Alternative widhts via Opentype

Scripting
1

Hi everyone! An Opentype question

I am designing a monospace latin-1 font with a fixed width (280) and I want users to be able to select another additional width (560) for the complete font.

Can I use for example the feature “fwid” for this case?

or is there a way to do it without having to create a copy of each glyph with a new width as with kerning?

Thank

2

According to the fwid spec, yes you could do it:

In a CJKV font, this may include “lower ASCII” Latin characters and various symbols. In a European font, this feature replaces proportionally-spaced glyphs with monospaced glyphs, which are generally set on widths of 0.6 em.

Though the question remains if it will be accessible enough for the average Latin font user. Depends on the environment it is going to be used in. Consider a more accessible OT feature (or even multiple ones, by way of a lookup, which you call in the features) or simply a separate font.

1 Like
3

OK it is clear, the best option is to use a substitution. For that I will need to make a copy of all the glyphs (as it is done for tabular or titling) … or just one more font in the family. Thank you.

4

You don’t need a substitution. Some features accept substitutions and positioning. So you can try to put the spacing in a ssXX feature.

5

Are the lettershapes the same?

6

Yes, are the same shapes. I can use the components in a ssxx, thats ok to me

7

No wait, I understood that wrong. Georg is right, try this:

  1. Font Info > Features > + > Feature > fwid
  2. Font Info > Features > + > All
  3. And as code of fwid, you enter this:
lookup fullWidth {
    pos @All <140 0 280 0>;
} fullWidth;

YMMV, consider other features if fwid does not work in the environment you intend it for. Or repeat the lookup in a few features, e.g. one of the ssXX.

1 Like
8

excellent, i will try it with fwid.
Yesterday I was reading Simon Cozens documentation about it in https://simoncozens.github.io/fonts-and-layout/features.html

But I couldn’t understand how to apply it to my case, now I have a more clear idea about it
Thanks for your kindle help

1 Like
9

Hello everyone. I was testing, but for some reason this search disables the feature. fwid or ss01 are not available in the functions (in the write window). Will there be any other special settings?

10

Those GPOS features are not supported in the Edit View. So you need to use other means to test, like our TextPreview app or a web browser

1 Like
11

Vielen Dank! Is working fine. :smiley: