Algorhitm for spacing idea

Scripting
1

I’ve been thinking about developing an algorithm for calculating spacing and eventually kerning.

The algorithm idea is based on two steps:

  1. Creating a blur effect layer around every letter (all directions)
  2. Calculating the darkness of overlapping blurred layers
  3. The user sets a parameter for how much darkness every blur overlap can produce
  4. The algorithm calculates metrics for a set of glyphs
  5. The median value of metrics defines the norm
  6. All other values deviating from the median can be defined kering

The idea seems quite obvious. Has anyone tried such an approach before?
Is it worth it to try, or is it too naive?

2

This is a valid idea. But calculating the darkness is not trivial. If you find a good algorithm …

3

Algorithmic spacing and kerning has been considered since at least 1979 and no one has brought it to market that I know of. I would not use it, especially on kerning, because no computer can outdo the human perception of what looks right.

Of course, things do change and in a future world it might be… different, but not necessarily better.

4

KernOn?

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5

iKern?

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6

@xyzajacf What you describe is exactly what Behdad uses for Half Kern. The tool is meant to be used for auditing kerning but it achieves that goal by doing automated kerning and then comparing the results against what was originally in the font.

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