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Adobe InDesign: Bugs

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  1. Version of Adobe InDesign, InCopy or InDesign Server
  2. Steps to reproduce the issues
  3. Expected result
  4. Actual result
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663 results found

  1. Using a variable font and exporting to PDF results in corrupted outlines in text

    When using a variable font in InDesign v17.0.1 and exporting to PDF, the resulting file contains text with corrupted outlines. '.notdef' boxes get inserted into some glyphs as can be seen in the attached PDF.

    This error also occurs in Illustrator.

    When exporting to PDF using a non-Adobe application, no errors are seen.

    Errors occur only when using variable version of the font an not the static versions.

    Additional information and test fonts have been sent in an email to Josh Hadley.

    3 votes

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    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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  2. Variable Font: top of "U" wiggles as you change weight (FreeType bug)

    1. Download and unzip https://www.dropbox.com/s/3b6k0izkm5ma3dy/200719-AdobeVFBug.zip?dl=1

    2. Install the font from font/DaikonVF-mini.ttf

    3. Run InDesign 15.1.1

    4. Type "AU" and choose the Daikon VF font

    5. Click the Variable Font button and move the weight slider between the extreme locations. Observe how the top of "U" "wiggles" (jumps up and down). This is shown in videos/DaikonVF-InDesign-15.1.1.mp4

    6. The same problem occurs in Illustrator 24.2.1 and I have logged it at https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/40945024-variable-font-bug-wiggling-top-of-u

    7. The same problem occurs in DTL OTmaster 7.9 and in FontView 2019 (an open source app built from https://github.com/googlefonts/fontview ) — both apps use older versions…

    5 votes

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  3. [Variable fonts] Axis committal doesn't stick

    When using a variable font, and changing an axis’s value via the text box, it doesn't stick when the menu is Escaped. However, the value does stick when it is escaped if it was committed via slider.

    To reproduce:

    1. Set some text in a text box.
    2. Open the Character Panel.
    3. Choose a variable font.
    4. Go into the variable font value settings via the button to the bottom right.
    5. Change a value in the text box.
    6. Hit Enter to commit. (Shouldn't really be necessary and doesn't seem to have effect anyway).
    7. Hit Escape to get rid of the slider…
    1 vote

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  4. Variable font: Italic character wrongly displayed when exported to PDF format from InDesign.

    I'm reporting this bug on behalf of the type design studio Dalton Maag. To reproduce: use the provided test font, write the lowercase letter "p" in Indesign, and choose the "Hair Italic" instance, or equivalently, set:
    - the font's weight axis to the minimum,
    - the width to its default value
    - the italic axis to its maximum.

    Glyphs are shown without fault within InDesign itself. However, when exported to PDF format and opened on Acrobat Reader, there is an issue with how the letter “p” is displayed (see aktiv_vf_p_bug.png).

    We are suspecting the issue is caused by…

    3 votes

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    The fix for this issue is now available in the latest update of InDesign – version 16.1
    Please update to this version to get the fix.


    Adobe InDesign team

  5. No translation in French for the variable fonts panel in Indesign 2020

    1 - Indesign 2020 (15) - French version
    2 - Use a variable font
    Modify it with the properties panel or control bar
    3 - The interface should be in French
    4 - When the panel is shown the interface stay in english
    The variable fonts panel stay in English

    2 votes

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    CLOSED  ·  Abhinav Kaushik responded

    Thank you for sharing the feedback with us.
    Please note that the design axes names are provided within the font itself, therefore the translated string for these axes names cannot be displayed unless the font designer has incorporated it in the font.

    However, Adobe Illustrator explicitly translates 5 predominantly used design axes names(Weight, Width, Slant, etc.), but this does not seems appropriate for fonts having more than 5 design axes(like Amstelva Alpha which has 16 axes).

    Hence the attribute names are not translated.

    Thanks,
    InDesign Team

  6. Variable Fonts don't display correct via PDF export

    I'm very excited to see variable fonts in InDesign, thank you!

    However, when using variable fonts in an InDesign document, exported PDFs show overlaps (as in the crossbar of /A), as well as inconsistent stem weights, spacing, and alignments in various glyphs. These issues occur in multiple variable fonts I've tested.

