Turn opentype alternate character into the default

Hi, I’m a web designer, not a type designer. I don’t own a Glyphs license but I would consider purchasing if I could solve one problem.

We have a typeface with an alternate double-storey lowercase “a” and we want it to be on by default so we don’t have to access the opentype options in every app we use.

Could someone explain to me what the steps would be to make this switch and if the mini license is enough to do it?

Thanks in advance!

If you don’t need the default ‘a’, you can simply replace it with the alternate one.
Simply import the font in the app, delete the default ‘a’ and rename the alternate, and you are done. It is easily done with either Glyphs mini or the full version.

PS: If you need to keep OpenType features intact, you have to go with the full version. Glyphs mini exports your font with only the standard ligatures.

I’m not sure what replacing means exactly. I tried deleting the normal character and renaming the alternate to take its place. I got a bunch of errors like:

Error: “Glyph “a.alt” not in font (featMapGName2GID)” in Feature salt in line: 2

Also, will the kerning still work properly?

Either rename the original glyph to “a.alt_” then the “a.alt” to “a” and then the “a.alt_” to “a.alt”. Or, got through the Feature code in Font Info > Features and find all lines that contain “a.alt” and remove then.

Thanks. I did figure that one out but I’m still a bit worried about the kerning. Will it remain correct or does it use the character names that I’m changing?

It will be correct. The kerning is connected to the glyph itself, not to the name.

Thanks, thats great!