FoundryTools is a Python library for working with font files and their data. It provides a high-level interface for inspecting, manipulating, and converting fonts, leveraging the capabilities of the fontTools library and other font-related tools, such as AFDKO, cffsubr, defcon, dehinter, skia-pathops, ttfautohint-py, ufo2ft, and ufo-extractor.
The library is designed to simplify font processing tasks, such as reading and writing font files, accessing font tables and metadata, modifying glyph data, and converting fonts between different formats. It offers a set of classes and utilities for working with fonts at various levels of abstraction, from low-level font table manipulation to high-level font inspection and conversion.
FoundryTools is intended for font developers, type designers, font engineers, and anyone working with font files who needs a programmatic way to interact with font data. It provides a Pythonic API for common font operations and can be used in scripts, tools, and workflows that involve font processing.
Below is an overview of the key components and features of FoundryTools, while the detailed documentation can be found at the following link: https://foundrytools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
- Installation
- Font Class: High-Level Wrapper for TTFont
- FontFinder Class: Font Search and Filtering
- The
appspackage
FoundryTools requires Python 3.9 or later.
FoundryTools releases are available on the Python Package Index (PyPI), so it can be installed with pip:
python -m pip install foundrytoolsIf you would like to contribute to the development, you can clone the repository from GitHub, install the package in 'editable' mode, and modify the source code in place. We strongly recommend using a virtual environment.
# clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/ftCLI/FoundryTools.git
cd foundrytools
# create new virtual environment named e.g. ftcli-venv, or whatever you prefer:
python -m venv foundrytools-venv
# to activate the virtual environment in macOS and Linux, do:
. foundrytools-venv/bin/activate
# to activate the virtual environment in Windows, do:
foundrytools-venv\Scripts\activate.bat
# install in 'editable' mode
python -m pip install -e .The Font class is a high-level wrapper around the TTFont class from the fontTools library,
providing a user-friendly interface for working with font files and their data. It simplifies font
manipulation and offers various utilities for accessing and modifying font-specific properties.
- Load fonts from file paths (
strorPath),BytesIOobjects, andTTFontinstances. - Manipulate font tables, attributes, and metadata.
- Provides Pythonic getter and setter properties for accessing internal font data.
- Works as a context manager to automatically manage resources.
The class is initialized with the following parameters:
- `font_source`: A path to a font file (as
strorPath), aBytesIOobject, or an existingTTFontinstance. - `lazy` (Optional[bool], Default:
None): Controls whether font data is loaded lazily (on-demand) or eagerly (immediately). The default valueNonefalls somewhere between. - `recalc_bboxes` (bool, Default:
True): Recalculates glyf, CFF, head bounding box values, and hhea/vhea min/max values when saving the font. - `recalc_timestamp` (bool, Default: False): Updates the font’s modified timestamp in the head table when saving.
Example Usage:
from io import BytesIO
from foundrytools import Font
# Loading a font from a file
font = Font("path/to/font.ttf")
print(font.file) # Access the file path
# Loading a font from BytesIO
with open("path/to/font.ttf", "rb") as f:
font_data = BytesIO(f.read())
font = Font(font_data)
print(font.bytesio) # BytesIO object access
# Using the class as a context manager
with Font("path/to/font.ttf") as font:
print(font.ttfont) # Access the TTFont objectThe _init_font method performs automatic loading of fonts based on the font_source parameter.
Supported methods for loading fonts:
_init_from_file: Loads from a file._init_from_bytesio: Loads from an in-memoryBytesIOobject._init_from_ttfont: Loads from an already initializedTTFont.
The flags attribute is initialized to an instance of the StyleFlags class, which provides
convenience methods for managing font styles. It abstracts away low-level bitwise operations on the
font tables (OS/2 and head). Instead, users can interact with properties like is_bold,
is_italic, is_regular, is_oblique to check or modify the font's style easily.
from foundrytools.core.font import Font
font = Font("path/to/font.ttf")
print(font.flags.is_bold) # Check if the font is bold
font.flags.is_bold = True # Set the font as bold
font.flags.is_italic = False # Set the font as non-italic
font.flags.is_oblique = True # Set the font as oblique
# The is_regular property is read-only, as it is inferred from the other style flags. To set the
# font as regular, use the set_regular method.
font.flags.set_regular() # Set the font as regularThe _init_tables method initializes placeholders for various font tables, ensuring that they are
ready to be loaded when accessed. The method sets up the initial state for each table in the font.
def _init_tables(self) -> None:
"""
Initialize all font table attributes to None. This method sets up the initial state
for each table in the font, ensuring that they are ready to be loaded when accessed.
