Edit fonts in Python

Introduction

I created a font called M + A1 in Python based on M + FONTS. (https://microraptor.booth.pm/items/2347968) I will explain the procedure to read and write fonts programmatically with the meaning of memorandum and missionary work.

--My environment

• anaconda + Python3 --Non-standard libraries
• defcon
• ufo2ft --Original font --Fonts that are allowed to be modified in OpenType format --Even TrueType is OK if you convert it to OpenType with dedicated software.

Thing you want to do

Since OTF (OpenType) cannot be read suddenly, write it in UFO (Unified Font Object) format and then read the file to create OTF.

What is a UFO? It will be, but it is not difficult. It's just an xml file. The control points of the Bezier curves that make up the font data are exported as xml.

OTF -> UFO Create a Font object with defcon and write it to OTF-> UFO with extractUFO.

import defcon
import extractor

IMPORT_FILE = r'C:\example\abc.otf'
EXPORT_FILE = r'C:\example\abc_ufo'
font = defcon.Font()
extractor.extractUFO(IMPORT_FILE, font)
font.save(EXPORT_FILE)

Exporting is done in a few seconds for Western typefaces and in a few minutes for Japanese typefaces.

Output result

• glyph --The path information for each character is written in XML format. (Format is .gilf)
• contents.plist --List of path files (.gilf) of recorded characters
• fontinfo.plist --Information on the entire font (font name, numerical values such as ascender / descender, etc.)
• kerning.plist --Kerning information
• layercontents.plist
• Well I do not know
• lib.plist --List of path files (.gilf) of recorded characters
• metainfo.plist --Format, author, etc.

lib.plist and contents.plist are similar files, so you can refer to either one. (Lib.plist does not have a font name and font file associated with each other, but the font name is also written in each .gilf. Contents.plist exists in a large number of .gilf, so it is troublesome to find it. I think it doesn't matter which one.)

UFO -> OTF

import os
import defcon
import ufo2ft
from xml.etree import ElementTree as ET

# Const
UFO_FILE = r'C:\example\abc_ufo'
GLIF_PATH = os.path.join(UFO_FILE, 'glyphs')

font = defcon.Font()

#Select the character to edit
glif_root = ET.parse(os.path.join(GLIF_PATH, 'a.glif'))
glyph = font.newGlyph('a')
glyph.unicode = int(glif_root.find('.//unicode').attrib['hex'], 16)
contour_list = glif_root.findall('.//contour')

#From glif file<contour>Subordinate<point>Read tags sequentially
for tag_contour in contour_list:
    contour = defcon.Contour()
    point_list = tag_contour.findall('./point')

    for k, v in enumerate(point_list):
        # <point>None if type is not defined in
        _type = v.attrib['type'] if 'type' in v.attrib else None
        #Set points
        contour.appendPoint(
            defcon.Point(
                (int(v.attrib['x']), int(v.attrib['y'])),
                segmentType=_type,
            )
        )
    #Set the contour for one lap
    glyph.appendContour(contour)

#Export to OTF
otf = ufo2ft.compileOTF(font)
otf.save('new_font.otf')

This will output a font file with only "a" set. You can create an original font by manipulating the path and then writing.

Reference / reference material

UFO Official: https://unifiedfontobject.org/ DEFCON : https://defcon.robotools.dev/en/latest/ https://qiita.com/irori/items/5518c242e0244838783b https://blog.hgrs.me/20190806022544 https://irori.github.io/wapuro-mincho/