Variable Fonts InDesign 2020 Bug

Hi there,
I am quite tilled to see the implementation of Variable Font in InDesign 2020.
However we have a problem.

When we use our Variable Font in InDesign with the sliders it always shows the Interpolation Value, like:
[Weight-470.000 Thin Thin]
The interpolated font-weight will not be shown.

Then it can not find the font-weight any more.
The font-weights can be use only with in the weights drop down.
Here is a screencast gif:
VF-InDesign2020

This error only occurrences if we leave the instances in the font.
When we export a Variable font with no instances then the bug is not present.
Strangely in Illustrator 2020 it works as expected with both our font-file.

There are plenty of fonts which do not have this bug.
So it has to be our file.
We upload a Glyph File plus the to exported Variable Fonts (one with instances the other without instances)

Test_VF.zip (12.4 KB)

Thank for having a look,
TypoTypo

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There are plenty of fonts which do not have this bug.
So it has to be our file.

I’ve seen those bugs with many fonts. Basically, InDesign support for TTF variable fonts sucks.

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…so you would suggest to export better OTF Variable Fonts?
Can you do that with Glyphs and some scripts?

Glyphs doesn’t support CFF based variable fonts (yet). And I wonder what the instance/slider selection has to do with the outline format.

I see, thanks for this inside Georg.

We will go with the solution: No Instances.
Meaning when a TTF Variable Font has no instances it works great in:

  • Photoshop CC 2020
  • InDesign CC 2020
  • Illustrator CC 2020

The font looses a small part of overview (the recommended instances).
But in the end its variable font, which should be used variable (beyond defined weights).:upside_down_face:

I would not ship fonts that compromise significantly because of a bug in one app. The bug will be fixed eventually, fonts tend to stick around for some time.

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The InDesign bug was reported to Adobe, but few people have flagged it as an issue they want to see fixed.
See here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs/suggestions/39014530-variable-font-not-working-in-indesign-2020

If you care, then you should vote.

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I just want to note that this does not happen when you use italic instead of weight as Axes custom parameter property. But of course then the InDesign slider displays “Italic”. A custom axis name with the wght or a custom four-letter axis tag doesn’t work either, but you can use a custom axis name (like Regular or Upright) with ital as tag. Glyphs doesn’t let you use Weight for the ital tag. However, this is not the intended use of the tag and I have no idea if this affects the STAT table or the respective performance of the font.

Did you ever find a workaround for this in the absence of a bug fix? I’m testing my new variable font but it’s proving hard due to this bug.

  1. Test in web browsers. Desktop apps are still years behind in terms of OTVar. See the tutorial for resources.
  2. Test in AI and PS. Currently the only widespread desktop apps that have OTVar support remotely worth mentioning.

Thanks mekkablue, much appreciated. I am using Illustrator instead, but I’m just concerned about publishing fonts that people won’t be able to use in InDesign, like they’ll be expecting to. Is the scenario basically that we can create variable fonts, but people won’t be able to use them in InDesign, and there’s no way around that?

As long as Adobe does not care enough, it is what it is. The sliders are broken for TT-based OTVars. I have heard some positive signals from beta testers of next year’s version though.

The sliders that are broken in InDesign are not broken for OTVars that have TT outlines, but for OTVars that do not have a STAT table formatted the way InDesign expects them to be.

Yes. I contacted Dan Rhatigan about this. Hope to get more clarity.

Adobe did update OTVar support recently (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/fixed-issues.html). As a beta tester I can confirm fonts generated from Glyphs finally work as expected, or at least the sliders work correctly.

Four days ago they wrote “The update [15.1.2.226] will be rolled out in a phased manner and many of you might not see the updates as of today as it has been made live for Australia, Hong Kong, India and Netherlands based Adobe IDs. And, in a week’s time the updates will be rolled out to all. We will keep you informed as and when it happens for more countries.”

We have already found more issues than were fixed.

Being in Nederland I got the InDesign update this morning: I can confirm that for the first time I have been able to use InDesign sliders without having to fix the Glyphs generated STAT table.

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That is very promising. Bedankt, Jelle!

…yey Variable Fonts seems to work finally in InDesign 15.1.2.
I did a test and it works now with saved instances and custom axes names such as opsz (Optical size).

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Hi, whooah variable font support changes month after month !
And I noticed a basic kerning bug (I mean without kerning exception) in InDesign 2020 15.1.2.
Does anyone else has the same problem?
Font has 2 axes Weight and Custom Inktrap.
More I slide on the weight axe more the kerning is affected.
It works fine in other App and Browser.

Also, what we need to fill up in the FontInfo fields for a good variable font export.
Like Axes, Axis Location… Does Export STAT table help?
Does we have to let almost one instance or inactivate all?

Thank so much!
Adrien