[OpenFontLibrary] multiple fonts in a single file

Christopher Fynn cfynn at gmx.net
Sat May 23 21:47:16 PDT 2009


Dave Crossland wrote:

> Is this in otf? I know of TTC files but never saw one.

Not in OTF

TTC files are apparently designed for fonts that share common glyphs - 
*not* for multiple font styles (normal-bold-italic) in a single font 
file. (The example usually given for TTC fonts is CJK fonts that contain 
e.g. a shared set of Latin and symbol glyphs - with TTC these glyphs 
don't have to be in each font file.)

Of course Open Type allows things like Normal and Small Caps glyphs in a 
single font file - those glyphs being accessed by applying an OpenType 
feature. In theory you could also make bold & italic OpenType features 
and then you could have normal, bold, italic & bold+italic glyphs in a 
single font file.

Type 1 Multiple master fonts can of course have normal & bold in a 
single font file ~ but these are not now widely supported.

- Chris




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