Feature request: Metric keys and equals sign for LSB/RSB/TSB/BSB anchors

Glyphs
1

Thanks to your continuous improvement for CJK support, palt/vpal/VORG setting operations are much easier now.
I would like to thank since those functions are essential for most of the professional type designers.
But unfortunately, these settings are using the anchor function and it does not accept metric keys nor automatic alignment using the equals sign.

As you know, Japanese Kana glyphs may have voiced and semi-voiced glyphs like:

  • は ha-hira
  • ば ba-hira
  • ぱ pa-hira

And you could see voiced and semi-voiced symbols are placed upper-right corner.
i.e. palt LSB and vpal BSB are common for these 3 glyphs.

Designers (and also engineers) love to use metric keys and the equals sign because of the simplicity and the consistency.
So in the current workflow, we are preparing the full-width and the proportional-width (both horizontal and vertical) version of the .glyphs file and generates the palt/vpal setting using a script, since glyph LSB/RSB/TSB/BSB accepts metric keys and the equals sign.

This might be the last remaining issue regarding palt/vpal setting, so it would be very much appreciated by both designers and engineers if this is improved.

Best regards,

2

I see you point. But that is difficult.

I see two options.

  1. Use components to build ba-hira and pa-hira. Then the anchors in the ha-hira should shine through and give you the same result.
  2. I could chance the system that you define the glyph on a proportional body and add anchors to define the full width spacing.
3

Thank you for your reply,

I will try the workarounds you described.