How to take master out of interpolation range

Glyphs
1

I want to add a master in a .glyphs file that will not affect the interpolation compatibility. It used to be that you could just put a master into negative axis and it would work… (and at some point it used to be that it would work if you just didn’t create an instance between 2 master). But now it’s changed.

Please see this glyphs file, I have Weight, Width, and Square – Weight and Width should be interpolable, but the Square one should be outside of the interpolation range… how should this be set up now?

I tried 3 configuration

3 axes
(Weight, Width, Square)
Regular 50, 50, 1
Extended 50, 100, 1
Bold 100, 50, 1
Bold Square 100, 50, -1
Bold Extended 100, 100, 1

and then

2 axes
(Weight, Width)
Regular 50, 50
Extended 50, 100
Bold 100, 50
Bold Square 100, -50
Bold Extended 100, 100

and then

2 axes
(Weight, Width)
Regular 50, 50
Extended 50, 100
Bold 100, 50
Bold Square -100, -50
Bold Extended 100, 100

Glyphs file

And it still doesn’t work:

Screen Shot 2017-11-16 at 1.50.40 PM.png1039×566 58.4 KB

2

Do I understand correctly that you want to insert a shadow master that will not affect any of your instances? If so, select all your instances and set the “Disable masters” option in all of them.

3

Yes thanks, but the problem isn’t that the instance is affected, it’s that all the masters become linked to it and then I can’t correctly fix interpolability because the extra master is in the way.

Especially when we’re doing typeface with special cuts that are related but don’t need interpolation.

So I think it makes more sense to be a custom parameter one can add to the Master as well. @GeorgSeifert?

4

The negative interpolation values should work, but I guess the problem in recent versions is the Variable Font support, which keeps instances with negative values in the design space.

There was a similar thread the other day. I filed it as a feature request, so it is on our list.

5

Ok I see. What’s do you recommend as the solution right now? We need to keep these masters together in the same file for consistencies sake, but also need to interpolate the other masters.

6

If you do want to work in the latest app versions, I would still take them apart into different files. What exactly are the consistency issues you are trying to avoid?

7

Lots of things depending on the glyph or design: metrics, stroke weight, counter size, terminal angles, etc – it’s really handy to be able to flip between masters to check and compare.

8

As a workaround, or maybe better option, have you considered the Show Italic or Show Next Font plug-ins? Or Mark’s Sync Tabs?

9

I experience the same problem currently with some font files since the recent update. I used to do it with the -1 hack but that never felt like a robust solution. An option (checkbox, custom parameter) to remove a master from the interpolation axis would be super handy! Thanks for considering.

10

Hello everyone,
I have the same problem
I have the italic version with the roman one in the same file. And I’d like to only interpolate the roman version in the same file

Is it possible today?

Thanks

11

What exactly do you mean?
How many Roman masters do you have? What do you want to interpolate?

If you have Roman masters and Italic masters, just set up your italic axis accordingly (for example: 0 for Roman, 100 for italic). Set the instance coordinates for the Roman instances to 0 for the italic axis.

If you want to make a variable font that only contains the Roman, you can add the Disable Masters custom parameter, adding the italic master names in the text field.

12

Thanks for responding,
For the moment, I just want to make a variable font with the Roman
I’ve just followed your advice, but it doesn’t seem working.
Maybe i missed a step?

Screenshot 2023-06-04 at 18.14.19
Screenshot 2023-06-04 at 18.14.191920×1199 87.3 KB

13

You need to add the Disable Masters Parameter in a variable font setting. At the bottom, click on +, and select “Add variable font setting”. Don’t add this parameter to the instances.

14

Cool. It works.
Thanks a lot!

I just have a last question. In despite of the “Disable Master Parameter” option, it still continues to take into account the italic version when I display the master compatibility. Is there a way to just display it for the roman?

Screenshot 2023-06-04 at 20.16.51
Screenshot 2023-06-04 at 20.16.511716×956 87.5 KB

15

Add a custom parameter to the font info: Force Compatibility Check. Uncheck the box.

16

That will disable the warnings but then you will run into problems when the uprights are not compatible.

17

Thank you guys !