File formats¶

What we open, what we save, and what we ship.

Use the entry for the relevant application. Draft terms require confirmation before publication.

AI file¶

Also written: .ai. Applies to: vexy-linestra, vexy-vextra, vexy-lines. Translatable: no.

An AI file is an Adobe Illustrator document, and it is the container the Vexy Illustrator plug-ins work inside. It holds paths, strokes, fills, appearances, and the live effects that a plug-in adds. You do not export an AI file from the plug-ins; you work in one. Write it as an AI file or an Illustrator document, never as an ai, and name Adobe Illustrator in full on first mention in the same document.

Write: You open the AI file in Illustrator and add the Vexy Linestra effect.

Not: Open your .ai and the effect can then be added.

See also: Adobe Illustrator, AIP, Live Effect, SVG

AIP¶

Also written: .aip, Illustrator plug-in. Applies to: vexy-linestra, vexy-vextra. Translatable: no.

An AIP file is an Adobe Illustrator plug-in binary, and it is how Vexy Linestra and Vexy Vextra reach Illustrator. The filenames close up the product name, VexyLinestra.aip and VexyVextra.aip, while prose keeps the space. You copy the file into the Illustrator plug-ins folder, whose name the operating system may show translated, and restart Illustrator so it loads. Name the file exactly as it ships, since a renamed plug-in does not load.

Write: You copy VexyLinestra.aip into the plug-ins folder and restart Illustrator.

Not: The .aip gets copied into the plugins folder by the user.

FLREQ¶

Also written: .flreq, .fllic. Applies to: fontlab, transtype. Translatable: no.

An FLREQ file is a licence request the application writes when a machine cannot reach the licensing service, and an FLLIC file is the response that activates it. You send the request from the machine that needs the licence, receive the response, and open it there. The pair exists for machines that stay offline, so name both files in a procedure that uses either, and say which machine each step happens on.

Write: You send the FLREQ file and open the FLLIC response on the same machine.

Not: A license request file is generated and then it can be sent.

Fog.net¶

Also written: .fog, fognet. Applies to: fontographer. Translatable: no.

Fog.net is Fontographer's project data format, and fognet is the Python module that reads and writes it from a script. A project file carries the extension .fog. You meet the format when you script against a project or move one between machines, rather than in ordinary editing, where the dashboard handles saving. The module name is lowercase, as Python module names are, and it goes in code font wherever it appears in prose.

Write: A script reaches the project through fognet.

Not: Projects are read by the fognet module in scripts.

See also: Fontographer, GlyphRef, VFC, Dream Up

Glyphs file¶

Also written: .glyphs. Applies to: fontlab. Translatable: no.

A Glyphs file is the source format of the Glyphs editor, and FontLab reads and writes it so that a project can move between the two. It holds masters, glyphs, metrics, and features in one text file. You use it when a collaborator works in the other editor, and you check the result after the trip, because two editors model masters and components in ways that do not correspond exactly. Write it as a Glyphs file, not as a glyphs.

Write: You open the Glyphs file and check the masters after the import.

Not: Glyphs files can be opened and everything will be preserved.

See also: UFO, VFC, master, component

Lines file¶

Also written: .lines. Applies to: vexy-lines. Translatable: no.

A Lines file is the native document of Vexy Lines, holding the source image, the fills applied to it, and the settings that produced the result. You save to it while you work and export vector artwork when you are finished, because the export keeps the result and not the recipe. Write it as a Lines file with a capital L when you name the format, and as the extension in lowercase with a dot when you mean the file suffix.

Write: You save the Lines file so the fill settings survive.

Not: Save your .lines so settings will be kept.

See also: Vexy Lines, SVG, fill mode, AI file

OTF¶

Also written: .otf, OpenType CFF. Applies to: fontlab, transtype, fontographer. Translatable: no.

OTF is the usual filename extension for an OpenType font with PostScript outlines. These use cubic curves stored in CFF or CFF2 data. State the outline flavour when it matters: OpenType fonts with TrueType outlines also support OpenType layout features. The .otf extension alone does not establish which features, colour formats or variation capabilities a font contains.

Write: You export an OTF once the features compile without errors.

Not: Only OTF files can contain OpenType features.

See also: TTF, WOFF2, VFC, hinting

SVG¶

Also written: .svg. Applies to: fontlab, vexy-lines, vexy-playlines. Translatable: no.

SVG is the vector graphics format, and it names two different things in this documentation: a graphic file that a drawing tool exports, and the SVG table inside a colour font. Say which you mean. You export SVG artwork from the Vexy products, and you meet the SVG table when you build a colour font in FontLab. A sentence that says SVG support without saying which one leaves a reader to guess.

