When a vrt2 table exists, exporting as OTF causes installation errors on Windows

Glyphs
1

I am Japanese. I have been using Glyphs since the Glyphs2 era, and recently I’ve been opening files created in Glyphs2 in Glyphs3 to update fonts.

When exporting OTF files in Glyphs3,

they become files that cause errors during installation on Windows. Investigating the cause reveals that Japanese fonts containing a vrt2 table for vertical writing trigger the error.

Glyphs3 does not create the Vertical metrics (vhea/vmtx) table when exporting OTF files. Therefore, Windows seems to flag the file as invalid and throws an error because the vrt2 table exists but the vhea/vmtx tables are missing.

The solution is as follows:

In Glyphs 3 → Font Info → Font → Custom Parameters,

add:

Export vmtx Table = true

(= forces output of vhea/vmtx)

I wish this custom parameter were set by default in Glyphs 3.

Incidentally, TTF format files install without issue on Windows without any modifications.

2

Did the fonts exported from Glyphs 2 have vhea/vmtx?

3

Yes. When exporting OTF in GlyphsV2, it includes vhea/vmtx.

When exporting OTF files in Glyphs V3, it would be ideal for vhea, vmtx, and VORG to be exported by default.

KishimanGothicKanaEGlyphsV3.otf

  • vhea: Not present

  • vmtx: Not present

  • VORG: Not present

  • GSUB: vert = present, vrt2 = present

  • OS/2: sTypoAscender = 880 / sTypoDescender = -120 / sTypoLineGap = 0 / UseTypoMetrics = On

  • hhea: Ascender = 880 / Descender = -120 / LineGap = 0

  • UPM = 1000

  • name: Kishiman Gothic Kana E / Version 1.000 (Glyphs 3.4)

KishimanGothicKanaEGlyphsV2.otf

  • vhea: Present (Ascent = 500 / Descent = -500 / LineGap = 1000)

  • vmtx: Present (vmtx entries ≈ 2909)

  • VORG: Present

  • GSUB: vert = present, vrt2 = present

  • OS/2: sTypoAscender = 880 / sTypoDescender = -120 / sTypoLineGap = 0 / UseTypoMetrics = Off

  • hhea: Ascender = 880 / Descender = -120 / LineGap = 0

  • UPM = 1000

  • name: Kishiman Gothic KanaE Bold / Version 1.000 (hotconv/makeotf)

4

thanks for your explanation. I added that if the font has a “vert” feature, it implies “Export vmtx Table”.

5

Thank you!

By the way, when exporting OTF fonts in Glyphs2, “VORG” is added as mentioned in the reply above. However, it is not added when exporting OTF fonts in Glyphs3. I tried to add ‘VORG’ using custom parameters as follows, but “Export Vertical Origin = True” does not take effect.

I would like this issue to be fixed as well.

Add the following to Font Info → Font → Custom Parameters:

Export Vertical Origin = True

6

Did this get fixed? I’ve been instructed to export a VORG table for a font.

Edit: never mind I just added it manually.

7

I added support for VORG. It has to be enabled by the “Export VORG” parameter.