View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Got a request? Post it here. Please do not post bug reports here.
Post Reply
outofstepfontco
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:35 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by outofstepfontco »

Hello
I would like to be able to preview a Master other than the default master.

For some reason, this does not seem to be possible in Desktop Preview (F5). I am shown the Default master, and there are no options to select a different Master.

I have seen with other fonts that you can view other Masters in Web Preview by adjusting the axes. My axis is on the "Unofficial" list: FILL. No axes and no instances show up at all in the Web Preview (Ctrl+F5).

Either that, or I'm doing something very wrong...
FC15.0 Professional
Erwin Denissen
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11589
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:41 am
Location: Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

The Desktop preview only supports a single instance, but the Web export should show your variable font. Do send the font project file to me and I will look into this.
Erwin Denissen
High-Logic
Proven Font Technology
outofstepfontco
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:35 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by outofstepfontco »

Erwin Denissen wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2024 6:19 am The Desktop preview only supports a single instance, but the Web export should show your variable font. Do send the font project file to me and I will look into this.
I would be happy viewing a single instance in the F5 Font Preview window if it was possible to view an instance other than the default. Can you let us choose which instance is being previewed?
FC15.0 Professional
Erwin Denissen
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11589
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:41 am
Location: Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

Currently, this feature isn’t available because the variable font is (temporarily) installed, allowing you to test it in external desktop publishing software like Adobe Illustrator. To accommodate your request, we would need to add an option (for example, Test Desktop Font -> Current Instance) so you can preview a specific instance. Right now, we have other priorities, as this isn’t a blocking issue: you can still use the Web Font Test, which lets you select your preferred instance.
Erwin Denissen
High-Logic
Proven Font Technology
outofstepfontco
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:35 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by outofstepfontco »

Erwin Denissen wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:04 am Currently, this feature isn’t available because the variable font is (temporarily) installed, allowing you to test it in external desktop publishing software like Adobe Illustrator. To accommodate your request, we would need to add an option (for example, Test Desktop Font -> Current Instance) so you can preview a specific instance. Right now, we have other priorities, as this isn’t a blocking issue: you can still use the Web Font Test, which lets you select your preferred instance.
Okay, thank you sir,
FC15.0 Professional
outofstepfontco
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:35 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by outofstepfontco »

Erwin Denissen wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:04 am Currently, this feature isn’t available because the variable font is (temporarily) installed, allowing you to test it in external desktop publishing software like Adobe Illustrator. To accommodate your request, we would need to add an option (for example, Test Desktop Font -> Current Instance) so you can preview a specific instance. Right now, we have other priorities, as this isn’t a blocking issue: you can still use the Web Font Test, which lets you select your preferred instance.
I've found what the issue is:
- Web Font Test does not work with the "Discrete (non-interpolatable)" option selected, and
- Web Font Test only displays interpolated characters. So if you have instances that aren't interpolated, the characters will remain set to the Default glyph. I've attached a photo showing the bold version of this font. The only characters we can see are a small handful of numbers that have no interpolation errors.

It turns out this is indeed a blocking issue. Not all fonts are meant to use interpolation, and the characters can therefore not be previewed anymore.
Attachments
OSFC-InstancePreview.png
OSFC-InstancePreview.png (151.37 KiB) Viewed 20926 times
FC15.0 Professional
Erwin Denissen
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11589
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:41 am
Location: Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: View a Master other than default in F5 Desktop, Ctrl+F5 Web Previews

Post by Erwin Denissen »

In this specific situation it is indeed problematic. While I understand it is annoying, you can still export a single instance and test that.
Erwin Denissen
High-Logic
Proven Font Technology
Post Reply