Font Forum

For now this has a low priority, but this might change if more people request this.

I'd like to see a way to set the filename on export as well.

Right now, it appears that the filename is created using the default PostScript Name, a dash, and then the Style Name. I tried changing the PostScript Name to see if that changes the export filename, but it does not. I suspect this choice was made to make the file save easy, since the default PostScript Name does not have spaces.

But, we live in a world where spaces in filenames aren't a problem and I hate having my font files not have spaces in the names. To be honest, if the default was changed to the actual font name that would be used when installed into the OS, that would be fine with me. Because, then I could control both the font name inside the file and the filename. I know some other people might want filenames that have no inherent meaning, so there really should be a way to set the export filename, and then store that user preference in the FCP file. The old method of using the FCP filename as the default export filename is far superior.

I understand that if you are exporting a number of instances of a variable font, the user would probably only want to pick a base name and let FontCreator add the appropriate "-Instance" to the name. But, there is no reason to not allow the user to choose the base filename. By definition, there should never be a name collision if FontCreator picks a suffix that indicates the instance. And, even using the FCP name as the base shouldn't be an issue, as it wouldn't be named with a "-Instance" if it was a variable font.

EDIT: Here's a good example of why not having spaces is bad.

The font name is "Neuzeit S LT". This tells me that it's a Linotype font with the name "Neuzeit S". When exporting it after fixing errors, the filename is "NeuzeitSLT-Regular.otf". I now am not sure if this is a Linotype font or from some other foundry, or if the "SLT" means some special variation of the Neuzeit font.

In short, filenames can give you information about the font contained within, and removing spaces removes information, which is bad.

Is this request for non-variable fonts only?

If so, we will consider changing the Output Folder into Output File.

Erwin Denissen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:07 pm For now this has a low priority, but this might change if more people request this.

Hi,

Can you please change the priority? For me this is a breaking bug that makes this version of FontCreator unusable. It prevents me from releasing a new version of my font since not being able to create a .otf file breaks many, if not all, download links, LaTeX packages, CSS references, build scripts of software the font is bundled with etc.

The file name matters a lot in every context where the font is not already installed on the client system.

Please let us at least change whether the export creates a TTF or an OTF font, then we can rename it with Windows Explorer …

Kind regards,
Alexander Lange

Addendum: I just tried using an online converter to convert it from TTF to OTF, but the filesize increased from 2.8 MB to 27 MB, so this is not an option.

There is no bug, only confusion.

Officially OpenType fonts with TrueType (quadratic bezier curves) outlines should have an .ttf or an .otf extension, while OpenType fonts with PostScript outlines (cubic bezier curves) must have the .otf extension.

I still prefer authors to name the font names themselves rather than automatically generated by software. The software can give suggested names but should allow modifications.

Because fonts need further processing after export, such as installation, deletion, recompilation, etc., customized font names in third-party software are easier to locate and manage quickly.

Or FC considers introducing font-capable command-line compilers so that they can operate in parallel

For fonts with only a regular style I do not want the file name to include "-regular". Like Christy in a previous comment I thought unckecking "Include on export" might remove the style from the file name, but this setting appears to do nothing. It would be really nice if there was an option to not include the style in the file name (when not a variable font?). I also echo the other commenters in this thread in hoping for a way to specify the precise file name.