Lecture Notes on Fontra Presentation

Introduction

• Speaker: Presenter from Black Foundry.
• Session Purpose: Introduction to Fontra, a browser-based font editor, and demonstration of its features.
• Format: Session will be recorded and posted on YouTube.

What is Fontra?

• Definition: A browser-based font editor primarily designed for local use.
• Server Part: Can run locally or remotely.
• Focus: Today's focus is on Fontra Pack, which operates entirely on the user's computer.

Website Updates

• Website Refresh: New direct download links for the latest versions.
• Installation Process:
  • Links to download and install Fontra Pack provided.
  • Installation is straightforward with a DMG file for MacOS.
  • Windows version available but less tested.

Background of Fontra

• Development History: Originated from collaborative projects at Black Foundry involving East Asian character sets.
• Predecessors: Fontra replaces RoboCJK, an extension for RoboFont.

Fontra Pack Features

• File Types Supported:
  • Can read UFO and Design Space files.
  • Limited capabilities with TrueType and OTF files.

User Interface Overview

• Main Window: Single window interface for dropping font files.
• Zooming and Navigation:
  • Zoom in/out and select glyphs.
  • Edit mode activated by double-clicking on glyphs.

Editing Capabilities

• Tools Available:
  • Pen tool for adding and editing points.
  • Measurement tool for live measurements in glyphs.
  • Selection tools for navigating glyphs.
• Editing Behavior:
  • Undo functionality is built-in.
  • Editing across multiple sources is possible.
  • Compatibility checks for sources during editing.

Design Space and Variable Fonts

• Building Variable Fonts:
  • Fontra designed to facilitate the creation of variable fonts.
  • User can navigate and edit glyphs across multiple sources simultaneously.
  • Insert, delete, and modify components across all glyphs.

Synchronization with Other Tools

• RoboFont Compatibility:
  • Fontra Pack can be used alongside RoboFont for editing capabilities.
• Live Updates:
  • Changes made in Fontra reflect in RoboFont in real-time and vice versa.

Future Directions for Fontra

• Upcoming Features:
  • Background layers, guidelines, and customizable vertical metrics.
  • Enhanced glyph searching and sorting functionalities.
  • Aiming for improved collaboration features in future releases.

Q&A Session Highlights

• Windows Compatibility: Fontra supports Windows, though less tested.
• Scripting Support: Future plans for plugin APIs and possibly Python scripting.
• Version Updates: Automated updates for improvements and bug fixes.
• Roadmap Availability: GitHub repo contains a roadmap and feature requests.
• Kerning Support: Planned for future development but not imminent.

Conclusion

• Call to Action: Encouragement to download and explore Fontra, report any bugs, and provide feedback.
• Future Sessions: Plans to hold monthly sessions with varying times to accommodate different regions.

These notes summarize the key points from the lecture on Fontra, including its features, capabilities, and future plans.