Google web fonts custom character set

Question

I tried to optimize Google web fonts query to include basic latin set + some of latin ext characters vital for my native language (Czech).

https://developers.google.com/webfonts/docs/getting_started?hl=cs#Quick_Start

The link above states that I can modify query to include only some characters to make it significantly lighter. So i tried those characters:

aábcčdďeéěfghchiíjklmnňoópqrřsštťuúůvwxyýzžAÁBCČDĎEÉĚFGHChIÍJKLMNŇOÓPQRŘSŠTŤUÚŮVWXYÝZŽ.,?!;/-_:"'|()[]ˇ+*@#$%^&¨®°©

And the query looks like this( because all the "unusual" characters have to be html escaped):

http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:300&%20a%C3%A1bc%C4%8Dd%C4%8Fe%C3%A9%C4%9Bfghchi%C3%ADjklmn%C5%88o%C3%B3pqr%C5%99s%C5%A1t%C5%A5u%C3%BA%C5%AFvwxy%C3%BDz%C5%BEA%C3%81BC%C4%8CD%C4%8EE%C3%89%C4%9AFGHChI%C3%8DJKLMN%C5%87O%C3%93PQR%C5%98S%C5%A0T%C5%A4U%C3%9A%C5%AEVWXY%C3%9DZ%C5%BD.,#$%^&¨®°©

The final result looks like normal and it is only 23KB instead of standard 45KB (with full latin ext charset). The problem is that on some computers, some characters are not properly loaded - they are rendered in Arial( for example "Ě" in word "ODPOVĚDI"). Can anyone help me where could be the problem or how could I trace it next time I see it? Or is it just because this feature is in beta in google web fonts?

Answer 1

This means that the font you are using simple doesn't support your chosen characters. I'm facing this problem and trying to find some solution, but at the moment with no results.

Answer 2

It sounds very much like a beta “feature” (i.e., bug). Generally, beta software is something that you should use only to contribute to testing and improving software in development, so you should report this bug and refrain from using beta software in production.

The bug may relate to different font formats served to different browsers by Google. This may well explain why it works on some browsers and not on others.

The difference between 23KB and 45KB is virtually ignorable these days. A single image often has a greater impact on loading time, and commonly used JavaScript libraries may require hundreds of KB.

Answer 3

You have to choose latin extended option for font to support your langauge character set. There is option to filter available fonts only with latin extended in google fonts site...