"""
self._cff: Optional[CFFTable] = None
self._cmap: Optional[CmapTable] = None
self._fvar: Optional[FvarTable] = None
self._gdef: Optional[GdefTable] = None
self._glyf: Optional[GlyfTable] = None
self._gsub: Optional[GsubTable] = None
self._head: Optional[HeadTable] = None
self._hhea: Optional[HheaTable] = None
self._hmtx: Optional[HmtxTable] = None
self._kern: Optional[KernTable] = None
self._name: Optional[NameTable] = None
self._os_2: Optional[OS2Table] = None
self._post: Optional[PostTable] = NoneThe _get_table method is a private helper function within the Font class, designed to manage and
retrieve font table objects. It utilizes lazy loading, meaning that it only initializes and
loads a font table when it is explicitly requested, leading to better performance and reduced memory
usage. Below is a step-by-step explanation.
TABLES_LOOKUP = {
"CFF ": ("_cff", CFFTable),
"cmap": ("_cmap", CmapTable),
"fvar": ("_fvar", FvarTable),
"GDEF": ("_gdef", GdefTable),
"glyf": ("_glyf", GlyfTable),
"GSUB": ("_gsub", GsubTable),
"head": ("_head", HeadTable),
"hhea": ("_hhea", HheaTable),
"kern": ("_kern", KernTable),
"hmtx": ("_hmtx", HmtxTable),
"name": ("_name", NameTable),
"OS/2": ("_os_2", OS2Table),
"post": ("_post", PostTable),
}
def _get_table(self, table_tag: str): # type: ignore
table_attr, table_cls = TABLES_LOOKUP[table_tag]
if getattr(self, table_attr) is None:
if self.ttfont.get(table_tag) is None:
raise KeyError(f"The '{table_tag}' table is not present in the font")
setattr(self, table_attr, table_cls(self.ttfont))
table = getattr(self, table_attr)
if table is None:
raise KeyError(f"An error occurred while loading the '{table_tag}' table")
return table- Purpose:
- Accepts
table_tag, a string identifier corresponding to a specific table in the font file (e.g.,"CFF","cmap", etc.). - Looks up
table_tagin theTABLES_LOOKUPdictionary or mapping, which provides:table_attr: The attribute name in theFontobject where the table is stored.table_cls: The class used to instantiate the requested table.
- Checks if the corresponding table attribute (
table_attr) already exists (i.e., has been previously loaded). - If it is
None, the method proceeds to load the table. - Verifies whether the requested table (
table_tag) is present in the underlyingTTFontobject (self.ttfont). - If the table is missing from the font file, it raises a
KeyErrorto notify the caller. - If the table exists, it is instantiated using the corresponding table class (
table_cls) and passed theTTFontobject (self.ttfont) as an argument. - The table instance is then stored in the
Fontobject as an attribute usingsetattr. - Retrieves the table object stored in the
Fontobject after ensuring its proper initialization. - As a safeguard, checks if the table object is still
None. - If it has not been successfully instantiated, an error is raised to indicate a failure during the loading process.
- Accepts
The _get_table method is commonly used in property methods of the Font class to provide easy
access to specific font tables. For example:
@property
def t_cff_(self) -> CFFTable:
return self._get_table("CFF ")In the above code snippet:
- The
t_cff_property calls_get_tablewith the table tag"CFF". _get_tableensures that theCFFtable, if not already initialized, is loaded and stored in theFontobject.- The returned table object is of type
CFFTable, which is a wrapper aroundFont.ttfont['CFF ']table. - The same pattern is followed for other tables such as
t_cmap,t_name,t_os_2, etc.
Accessing font tables is straightforward using the Font class. For example, to access the CFF
table of a font:
from foundrytools import Font
font = Font("path/to/font.otf")
cff_table = font.t_cff_The CFFTable object is defined in the core.tables.cff_ module and provides a wrapper around the
CFF table (i.e., a fontTools.ttLib.tables.C_F_F_.table_C_F_F_ object), adding convenience methods
for common operations.
For example:
from foundrytools.core.font import Font
font = Font("path/to/font.otf")
font.t_cff_.remove_hinting()
font.t_cff_.round_coordinates()
font.save("path/to/font_2.otf")Another example accessing the name and OS/2 tables:
from foundrytools import Font
font = Font("path/to/font.otf")
font.t_name.remove_unused_names()
font.t_name.find_replace("Old Family Name", "New Family Name")
font.t_os_2.weight_class = 400
font.t_os_2.recalc_unicode_ranges(percentage=33.0)Table wrappers provide the table property to access the wrapped ttLib.tables objects.
