Make a stylistic set the default

Hey,

I want to make an alternate stylistic set the default in my font. What’s the easiest way to go about this?
Do I have to manually copy over the alternate characters to the base characters and redo their kerning, or is there a smarter/easier way to do this?

Thanks :slight_smile:

All you should have to do is swap their names.

Let’s say your stylistic set contains A.ss01, B.ss01, and C.ss01.

I’d rename your current defaults:
A -> A.temp (not ss01, because that currently already exists)
B -> B.temp
C -> C.temp

Then rename your alternates:
A.ss01 -> A
B.ss01 -> B
C.ss01 -> C

Then change “temp” to “ss01” on your original defaults. Then you won’t have to update any of the features, and the old defaults will be accessible through the previous stylistic set.

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You could do that with Rename Glyphs custom parameter. Read about the detail in the Handbook.

The issue is that it’s only in one out of three weights that I need to make this alternate stylistic set the default. In the two other weights, the alternate stylistic set is not present. And the three weights are style linked.

So if I simply change the names, the other weights will be affected as well, which I don’t want.

You can define a “Rename Glyphs” parameter per instance.

Found it in the handbook, but not completely sure I grasp it.

So if I want to make .ss01 the default set and make the default set .ss01, would I then write it like:
A.ss01=A
B.ss01=B

etc.

Do I understand it correctly?

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Yes. Just try it.

Thank you, managed to get it to work :slight_smile:

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