    If I use static fonts or convert fonts to outlines using Type > Create Outlines these issues don't show up. These issues are present when viewing PDFs in both Acrobat and Preview (see screenshots attached). These variable fonts work fine in web browsers…

    19 votes

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    6 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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    Closed: Fixed  ·  amaarora responded

    Hi,
    This has been fixed with InDesign version 15.0.2
    Please update to the latest version to check the fix

    Thanks

  7. Italic option in variable fonts

    There is no option to change upright/italic in variable fonts.
    With Myriad Variable I always go to an italic preset and then adjust the settings from there. But there should be a option right next to the weight and width scales.

    2 votes

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    0 comments  ·  Styles  ·  Admin →
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  8. Problem with variable fonts letter tracking

    1. Adobe Indesign 15.1.2

    2. There is a problem with letter tracking in variable fonts (please see attached photo)
      I've tried two licensed variable fonts and it occurs with all of them
      (Myriad Variable & 29lt Bukra Variavle)
      I've not changed the default values for letter kerning nor tracking.

    3. Expected results: I expect the text to have the correct letter tracking

    4. Actual results: bad letter tracking (please see attached photo)

    5. Test file: screenshot from my indesign.

    1 vote

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  9. InDesign 2024 regression: Text variable rendering breaks Google barcode font

    A sequence of numbers rendered in Google's "Libre Barcode EAN13 Text" font will not work if the text is inserted via a text variable. Entering the text verbatim with the same paragraph style produces the expected result.

    This is a regression in InDesign 2024. The attached IDML file works fine in InDesign 2023 v18.5 but not in InDesign 2024 v19.3.0.58.

    The font can be found at https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Barcode+EAN13+Text.

    (Sorry for the .idml.txt extension for the test case – this form won't let me submit .idml, .indd or .zip attachments directly.)

    1 vote

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    1 comment  ·  Text/Story/Table  ·  Admin →
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  10. Printing a document with variable fonts garbles them

    (I sent test fonts to Josh Hadley at Adobe yesterday, i.e. Aktiv Grotesk VF)

    1. Select variable font from the menu (e.g. Aktiv Grotesk VF)
    2. Select world-ready composer
    3. Select a couple different instances from the drop-down or select an instance via the slider (e.g. Black, Bold, Regular, Light) and set some text in each
    4. Print the page from InDesign on a PostScript printer

    See the attached image. What should happen is that the repeating blocks of text should be set in the different instances you selected in step 3. They are replaced by a random font instead, only the first…

    6 votes

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  11. Variable fonts: Feature Variations not working

    In the current version of Adobe CC, Variable fonts’ Feature Variations are not working. Please have a look at the Trial version of my typeface Pangea (https://fontwerk.com/de/fonts/pangea-superfamily):
    https://christoph.koe.berlin/_temp/PangeaVAR_Trial_2.000.ttf

    Axes for Weight, Italic, Apertures, Extenders, Inktraps and Spacing are working, but as soon as you move the sliders of the the last axes (Single-storey a, single-storey g and Straight l) the font is marked as missing and jumps back to the basic style.

    1. InDesign version 16.1, MacOS 10.14.6 and above
    2. Steps to reproduce the issues: Install font via FontBook, move sliders in last three…
    1 vote

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  12. [ID-4244288]Problem with Variable fonts - some glyphs are displayed with a lighter weight on changing axes.

    Some variable fonts works as expected, but for some, the font displays at a lighter weight (perhaps regular?) when the weight is set for anything heavier than about 750. It appears that the heavier weight's metrics are used.

    In my my limited test, the weight prints properly.

    I'm on a 27-inch, iMac 2020, Mac OS 13.5.1, InD 19.

    Examples:

    70 votes

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    57 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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    The fix of the issue is now available in the InDesign 2024(v19.1.0.043) and above. We recommend you upgrade to the latest version for the fix.

    If you are unable to see the update, go to the Creative Cloud application click on the context menu on the top right, and click on Check for App Updates.

    Adobe InDesign Team

  13. Indesign 2024 Unable to Recognize Variable Fonts from Documents Created with Previous Version

    InDesign 2024 (v19.0) fails to recognize variable fonts from documents created in previous version. Specifically, Helvetica Now Variable weights and widths are reported as missing. Running MacOS Sonoma (but the same system opens the file without issue when using InDesign 2023… can’t be an OS issue.)

