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README.md

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# Adobe Variable Font Prototype
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OpenType-CFF2 variable font made from [UFO] sources derived from [Source Serif Pro],
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designed by [Frank Grießhammer].
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Variable font in OpenType-CFF2 and TrueType formats, made from [UFO] sources derived from
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[Source Serif Pro], designed by [Frank Grießhammer].
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This font is intended to serve as a test and demonstration for environments and workflows
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that support the Compact Font Format flavor of the [OpenType variable fonts].
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The font files are intended to serve as test cases for environments and workflows that aim
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to support [OpenType variable fonts].
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The font is functional but it's not considered *shippable* — see [Current limitations].
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We plan to update it as the tools improve.
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The fonts are functional but are not considered *shippable* — see [Current limitations].
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We plan to update them as the tools improve.
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[UFO]: http://unifiedfontobject.org/
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[Source Serif Pro]: https://github.com/adobe-fonts/source-serif-pro
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[Adobe Latin 2]: https://github.com/adobe-type-tools/adobe-latin-charsets#adobe-latin-2-adobe-western-2
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## Downloading the font
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## Downloading the font files
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* [Latest release](../../releases/latest)
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* [All releases](../../releases)
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## Building the font from source
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## Building the fonts from source
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### Requirements
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To build **AdobeVFPrototype.otf** from source, you need to have installed a custom build
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(2.5.65463 or later) of the [Adobe Font Development Kit for OpenType] which can be
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downloaded from <http://www.adobe.com/devnet/opentype/afdko/AFDKO-Variable-Font-Support.html>
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To build the **OpenType-CFF2 version** (AdobeVFPrototype.otf), you need to have installed a
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custom build (2.5.65463 or later) of the [Adobe Font Development Kit for OpenType] which can
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be downloaded from <http://www.adobe.com/devnet/opentype/afdko/AFDKO-Variable-Font-Support.html>
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[Adobe Font Development Kit for OpenType]: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/opentype/afdko.html
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To build the **TrueType version** (AdobeVFPrototype.ttf), you need to have installed a
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customized fork of [fontmake] which is available at <https://github.com/adobe-type-tools/fontmake>
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[Adobe Font Development Kit for OpenType]: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/opentype/afdko.html
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[fontmake]: https://github.com/googlei18n/fontmake
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### Build command
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macOS and Linux:
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```sh
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$ sh buildFont.sh
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sh buildFont.sh
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```
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Windows:
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```sh
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> cmd buildFont.sh
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cmd buildFont.sh
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```
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### Build process
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The **buildFont.sh** file calls two scripts, `buildMasterOTFs` and `buildCFF2VF`.
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The **buildFont.sh** file first runs `fontmake` to build the variable TrueType font. The
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`GSUB` table of this font is then patched with `ttx` to add a *[feature variations table]*
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— this patching is what enables the transitional glyphs to work.
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Next, the OpenType-CFF2 font is built with the scripts `buildMasterOTFs` and `buildCFF2VF`.
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The first script generates OpenType-CFF fonts from each of the UFO masters. And the
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second takes the set of OTF fonts built in the previous step, and combines them to produce
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an OpenType-CFF2 variable font. More details about the process are provided at
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second takes the set of OTFs built in the previous step, and combines them to produce
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the CFF2 variable font. More details about the process are provided at
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<http://www.adobe.com/devnet/opentype/afdko/AFDKO-Variable-Font-Support.html>
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The build script finally runs TTX to make some changes to the `name` and `GSUB` tables.
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In the `name` table, the placeholder word *Custom* is changed to *Contrast*.
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And in the `GSUB` table, a *[feature variations table]* is added.
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Finally, `sfntedit` is used for replacing the `name`, `GPOS` and `GSUB` tables in the
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OT-CFF2 font by the ones from the TT font. And the tool is also use for copying the
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OTF's `DSIG` table into the TTF.
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[feature variations table]: https://www.microsoft.com/typography/otspec/chapter2.htm#featvartable
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## Current limitations
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* Adobe Variable Font Prototype cannot be displayed by macOS or Windows because their font
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* The OpenType-CFF2 font cannot be displayed by macOS or Windows because their font
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rasterizers do not yet support the newer `CFF2` table. (As of this moment, the only tool
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that can render OT-CFF2 fonts is [FontView]).
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* The font's glyphs will not be hinted because the AFDKO's `autohint` tool cannot yet
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produce hinting data that is compatible across a set of master fonts.
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* The font does not contain the required `MVAR` and `STAT` tables.
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* The font's `CFF2` table lacks subroutinization.
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* The font's `CFF2` table is not subroutinized.
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* Neither of the fonts is hinted.
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* Neither of the fonts contains the required `MVAR` and `STAT` tables.
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[FontView]: https://github.com/googlei18n/fontview

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