Write: You export the artwork as SVG. The colour font carries an SVG table.

Not: The app has SVG support.

See also: color font table, AI file, Lines file, OTF

TTC¶

Also written: .ttc, TrueType Collection. Applies to: fontlab, transtype. Translatable: no.

TTC is the usual filename extension for a TrueType font collection: several fonts stored in one file. Collection members can share tables, reducing duplication where their data is identical. A collection is a packaging format, not an interpolation model. Distinguish its individual fonts from named instances within a variable font.

Write: You open the TTC and choose which member font to convert.

Not: A TTC is a variable font containing named instances.

See also: TTF, OTF, TransType 5, font target

TTF¶

Also written: .ttf, TrueType. Applies to: fontlab, transtype, fontographer. Translatable: no.

TTF is the usual filename extension for a font with TrueType outlines, which use quadratic curves. An OpenType TTF can contain layout features and variation data. Exporting cubic source outlines to this flavour requires curve conversion, which can change the point structure and approximate the original geometry. Check the exported outlines at the intended sizes.

Write: You export a TTF and check the converted curves.

Not: A TTF cannot contain OpenType layout features.

See also: OTF, WOFF2, CVT table, variable font

Type 1¶

Also written: .pfb, .pfa, PostScript Type 1. Applies to: fontlab, transtype. Translatable: no.

Deprecated

Deprecated. Use the current term except where the entry permits a historical reference or an exact quotation.

Type 1 is an older PostScript outline-font format. It remains relevant when opening archived fonts or explaining conversion workflows. Support depends on the application and version, so identify the target when discussing compatibility. Converting a Type 1 font to OpenType does not automatically supply missing Unicode mappings or new layout features.

Write: You convert the Type 1 font to OTF and check the metrics.

Not: Converting Type 1 to OpenType automatically adds missing language support.

See also: OTF, VFB, TransType 5, conversion profile

UFO¶

Also written: .ufo, .ufoz. Applies to: fontlab. Translatable: no.

UFO, Unified Font Object, is an open source-font format. UFO 3 stores glyph layers, font information, kerning, groups and optional feature code in a directory package or ZIP archive. It also allows images and application-specific data. Interchange depends on what both applications support; a UFO export does not by itself guarantee that every editor-specific property survives.

Write: You export UFO so the build pipeline can read the source.

Not: UFO stores only one layer and has no place for feature code.

See also: VFC, VFJ, Glyphs file, OTF

VFB¶

Also written: .vfb. Applies to: fontlab. Translatable: no.

Deprecated

Deprecated. Use the current term except where the entry permits a historical reference or an exact quotation.

VFB is the native source format of FontLab Studio 5. FontLab 8 can open and export it, but the format cannot represent every feature of a FontLab 8 project. Use VFC or VFJ for ongoing work in FontLab 8. Name VFB when explaining migration or an exchange workflow that requires the older format, and check the exported result for unsupported data.

Write: Export a VFB for the older workflow and check which project data it preserves.

Not: FontLab 8 cannot export VFB files.

See also: VFC, VFJ, FontLab Studio 5, UFO

VFC¶

Also written: .vfc. Applies to: fontlab. Translatable: no.

VFC is FontLab's native binary format, and the one you work in. It holds everything the editor knows: masters, elements, references, anchors, kerning, features, and the project settings that no font format carries. You save to it while you design and export to OTF or TTF when you ship. Write the format in capitals when you name it and in lowercase with a dot when you mean the extension. Its sibling VFJ stores the same content as text.

Write: You save the project as a VFC file and export the OTF from it.

Not: Your work is saved into a .VFC by the app.

See also: VFJ, VFB, OTF, UFO

VFJ¶

Also written: .vfj. Applies to: fontlab. Translatable: no.

VFJ is FontLab's JSON source format. It provides a text representation of a FontLab project for workflows that need readable or scriptable data. Use it as a source format, not an installable font. When exchanging files between FontLab versions or external tools, check that the receiving tool supports the data the project uses.

Write: You save as VFJ so the project diffs cleanly in version control.

Not: Every tool that reads JSON can round-trip a VFJ without data loss.

See also: VFC, VFB, UFO, fontlab (Python module)

WOFF2¶

Also written: .woff2, .woff, WOFF. Applies to: fontlab, transtype. Translatable: no.

WOFF2 is a compressed font format for web delivery. Its encoding uses font-specific transformations and Brotli compression. Export it for web use and test the resulting font in the target browsers. The size saving depends on the source font and its contents; do not promise a fixed reduction or infer available features from the extension.

Write: You export WOFF2 for the web after the OTF is correct.

Not: WOFF2 always reduces the font file size by one third.

See also: OTF, TTF, variable font, OS/2 table