    6 votes

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    4 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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  14. ID 2023 and 2024 issues with variable weight fonts

    In addition to the odd weight mix on screen display or the incorrect spacing for bolder faces on variable fonts in 2024, variable fonts do not outline correctly. The outlined objects do not create compound paths correctly for character elements that join (example: bottom bar of lower case e crosses over onto spine of letter) causing effect and trap errors.

    UPDATE: 19.1 update installed. The font weight issue appears to be fixed, but the font outlines are still an issue, as I reported to Adobe in the bug reports. The characters when outlines do create compound paths, they…

    1 vote

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  15. Google font unusable after 2024 update.

    1. InDesign 2024, Google font Big Shoulders Display (variable width) stopped working properly between 2023 and 2024 updates.
    2. I tried changing character attributes, pacakging the file and deleting the Document fonts folder (suggested in Adobe Community)
    3. Expected the font to work properly
    4. Font does not work properly
    4 votes

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  16. Variable fonts: default face location included in style list even if not included in fvar

    I sent a variable test font to Josh Hadley. It includes an fvar table that does not contain the location of the default instance. InDesign v17.0.1 on Windows will include the default location anyway in the list of styles for the font, with a made up name. Should it not restrict itself to what it finds in the fvar and STAT tables?

    1 vote

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  17. Clicking document-installed font from font list gives error to "activate font" and doesn't change font.

    InDesign 14.0 on Windows 10 x64

    I just upgraded to InDesign 14.0, and there appears to be a bug when clicking a document-installed font from the font list. The font list gives an error message to "Click 'Activate' button to activate fonts" and the text frame keeps the existing font, instead of changing to the new font.

    Expected result:
    The expected result would be the same behavior as InDesign 13.1, where you could click a document-installed font from the font list, and the text frame would update to the newly selected font.

    Actual result:
    In InDesign…

    17 votes

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    Hello All,

    Thank you for your patience all this while.
    This issue is now fixed in the latest update (Id 14.0.1) of InDesign CC.
    If you are unable to see the update notification yet, open the menu (three dots) from the top-right of Creative Cloud desktop application and click on ‘Check For App Updates’.

    Once the update button is shown against InDesign CC, click on the button to update your InDesign to Id 14.0.1 for the fix of the issue.
    Do let us know in the comments, if you face any problem with the new update.

    List of fixed issues can be found at: helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/fixed-issues.html

    Regards,
    InDesign Team

  18. Using glyphs in a text variable

    I've defined a text variable that I use for a running header. This variable is defined from the first use of a "chapter title" paragraph style that I've also defined. I've inserted this variable on my A-master page, which is synced between documents in my book. The problem I'm running into is that I've used a number of glyphs in the text comprising the first use of that style, and the text variable (my running header) looks garbled: it's missing letters and has mixed caps. If it matters, the font I'm using is Orpheus Pro Bold.

    Attached are two screenshots:…

    2 votes

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  19. SVG Font Designation Not Shown in Find Font

    If a font is an SVG font, InDesign shows the square box "SVG" designation in the font dropdown. However, if you view the font info under Find Font (Type>Find Font), the font type does not show as SVG. There is no way to determine if an SVG font was used in the file other than to view in the font dropdown. That is a problem as SVG fonts are not supported in PDF yet and will not be caught by preflight. Can the SVG designation be added to the Find Font info screen?

    11 votes

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    2 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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    Hello All,

    Thank you for reporting the issue to us.
    We have fixed the issue in the latest version of InDesign, Id 14.0.3

    Please upgrade your InDesign application to the latest version to try out the fix.

    If you are unable to see the update yet, go to Creative Cloud desktop application, open the menu (three dots) from the top-right corner and click on ‘Check For App Updates’.

    If you face any problems with the new update, do let us know in the comments.

    You may also follow the below given link for the list of all fixed issues in Id 14.0.3
    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/fixed-issues.html

  20. variable data

    If you have 2 text fields in variable data, the variable data previews fine in InDesign but on Export to PDF it doesn't work correctly, the 2nd variable data field is missing.

    We use this every week so it's something on this new version. Imac 27" InDesign v16.0 OS 10.15.7

    1 vote

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    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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