The following lines are equivalent:
font.t_name.table.getBestFamilyName() # Access the wrapped ttLib.tables._n_a_m_e.table__n_a_m_e object
font.ttfont["name"].getBestFamilyName() # This is equivalent to the above lineTables can also be accessed directly, without using the Font class:
from fontTools.ttLib import TTFont
from foundrytools.core.tables.post import PostTable
ttfont = TTFont("path/to/font.ttf")
post = PostTable(ttfont)
post.italic_angle = 0.0
post.underline_position = -100
ttfont.save("path/to/font_2.ttf")The following tables are currently supported, other tables will be added as needed:
- CFF:
t_cff_(CFFTable) - cmap:
t_cmap(CmapTable) - fvar:
t_fvar(FvarTable) - GDEF:
t_gdef(GdefTable) - GSUB:
t_gsub(GsubTable) - glyf:
t_glyf(GlyfTable) - head:
t_head(HeadTable) - hhea:
t_hhea(HheaTable) - hmtx:
t_hmtx(HmtxTable) - kern:
t_kern(KernTable) - name:
t_name(NameTable) - OS/2:
t_os_2(OS2Table) - post:
t_post(PostTable)
The Font class provides a set of style flags to simplify font style management. These flags are
used to determine the font style based on the font’s attributes, such as weight, italic, and
obliqueness.
The following style flags are available:
- `is_bold` (bool):
- Returns
Trueif the font is bold based on theOS/2table’s andheadtable’s values. - Provides a setter to update the bold flag.
- Returns
- `is_italic` (bool):
- Returns
Trueif the font is italic based on theOS/2table’s andheadtable’s values. - Provides a setter to update the italic flag.
- Returns
- `is_regular` (bool):
- Returns
Trueif the font is regular based on theOS/2table’s andheadtable’s values. - This property is read-only and inferred from the other style flags. To set the font as regular,
use the
set_regularmethod.
- Returns
- `is_oblique` (bool):
- Returns
Trueif the font is oblique based on theOS/2table’s andheadtable’s values. - Provides a setter to update the oblique flag.
- Returns
The following properties provide accessible abstractions of internal font data:
- `file`:
- Returns the font’s file path (or
Noneif not loaded from file). - Provides a setter to update the file path.
- Returns the font’s file path (or
- `bytesio`:
- Returns the in-memory
BytesIOobject containing the font data. - Provides a setter to update the
BytesIOobject.
- Returns the in-memory
- `ttfont`:
- Returns the wrapped
TTFontobject. - Provides a setter for replacing the
TTFontobject.
- Returns the wrapped
- `temp_file`: A placeholder for temporary file path of the font, in case it is needed for some operations.
- `is_ps` (bool): Indicates if the font contains PostScript outlines based on
TTFont.sfntVersion. - `is_tt` (bool): Indicates if the font contains TrueType outlines based on
TTFont.sfntVersion. - `is_woff` (bool): Indicates if the font is in the WOFF format by checking the flavor attribute.
- `is_woff2` (bool): Indicates if the font is in the WOFF2 format by checking the flavor attribute.
- `is_static` (bool): Indicates if the font is a static font by checking for the absence of
a
fvartable. - `is_variable` (bool): Indicates if the font is a variable font by checking for the
presence of a
fvartable.
- Context Management: The Font class supports the with statement. On entering the context, it returns the Font instance, and upon exiting, it releases allocated resources (e.g., closing files, clearing temporary data).
- Rebuilding and Reloading:
reload: Reload the font by saving it to a temporary stream and reloading from it.rebuild: Save the font as XML to a temporary stream and then re-import it.
- Conversion Utilities:
to_woff: Converts the font into WOFF format.to_woff2: Converts the font into WOFF2 format.to_ttf: Converts a PostScript font into TrueType.to_otf: Converts a TrueType font into PostScript.to_sfnt: Converts WOFF/WOFF2 fonts to SFNT format.
- Subsetting Operations:
remove_glyphs: Removes specified glyphs from the font.remove_unused_glyphs: Removes glyphs that are unreachable by Unicode values or lookup rules.
- Contours:
correct_contours: Adjusts glyph contours for overlaps, contour direction errors, and small paths.scale_upm: Scales the font’s units per em (UPM).
