Optimize Path Tool

Glyphs
1

Hi! I am making the transition from FontLab to Glyphs. Kind of like relearning how to play the piano with most keys in new places. All is fine though apart from one sorely missed function: “Path optimize” (cmd+E). All I have found here is a post from 2014 where developer George Seifert says he’s working on it…

Any plugin or solution would be more than welcome!

Best,
Allan Daastrup

2

My experience is that it would fix problems that you can avoid straight away in Glyphs. What exactly are the path problems you want to take care of?

3

Hi @mekkablue! Thanks for your very swift reply! The optimize path tool is a way of working with curves - and might not be to everybodys liking. I use it combined with critical judgement to clean up/optimize paths. Shame I can’t upload a screenrecording. Fx. for finetuning a curve I might select a handlebar and rotate it by units using arrowkeys - and when curve seems in place, use the optimize tool to reposition the curve point. See attached.

Optimize%20tool
Optimize%20tool2481×3508 1.27 MB

Hope it is clear. Thanks!

4

That is simply adding an extreme point, right? You can add extremes either for everything in the glyph with Paths > Add Extremes or locally by Shift-clicking with the Draw tool (‌P). The other on-curve will either be removed right away (depends on how close it was) or you can select and delete it.

Alternatives to consider:

  • Consider nudging instead: Ctrl-Opt-moving a point
  • Consider the RMX Harmonizer (USD 99): https://remix-tools.com
  • Consider some of the plug-ins that help you with your paths, freely available in Window > Plugin Manager: SpeedPunk, Show Angled Handles, Red Arrow, Show Tops and Bottoms, and more, a few minutes browsing in the Plugin Manager will help you find things that fit your way of working.
  • Consider the scripts that help you find and fix problematic positions, see the Extend page on this website. Shameless plug: personally, I use my own script collection a lot.
  • Take a peek in the Drawing Good Paths tutorial for more suggestions.
5

Hi @mekkablue! Think I misread your reply. I did not try add extremes to begin with - since logically I did not want to »add« a point. Semantics. But, the “Add Extremes” solves the problem! So horay and apologies. Many thanks for your help! Best, Allan.