Please add support for variable fonts in future versions of Dopus.
What does that mean?
If they're supported in Windows then they should work in Opus.
There would be a different font panel UI (as an option) where users could really fine tune their font choice particularly for the File Display. Right now I'm using the Variable Font 'BAHNSCHRIFT' for my file display but I can't access the real variability of the options in the font due to the legacy Static Font Panel in Dopus vs the Variable Font Panel pictured below. This is forward thinking and users would be able to tweak their font setting to their liking. It should be introduced as an option so users who don't want that level of finesse can still use legacy controls.
For example I always use condensed fonts for my file display columns so I can see more text (longer untruncated filenames, file size, modified date) at a glance, I do the same for my file tabs, condensed text so I can see more and use less horizontal space. The Variable fonts allow one to tweak how condensed a font is vs just selecting from hardcoded presets: normal, extended, condensed, semi condensed, etc. The same applies for boldness and other adjustments. This technology is not just for websites but any GUI that displays text.
The file display has limited horizontal real estate and users may want to maximize that space for their chosen columns by tweaking their font, especially if they are using a low resolution screen or are working non-maximized. This applies to any area of the UI like tabs as well, but anywhere really.
So although the OS recognizes the fonts, individual applications would have to implement a UI to give users access to the advanced features of variable fonts (as an option).
Variable fonts use one file to store many font styles, as opposed to static fonts which use separate files for every style available. They allow you to specify a value for each design axis of a font, giving you control over the font’s appearance that static fonts are not capable of.
Traditional static fonts require you to add or install each individual style that you would like to use in your project. For example, with Acumin Pro, you might add Acumin Pro Regular, Acumin Pro Italic, and any other styles you want access to. Acumin Variable contains all styles of Acumin, so you would only need to add one font.
https://helpx.adobe.com/fonts/using/using-variable-fonts.html
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Nothing there explains how to use those fonts in standard Windows applications.
Assuming OpenType Variable Fonts - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn is still current, there is barely any support for them in DirectWrite (and what little support there is sounds so limited it is useless) while the rest of the Windows font APIs have no support for them at all. Most standard UI elements do not use DirectWrite for rendering, meaning even the limited support isn't available in most places.
Support for this can't happen until the technology and APIs mature.
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Understood, it's still in it's infancy...