I don't have OS X 10.5

ReginaldV,

I suggest you ditch the Blend feature approach and build your MM fonts with the Mask-to-Master technique.

James

James,

What is the Mask-to-Master technique ?

I agree to terminaldesign, forget the blend feature and use Mask to Master. However, Mask to Master does not merge the kerning.

If you need to transfer the kerning between masters or fonts you can use afm files. The metrics window allows you to export and import them. When you import an afm into an MM font, only the currently active master will be affected. Same for export. This works really reliably and has helped me repair MM fonts quite a few times already.

MM via Mask-to master

1. Create two fonts that you want to create a MM with. Export their afm files via the metrics window.
2. Make sure all the glyphs have the same number and type of points, in the same relative position. Also make sure all path directions are the same for each glyph.
3. Assign one of the fonts to the mask layer Tools>Mask> Assign Font Mask
4. Define the appropriate axis: Tools> Multiple Master> Define New Axis
5. At this point if not before, it is a good idea to Save As and assign this soon to be MM vfb a new name. Just in case something goes wrong
6. Select the glyphs in the font window and using Mask to Master convert the Mask to the appropriate Master Axis: Tools>Multiple Master> Mask to Master. When you are asked whether to let FontLab add points where necessary, make sure you select NO

If you have done your prep correctly you will have no problems, but that hardly ever happens, you will always have a few problems. At this point you will most likely have to import the kerning and sometimes the metrics via the afm files you created to the newly created MM axes.

terminaldesign,

I'm confused by your description

I have two fonts that I want to make into one MM font, so

3. Assign one of the fonts to the mask layer Tools>Mask> Assign Font Mask

I do this to the first font (Font 1)

4. Define the appropriate axis: Tools> Multiple Master> Define New Axis

This applies to Font 1

5. At this point if not before, it is a good idea to Save As and assign this soon to be MM vfb a new name. Just in case something goes wrong

Save Font 1 as the MM font

6. Select the glyphs in the font window and using Mask to Master convert the Mask to the appropriate Master Axis: Tools>Multiple Master> Mask to Master. When you are asked whether to let FontLab add points where necessary, make sure you select NO

Does this apply to Font 1 or is this Font 2 ?

I can't work out how I get the two fonts into one file.

Sorry if I'm being stupid

Perhaps this small Mac/Win command line Java tool is useful in this case:

http://www.fonttools.org/downloads/DTL_AFMInterpolator.zip

________________________________________________________________

DTL AFM Interpolator version 1.1
last update: 2 July 2008

New in version 1.1:

- also interpolates POS values next to KPX
- negligible values (specified by an optional, extra argument) are left out
- instead of using a space as delimiter character, it now delimits using any amount of whitespace

Usage:
java AFMInterpolator [file1] [file2] [factor] [flag] [output] ([limit])

- file1: first AFM file
- file2: second AFM file
- factor: interpolation percentage (0-100)
- flag: 0 leaves incomplete pairs out, 1 ignores missing pairs and calculates using 0 instead
- output: output file
- limit: lower limit for values, leaves pairs with values smaller or equal out (optional)

example use:
java AFMInterpolator fontname_regular.afm fontname_bold.afm 50 1 fontname_medium.afm 10

Note: output file is automatically overwritten

Hi Tim, this would need additional information: your class definitions, plus, per class, which is the key glyph and whether the class is used left, right or both side(s).

I've gone down the route of creating the MM font with the 'Mask to Master' technique described above. Surprisingly everything seems to be going really well (I was always concerned that making an MM font would be complicated).

All the glyphs are coloured green, (which means there are no problems right). The spacing and kerning all seems to be interpolating correctly with the same number of pairs in all generated instances. Before I get too excited is there anything else I should be looking for. I did spend a long time preping the light and bold weights, but my experience of developing fonts has always been two steps forward and one step back. This seems like two steps forward and I'm worried I'm missing something.

The last item in Font Info is Multiple Master Settings. I suggest you move the slider to some middle position between your two axes. This will change the display of the font in the Font Window and you'll have a better chance of seeing any mangled glyphs.