Type Network proposal for a system of parametric and optical axes has been submitted.

[PeterCon]

Type Network has submitted a proposal for a system of 8 parametric axes, along with three optical axes. Use this thread for general discussion of the proposal overall. Please create separate issues for specific details or discussion of specific axes within this proposal.

The parametric axes are:

• X Opaque, X Transparent, Y Opaque, Y Transparent
• Y Transparent Ascender, Y Transparent Descender, Y Transparent Uppercase, Y Transparent Lowercase

The optical axes are:

• Grade
• Per-Mille Weight
• Per-Mille Width

See the proposal overview here:
Type Network Parametric Axes Proposal Overview

[tiroj]

I am confused about the meaning of transparent/opaque in these proposals. I had initially presumed that opaque referred to glyph stems, bowls, terminals, etc. — i.e. 'black' in a conventional b/w text display — and transparent referred to the space around and within the glyphs — i.e. 'white'.

So I was confused to see an axis illustrated with a variation in the height of the ascender stem labeled as 'Y Transparent Ascender', because I would expect that to be 'Y Opaque Ascender', based on the observation that it is the opaque/black feature of the glyph that is changing. The illustration does indicate, using arrows, that the scale of the axis is relative to the baseline, and hence is measurable across adjacent transparent/white space, rather than as a relative distance from the default ascender height, but it still seems confusing to me when, elsewhere in the proposals, transparent axes are affecting e.g. advance width independent of x stem weight. Indeed, it seems to me that having an actual Y Transparent Ascender axis that affects vertical ascent space independent of the height of the glyph ascender, might be a useful thing at some point, and reserving the term Opaque for axes that adjust stems, bowls, etc. would be a good thing.

---

Erratum: in Y Transparent proposal the overview line reads

Overview: This describes a proposed X Transparent Ascender axis to vary the height of ascenders.

Should be Y Transparent Ascender
[Not checked other proposals for similar.]

[PeterCon]

I fixed the "X Transparent Ascender" typo.

[PeterCon]

The use of "opaque" and "transparent" for xopq, yopq, xtra and ytra are new, but once explained the meaning seems clear. And I don't have any better alternative terms to offer.

But wrt the other 4 parametric axes (ytas, ytde, ytuc, ytlc)... While there's a terminological pattern, the use of "transparent" is less clear, as John points out. It's not clear to me that "Y Transparent Ascender", etc. are better than the existing conventional terms, "Ascender", "Descender", "Cap Height", "X Height".