OpenType ligature features ccmp and rlig do not work with variable font
OpenType ligature features ccmp and rlig are active by default. But they do not work with variable font (liga and dlig will work).
monokano
shared this idea
we have made note of this feature request and added to backlog
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Olli Meier commented
This is still an issue with Adobe Illustrator 2024. What is interesting: the rlig feature works well within the arabic version of the app, but not the latin version. Please give it a higher prio. It's critical for variable fonts. We use the rlig feature a lot for glyph substituations:
https://glyphsapp.com/learn/switching-shapes#:~:text=OpenType%20feature%20called-,rlig,-Required%20Ligatures.%20It -
Stephen Nixon
commented
In case it is helpful for testing, I have made a quick, simple test font which replicates the RLIG issue. It can be found at https://github.com/arrowtype/illustrator-rlig-test
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Stephen Nixon
commented
Update: I’ve found that you *can* use rlig in Illustrator, but it is just very inconvenient (and hard to explain to others).
It works for me when I am using the “Middle Eastern” line composer (in Version 26.1 and Version 27).
To activate that, I had to go to Illustrator Preferences, then Type, then check "Show Indic Options." THEN, go into the Paragraph panel, open its flyout options, and finally select one of the "Middle Eastern" line composers.
It seems wild that it’s this difficult to activate such a seemingly basic feature... hopefully the team can activate rlig by default, as is specified in the OpenType spec.
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Stephen Nixon
commented
I’m not sure whether this is a regression, but I am finding that rlig does not work with static fonts, in Illustrator 2022 or 2023. (The initial issue remains: rlig doesn’t work in variable fonts, either.)
The fonts I am testing have an rlig feature that works just fine in InDesign, web browsers, Font Goggles, Figma, Sketch, Keynote, Windows 11 Word (once ligatures are activated in settings)...
It is deeply frustrating that a basic, required OpenType feature is still unsupported, nearly 5 years after being reported. :( Please help!