The problem
In era we can have one variable font that can exports 30 instances - 90 files total (30 ttf, 30 woff, 30 woff2) [and that's leaving out FV export]
It has become more complicated and time consuming to organize the files for client sending.
We had a discussion on the FontCreator Beta forum and we decided to ask the question here, to see if we get more input regarding this, because this forum gets more exposure.
If you have any idea on how to improve on this, feel free to write here.
The enhancement request is to organize the exported files into folders and subfolders.
Example of the problem:
One FPC file that exports
4 instances of 2 Font Families (MyFontNormal: bold and regular instances + MyFontCondensed:2 bold and regular instances),
and also 1 variable font
all of these right now exported like this:
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Regular.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Bold.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-VF.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff2
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff2
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-VF.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontNormal-VF.woff2
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Regular.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Bold.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-VF.ttf
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff2
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff2
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff
./[export directory]/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff2
Which can be a mess, 18 files that needs to be organized manually.
This is a really small example, now imagine you have a font with 3 Font Families and 30 instances. That leads into 92 files to organize.
Now that the problem is clear, we can find solutions.
To solve this, we had 2 ideas and we want to hear your input:
which idea would be better suited for your use cases, or if you have another idea we haven't thought about.
2 Solution Ideas
Here's idea (#1) on how to solve this:
We could create folders:
[Exported Directory]
-> Desktop
-> Web
And then make subfolders based on Typographic Family Name, e.g.
The example above would be exported like this:
./[export directory]
--->/desktop/
------>/MyFontNormal/
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.ttf
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.ttf
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.ttf
------>/MyFontCondensed/
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.ttf
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.ttf
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.ttf
--->/webfont/
------>/MyFontNormal/
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff2
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff2
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.woff2
------>/MyFontCondensed/
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff2
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff2
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff2
Here's idea (#2) on how to solve this (my personal favorite):
We could create folders of each Typographic Family Name:
[Exported Directory]
-> MyFontNormal
-> MyFontCondensed
And then make subfolders based on webfont/desktop usage, e.g.
The example above would be exported like this:
./[export directory]
-->/MyFontNormal/
------->/desktop/
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.ttf
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.ttf
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.ttf
------->/webfont/
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-Regular.woff2
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-Bold.woff2
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.woff
----------->/MyFontNormal-VF.woff2
-->/MyFontCondensed/
------->/desktop/
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.ttf
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.ttf
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.ttf
------->/webfont/
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Regular.woff2
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-Bold.woff2
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff
----------->/MyFontCondensed-VF.woff2
Conclusion
I personally think idea #2 is the best approach to organize the files.
We need your input before changes are made, so please comment which idea you like better, or if you have a better solution for this.