaps more than I trust the printer to correctly interpret overlaps.
This part of the discussion was about printer drivers at OS level, not InDesign's application level.
I do not know anything about their special business, but your production company seems to be living in the past of 20 years ago where fonts were crafted the way described with the Type1 spec. They now gently push their problem to you by asking for outlines. They also should have included a hint in these requirements that not every font is fit for their purpose.
Late addition:
Looking around specifically for "Inter" – it is an open source font, so no vender, but you can try the changes yourself.
https://github.com/rsms/inter/tree/master/src
They even mention glyphsapp in that page . Looking further at https://handbook.glyphsapp.com/filters/remove-overlap/ there is a tool for your purpose … or you sort it out with Illustrator.
AdChoices