Representing variable type fonts

A system comprising one or more computer and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a first font file comprising data that represents one or more fonts and an initial set of font variation axes, each font variation axis indicative of a style for the one or more fonts and comprising a first range of allowable values from a first minimum allowable value to a first maximum allowable value;
• receiving, from a user selection on a user interface comprising a graphical representation, data representing one or more font variation parameters, wherein each font variation parameter relates to a first selected allowable value within the first range of allowable values for a corresponding font variation axis of the set of font variation axes;
• identifying a portion of the first font file based at least on the one or more font variation parameters;
• generating a second font file comprising data that represents an updated set of font variation axes, at least one updated font variation axis comprising a second, customized range of allowable values from a second minimum allowable value to a second maximum allowable value based at least on the portion of the first font file identified by the one or more font variation parameters;
• and
• initiating transmission of the second font file.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that are operable, when executed by a data processing apparatus, to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a first font file comprising data that represents one or more fonts and an initial set of font variation axes, each font variation axis indicative of a style for the one or more fonts and comprising a first range of allowable values from a first minimum allowable value to a first maximum allowable value;
• receiving, from a user selection on a user interface comprising a graphical representation, data representing one or more font variation parameters, wherein each font variation parameter relates to a first selected allowable value within the first range of allowable values for a corresponding font variation axis of the set of font variation axes;
• identifying a portion of the first font file based at least on the one or more font variation parameters;
• generating a second font file comprising data that represents an updated set of font variation axes, at least one updated font variation axis comprising a second, customized range of allowable values from a second minimum allowable value to a second maximum allowable value based at least on the portion of the first font file identified by the one or more font variation parameters;
• and
• initiating transmission of the second font file.