Variable fonts: kerning still broken

[Barry Mieny]

As mentioned in a previous beta thread, the kerning for variable fonts seem to use the kerning values from the regular weight for all weights.

In the release notes for build 2900, it indicates that "Custom Variable font is using the wrong kerning value in Affinity [AF-3768]" has been fixed.

This is not correct, as I'm seeing the exact same behaviour in build 2984 as I'm seeing in version 2.5.7.

Attached examples show the correct kerning in black (screenshot from website) and the red outlines show the behaviour in the 2.6.0 beta as described above.

 

[Gabe]

That fix was for a specific font. We would need your font to see what's going on. https://www.dropbox.com/request/zdVo7oYjP6thLwqScPvq

[Barry Mieny]

@Gabe Thanks for looking. The fonts were listed in the earlier post, but I've also uploaded them to your Dropbox request.

 

[eWalthert]

I will upload some fonts too. It seems like all variable fonts have this issue, but some show it more clearly than others.

This really should be fixed as soon as possible.

[eWalthert]

Here are screenshots of two fonts and their behaviour in Affinity.

The thinner and thicker cuts of the fonts are using the Kerning of the Regular cut.
In these cases, the issues are not as glaring as they are with @Hex’s Franklin Typeface.

In the overlay images, `pink` is as supposed, `cyan` what affinity does.
The black and white screenshots are Affinity above, TextEdit below.

I will upload both fonts and the screenshots into the DropBox folder linked above, assuming these typefaces will not be shared otherwise.

 

[Gabe]

Thanks. We will have a look  

[Affinity Info Bot]

An issue raised in this thread ("Kerning not correct for specific variable fonts - AVALT and NNArosa") has now been reported to the developers by the testing team (Ref: AF-5518). Thank you very much for reporting this issue to us.

[eWalthert]

3 hours ago, Affinity Info Bot said:

An issue raised in this thread ("Kerning not correct for specific variable fonts - AVALT and NNArosa") has now been reported to the developers by the testing team (Ref: AF-5518). Thank you very much for reporting this issue to us.

I am slightly irritated by the “specific variable fonts” part of the title.
It is ALL variable fonts, except the ones that are multiplexed or share the same kerning in all weights or have no kerning at all.
Enclosed a screenshot of IBM Plex with static weights (cyan) and the Variable version (red), on top of each other.

[Barry Mieny]

I share your frustration, since this should address it for all variable fonts. This feels like adding fixes upon fixes.

What is even weirder to me is that the mentioned ticket doesn't even include the font I started the thread with. SMH

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Kerning not correct for specific variable fonts - AVALT and NNArosa" (REF: AF-5518) has been fixed by the developers in the latest beta build (2.6.0.3058). The fix is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Affinity Info Bot to notify us.

[eWalthert]

I can confirm, that the Kerning in all variable fonts I have tested, does work as supposed!

Thanks a lot for finally fixing this 🥳

[Barry Mieny]

I can also confirm that it's now working properly for the fonts I use that were affected.

Thank you very much!