I frequently like to add some extra units to the side bearings of glyphs with a slash, like lslash or Eth.
I noticed that in the info panel you can use the syntax:
-l+5
instead of
=l+5
to use the measurement line values (which is much more handy).
Since I haven’t found this method documented either in the tutorial or the manual, I guess if I am doing it right.
Also I noticed that if I set the side bearing in this way an ! icons shows up and it does not goes away when I update the metrics.
Can you give me some feedback on this?
This can be done if you put the stroke in an extra glyph and use it as a component. Then you can adjust the spacing on top of what the automatic alignment would calculate.
But I don’t like to create extra componentes for simple bars. Was my syntax wrong? Why it seems to be working?
Metrics keys that are more than only a letter, need to be start with an equal sign.
What I would do in this case is make the lslash auto-aligned, dependent on l, and give it more width. To do this, you can add a metric key for auto-aligned compounds like this: =+20 adds 20 units to the respective sidebearing.
If I do as mekkablue says, the units are added to both sides of the slash, not to the l (automatic alignment doesn’t work if you have only one component, right?). I was looking to use measurement line to inout values. I don’t want to make components for every slash or bar that is there.
I read you don’t like to make extra components, but I can assure you it works like a charm. Especially if you have more masters.
You could also set the width to l or l+x and set the right or left key to =| (mirroring the other side).
Fine, I surrend. I undertand in Glyphs world mixing components and paths is a no-no. I just don’t like the idea of creating a lot of non exporting components 
Mixing components & outlines is also a no-go for TrueType-hinting.
Have you considered what might happen if you shift the measurement line? You might end up with half the glyphs out of sync.
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Frode is right. If at all, we would have to have metric keys that indicate a height , e.g., =n@300
Planning this? Would be very extremely helpful.
Can’t say much more now. 