- Sorting and Managing Glyph Order:
rename_glyph: Rename specific glyphs in the font.rename_glyphs: Renames all glyphs in the font based on a custom mapping.sort_glyphs: Sorts glyphs based on Unicode values, alphabetical order, or design order.
The FontFinder class is a robust Python tool designed to search for font files in a directory,
with options for filtering, customization, and recursion. It simplifies the process of finding fonts
based on specific criteria and supports the handling of single files and directories. It is
particularly useful in scenarios involving large font repositories or automated font processing
pipelines. With its built-in filtering and customization options, it provides a robust way to manage
fonts programmatically.
- Recursive Search: Searches directories and subdirectories for font files.
- Filtering: Supports filtering by font type (TrueType/PostScript), web font flavor (
woff,woff2), and font variations (static/variable). - Customizable Options: Options for lazy processing, recalculation of timestamps, and bounding boxes.
- Error Handling: Handles invalid input paths and conflicting filter conditions.
__init__(input_path: Path, options: Optional[FinderOptions] = None, filter_: Optional[FinderFilter] = None)
Initializes the FontFinder instance.
-
Parameters:
input_path(Path): The file or directory path to search for fonts.options(FinderOptions): Optional class containing customizable search options. If not provided, defaults to sensible defaults.filter_(FinderFilter): Optional class used to filter results based on font properties.
-
Key Actions:
- Resolves the
input_pathto an absolute path. If invalid, aFinderErroris raised. - Generates filter conditions from the provided
filter_. - Validates that no conflicting filters are in use.
- Resolves the
Returns a list of Fonts that meet the specified conditions.
-
Description: This method evaluates font files in the given path and applies the specified filter conditions.
-
Example:
from foundrytools.lib.font_finder import FontFinder
finder = FontFinder(input_path="path/to/fonts")
fonts = finder.find_fonts()
for font in fonts:
print(font.file)A generator function that yields Font objects one by one.
-
Purpose: Useful when memory efficiency is critical and a large number of files are processed.
-
Yield:
- An object of type
Fontfor each font matching the criteria.
- An object of type
-
Exceptions:
- Skips files that raise
TTLibErrororPermissionError.
- Skips files that raise
Generates file paths from the given input_path.
-
Description:
- If
input_pathis a file, it yields that file. - If
input_pathis a directory:- Searches recursively (
Path.rglob("*")) if therecursiveoption isTrue. - Searches non-recursively (
Path.glob("*")) otherwise.
- Searches recursively (
- If
-
Yield:
- Paths to files that match the criteria.
Ensures that no conflicting filter conditions are present.
- Raises:
FinderErrorif:- Both TrueType (
filter_out_tt) and PostScript (filter_out_ps) are excluded. - All web fonts (
woff,woff2) and standard fonts (sfnt) are excluded. - Both static and variable fonts are excluded.
- Both TrueType (
Converts the provided FinderFilter into executable filter conditions.
-
Parameters:
filter_: Instance ofFinderFilter.
-
Returns:
- A list of tuples, where each tuple consists of:
- A boolean indicating whether the filter is enabled.
- A callable function that checks a font property.
- A list of tuples, where each tuple consists of:
from foundrytools.lib.font_finder import FontFinder
# Path to process
path = "path/to/fonts/"
# Initialize FontFinder with default options
finder = FontFinder(input_path=path)
# Find fonts
fonts = finder.find_fonts()
# Process fonts
for font in fonts:
print(font)from foundrytools.lib.font_finder import FontFinder, FinderOptions, FinderFilter
options = FinderOptions(recursive=True, lazy=True)
filter_ = FinderFilter(filter_out_tt=True, filter_out_woff=True)
finder = FontFinder(input_path="path/to/fonts", options=options, filter_=filter_)
for font in finder.generate_fonts():
print(font.file)The apps package contains pre-built applications that leverage the Font class and other
utilities provided by FoundryTools. These applications are designed to perform specific font
processing tasks, such as fixing errors, autohinting, and more.
Please refer to the individual modules within the apps package for detailed information on each
application.
An example of using the fix_italic_angle application:
from foudrytools.lib.font_finder import FontFinder
from foundrytools.apps.fix_italic_angle import run as fix_italic_angle
finder = FontFinder(input_path="path/to/fonts")
fonts = finder.find_fonts()
for font in fonts:
fix_italic_angle(font)
font.save(font.file.with_name(f"{font.file.stem}_fixed.ttf"))