I’m working on a variable font with axes for weight and slant. I successfully implemented alternate layers for certain glyphs like $, but I can’t figure out how to get intermediate layers for glyphs like e to work.
Do I need separate intermediate layers for each of the 4 masters?
When I make an intermediate layer to correct the weight distribution in the middle of the weight axis by inputting 50% into the weight setting, then re-interpolate the layer, the re-interpolation doesn’t occur and the path disappears.
Try using absolute values for weight. So instead of 50% (didn’t know this was possible), use a value that corresponds to your master setup – if you have weight 40 to 200, for instance, write 120 in the text box for weight.
You don’t need an intermediate for every master, as the intermediate is technically another master for the current glyph.
For alternate layers, this is a different question. There you need one per master for variable fonts (you can skip the masters not involved in the jump for static exports).
When you add intermediate masters / brace layers, you need to make sure that the design space consists of full rectangular sections. So if you axes are like “wight: 40–200” and optics “size: 8–64” and you like to add a master at “120/8”, you also need one at “120/64”. Or put one right in the middle like “120/24”, then you only need one. There is a difference if the extra masters are on the edge of the design space or between all masters.
Yeah its weird, there’s a % after each value field in the intermediate layers. I input the absolute values as you suggested and the intermediate layers and their re-interpolation seem to be working now.