Glyphs-Handbook-2013

For more details on opening
existing fonts, see
glyphsapp.com/blog/
importing-existing-fonts
11 Import and Export
11.1 FONTLAB
11.1.1 From FontLab to Glyphs
There is a Python script available to export Glyphs files
directly from within FontLab. Point your web browser to
github.com/schriftgestalt/Glyphs-Scripts/ and download
the script called ‘Glyphs Export.py’. To install, invoke Go > Go
to Folder … in Finder, enter ~/Library/Application Support/
FontLab/Studio 5/Macros/ and place the file in the Macros
folder that is displayed then. After restarting FontLab, it will
become available in the macro toolbar.
11.1.2 From Glyphs to FontLab
Again, there is a Python script to import Glyphs files into
FontLab. You can get it from the same Github repository
mentioned above. This time, look for a script named ‘Glyphs
Import.py’ and place it in your FontLab Macros folder.
11.2 ROBOFONT AND OTHER UFO TOOLS
Glyphs can read and write UFO files. Unfortunately, UFO files
cannot contain more than one master. So, File > Export will
export a Multiple Master Glyphs font as several UFO files.
When importing a font project, Glyphs will try to apply its
built-in naming scheme and sync the metrics of compound
glyphs with their base glyphs. To prevent either of the two,
you can go to Glyphs > Preferences > User Settings and check the
options ‘Keep glyph names from imported files’ and ‘Disable
automatic alignment in imported files’. To set these options
on a per-font basis, go to File > Font Info > Other Settings, and
check ‘Don’t use nice names’ or ‘Disable automatic alignment’,
respectively.
11.3 OPENTYPE AND TRUETYPE
11.3.1 Opening Existing Fonts
While you can open existing OTF, TTC, and TTF fonts, Glyphs
cannot reverse-engineer all the information inside a compiled
font file. That means that opening an OTF and exporting it
again will produce a file that is dierent from the original.
For instance, you will lose all OpenType feature code, hints,
Glyphs Handbook, May 2013 82