Deactivate master?

Glyphs
1

I’m working on a multiple master font and want to ensure consistent glyph widths between the designs. As I use the regular master as a template of sorts, I want to toggle it on/off quickly to see how the interpolation from thin to black differs. Copying the file and deleting the regular master is cumbersome. Is there an easier way?

Oh, and: sometimes I like the interpolated regular version better. Is there an easier way to just copy the interpolated outline so I can paste it into the actual regular master? Generating all instances is cumbersome, too.

2

There is a Disable Masters for that in the instances.

3

Ah, I can insert a new regular instance after my current regular and disable the regular master for that. Thanks.

4

Is it possible to disable a master completely. During design process I often need to exclude a master from the interpolation. And now I have trouble exporting a Variable Font because it has an unfinished master wich is not compatible with the others, but doesn’t need to be. It’s out of the interpolation range of the others.

BTW: How does the Disable Master work, please? It accepts a plain string. Shall we put the Master name?

1 Like
5

Yes, it takes a list of Master names. In the pop up, put one per line, e.g.,

Bold
Light Condensed

This detail is described in section 17.3 Custom Parameters of the Glyphs Handbook.

6

Thanks. I checked the Manual for “Disable Master” and didn’t find it.

Still the main question is if it’s possible to disable a master totally. To take it (temporarily) out of the interpolation. setting a wicked high number for it’s values doesn’t work in some cases.

7

Do you have the latest version of the handbook?

8

I never download the handbook anymore but open from this website (so yes, always the newest) :slight_smile:

9

:woman_shrugging:t2:

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10

Well, I’ve seen that. But I still can only find this CP in the instances. It doesn’t make sense in this case to have it in an instance.
I tried to get it in the Master that I want to disable, as well as in the general Font tab. There the CP is not available.
:woman_shrugging:t2:

On a side note: It would be amazing, if the CPs in the manual could have a little indicator if they are Font- / Master- or Instance-CPs.

11

I’m also interested in this CP, so trying to clarify how it works: If I understand correctly, you’d need this CP in all the instances to disable a specified master’s influence across the intended output fonts?

12

Currently, yes. If you don’t want the master to be used for interpolation across any instance, then the Disable Masters custom parameter should exist in each instance, listing that master in it.

13

Sorry to say, but that was not really shining through the otherwise brilliantly written manual :wink:

But thank you all a lot! :slight_smile:

1 Like
14

I added the Disable Master to the font CPs. And it is considered for variable fonts, too.

7 Likes
15

Thank you sooooo much! :slight_smile:

16

Hello, sorry to revive this topic, but I can’t quite figure out how this CP works. I add the CP to an instance I want to export with ignoring one master. Example: I have three weight masters (Light, Bold, ExraBold) and two instances: Regular and Regular 2M. For the second one, I add the CP Disable Masters and write Bold as the value. This appears to have no effect on my export, or on the preview panel in Glyphs. What am I missing? Thanks!

17

Can you save, close and re-open the file. Or change a Axes Coordinate of that instance.

18

Changing the axis coordinate on the instance after adding the CP fixes the issue, also on export. Thanks a lot!

19

I fixed the updating.

1 Like
20

Thank you!