Transparency for font

riklin · April 18, 2018, 5:21pm

Hi

I’m working on typeface where I will need to add opacity/transparency.

It should look as on the image and the color as the type should be able to be changed when the font is used.

Best Riklin

GeorgSeifert · April 18, 2018, 5:54pm

You mean that the glyphs should look like this when used big? Then you need to do a “color” font. Where do you need to use that font?

riklin · April 18, 2018, 7:07pm

They should look like this at all times (as ligatures to pixelate some words as they are typed in).
For that, I am using .rliga i.e. c_p_h.rliga and then I will apply the font style to the ligature.

Do you mean this workflow?
https://glyphsapp.com/tutorials/creating-a-layered-color-font
I see there is an opacity option in the colours here

riklin · April 18, 2018, 7:11pm

Btw tried to implement this pixelate script as I think it would speed up the process:

github.com

mekkablue/Glyphs-Scripts/blob/master/Pixelfonts/Pixelate.py

#MenuTitle: Pixelate
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
__doc__="""
Turns outline glyphs into pixel glyphs by inserting pixel components, resetting widths and moving outlines to the background.
"""

import vanilla, traceback

class Pixelate( object ):
	def __init__( self ):
		# Window 'self.w':
		windowWidth  = 250
		windowHeight = 185
		windowWidthResize  = 100 # user can resize width by this value
		windowHeightResize = 0   # user can resize height by this value
		self.w = vanilla.FloatingWindow(
			( windowWidth, windowHeight ), # default window size
			"Pixelate", # window title
			minSize = ( windowWidth, windowHeight ), # minimum size (for resizing)
			maxSize = ( windowWidth + windowWidthResize, windowHeight + windowHeightResize ), # maximum size (for resizing)

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But I can’t make it work so I don’t know which result I will get. (vanilla can’t be installed)
My guess is also, that no opacity will be applied with this script?

riklin · April 18, 2018, 7:13pm

The font should be used as a part of a body font i.e. freight sans medium, and only be ‘shown’ when specific words are typed. (already emailed with Ragner about that and he suggedted the .rliga solutuon)

GeorgSeifert · April 18, 2018, 8:15pm

You also write a script that gets the pixels from the image above. Then you get a more realistic result.

To install vanilla:
Download the whole repository from GitHub and then copy the folder inside of the Lib folder into Glyphs Scripts folder.

riklin · April 19, 2018, 8:58am

This should be the vanilla download file right?

github.com

typesupply/vanilla/blob/master/setup.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import sys
from setuptools import setup

if "sdist" in sys.argv:
    import os
    import subprocess
    import shutil
    docFolder = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "documentation")
    # remove existing
    doctrees = os.path.join(docFolder, "build", "doctrees")
    if os.path.exists(doctrees):
        shutil.rmtree(doctrees)
    # compile
    p = subprocess.Popen(["make", "html"], cwd=docFolder)
    p.wait()
    # remove doctrees
    shutil.rmtree(doctrees)

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I am afraid I do not have time to develop my oven script considering my lack of experience with py

riklin · April 19, 2018, 10:29am

@GeorgSeifert I have now managed to do a quick sketch of the pixel effect that I want.

However, I am not sure if the different layers will work by default. As the guide suggests: Now, what you need to do in InDesign, is to have multiple text frames with the exact same content exactly on top of each other, each of them with a different font style. You can use InDesign’s place-and-link tool to achieve that.

Is there a way to have the opacity by default? I will need the pixilated word to show as you type (similar to this project: http://projectseen.com/). If the opacity won’t work I will go for a 100% black.

And thanks for your help! Really appreciate it!

GeorgSeifert · April 19, 2018, 4:47pm

You can export that as one color font that works in the latest version of Indesign. If you have set up a Layer font, add a “Color Layers to SVG” custom parameter in an instance.

riklin · April 20, 2018, 8:59am

Hmm. I am not sure how to save the font as one layer. I am doing this:

Will I need something in values?

It exports is like this:

So it separate layers.

Just to understand what you wrote correctly: I can export the opacity as one layer? Or will it need to be a solid black?

Also, will the font with opacity work as a web font?

GeorgSeifert · April 20, 2018, 9:04am

You need to check the box in the value column. And then deactivate all other instances.

riklin · April 20, 2018, 9:38am

I tried to deactivate all instances (you mean this box right?) so that only one of the layers are active.

Then it looks like this:

Is seem to not merge the layers as I wanted. I must be doing something wrong. Only one layer is saved from my font.
It looks like this when I type:

(only the black squares in the layer are saved, and it 100% black even though I did it with 60 % in glyphs for this layer)
Should look like this:

Hmm… Can’t figure out what I am doing wrong

GeorgSeifert · April 20, 2018, 10:20am

Can you send me the .glyphs file?

riklin · April 20, 2018, 10:30am

Sure Here is the pixelfont (have done capital A-R:

pixelfont2.zip (5.2 KB)

And it should be added as ligatures for specific words to this:

medium-banned.zip (67.2 KB)

riklin · April 20, 2018, 10:33am

btw. the pixel plugin is used for the pixel font Don’t know it this is important?

GeorgSeifert · April 20, 2018, 10:41am

The font works fine for me in the latest Indesign.

It doesn’t work in the Web. I need to investigate this.

riklin · April 20, 2018, 10:48am

Oh wow! Nice Good to know that it is at least working somewhere.
So now I need to figure out what I am doing wrong when saving:
Can you tell if I am doing something wrong in the instances? (images above).

Thanks you so so much for the help! It is for my MA project so really appreciate your time

GeorgSeifert · April 20, 2018, 10:50am

I didn’t do much. I remove all instances and renamed the one to “gray”:
pixelfont2-Gray.otf.zip (3.0 KB)
pixelfont2 2.zip (5.6 KB)

riklin · April 20, 2018, 11:06am

Could it have something to do with this?

GeorgSeifert · April 20, 2018, 11:11am

Don’t think so. I didn’t change something in that area.