I want to secretly change the point size designation for a font

[brihei]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

Does anybody know a way (likely through a font creator or editor program) where I can trick the font into thinking it's a different point size? Basically, I am working with Helvetica Neue, and it happens to be a very large font. I want the pull down menu in whatever program I'm using to display a 12pt as 10pt, for example. Even though it's truly a 12pt font, it is reading out as a 10pt font. Is there any way to reset the point size designations in a font so that it displays different designated point size numbers?

[eliason]

Technically I think using a font editor to change the UPM (units per em) to a larger number would be an easy way to shrink how the font appears.
I suppose you should check the EULA to see if such adjustment is allowed by the license.

[oldnick]

I may be incredibly dense, but—why do you want to accomplish this little feat or point-size prestidigitation?

[Michel Boyer]

relevant thread: https://typography.guru/forums/topic/98928-forwarding

[rs_donsata]

Why would you want to do that? Just pick the font size that matches your needs.

[abattis]

Sometimes organizations (eg, schools) require text to be set in a certain point size, in a certain font. This makes it easy to compare the lengths of documents at a glance.

[jasonc]

But, if you change the size, it'll be changed in all apps, for all documents. Seems to create more problems than solutions, doesn't it?

[brihei]

It's complicated, but basically I work for an insurance company with a Compliance Department, and they have an arbitrary regulation that says all body copy needs to be in 12pt. That is way too huge and creates gaudy, ugly design for the marketing materials. The way they check this is to open up my PDF in Acrobat and check the Properties. If I can have the Properties read 12pt (when in reality the font is 10pt) that is the goal. These people know nothing of typography and I'm sick of their stupid regulations deciding my designs.

[plainclothes]

Sounds like a great opportunity to dump Helvetica, in my opinion!
;)

[Theunis de Jong]

Create all of your documents at 120% of their original size. For example, if the specs tell you to create something at legal size (8 1/2 x 11"), create it at 10.2 x 13.2".
Then use your font at 12pt (which is what the Properties will show). When printing to the intended page size, select "Scale to Fit" in the printing dialog. Of course you must be printing to the intended paper size.

If you say, "well, won't they notice the page size is larger?", I can ask the same thing about using a smaller font size than requested.

(Without clearly cheating like this, about the only real option I can think of is scale down an otherwise perfectly good Helvetica with a good font editor that will not screw up any of the size related font measurements and features, as there are spacing or kerning.)

[oldnick]

I'm sick of their stupid regulations deciding my designs.

Well, you always have the option of working elsewhere. Who signs the paychecks make the rules.

[rs_donsata]

Forget Helvetica and find a small lower case sans serif. I really can't remember a good choice but Helvetica is huge.

[Thomas Phinney]

Are you absolutely sure that the font size is NOT a legislated requirement from the state or federal government? If it is, trying to evade it by twiddling the font is the kind of thing that could get your employer in serious legal trouble, and you fired.

I recently consulted for one of the ten largest companies in the US on essentially this exact same issue. Somebody somewhere along the way screwed up—possibly because they decided they were above some silly “arbitrary regulation”—and they are now facing litigation about the type allegedly not being big enough in a standardized letter they send out.

I also was once consulted by the San Diego DA's office on a similar case. It was marketing materials, but there was indeed a legal requirement around point size. Unfortunately the malefactors came up with a very clever way to deke out the requirement, which I won't repeat here (though I will probably cover it in my talk at Typo SF). But suffice it to say I told the DA's office they were out of luck.

In other words, be very careful.

Cheers,

T

[brihei]

Appreciate all the advice, everyone.

[aluminum]

The font size regulations *are* stupid, but it's not your compliance department that's doing it. It's the legal system. The judicial system typically has extremely specific rules for documents.

Again, yes it's stupid, but it's a legal issue. So this is definitely not something you want to do just to please your aesthetic sensibilities without further consulting with those with law degrees.

(Yes, I wish every lawyer and judge would read up on basic typography...we can dream/hope...)

[Bert Vanderveen]

I think you can not mess with fonts used by the system to display menu’s etcetera. If I recollect correctly OS X is smart enough to chuck a changed one and re-installs an original.

[JamesM]

A few years ago I did some design work for an insurance company and was given similar rules to follow.

If the rule is coming from the compliance department, it's to comply with legal regulations. Trying to fool your employer in this situation is a very bad idea. They could end up in legal trouble, and you could be fired.

[JamesM]

> The font size regulations *are* stupid

Challenging constraints are a part of many design projects. The original poster may find it useful to look at similar materials produced by other insurance companies. He may find that other design firms found ways to comply with the rules and still produce attractive pieces.

[dtw]

...So the question is, does the original poster have to work with Helvetica? If not, just pick a similar sans with a smaller x-height, I guess. AG would be a subtle start in that direction, wouldn't it?