Setting default Kerning Mode state and/or toggling from keyboard

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Is there a way to set a user preference for the default Kerning Mode state in a new tab? Alternately, is there a way to set a shortcut to toggle the Kerning Mode from the keyboard?

I don’t find any reference to this in the Python API, so I can’t figure out a personal solution via scripting.

Maybe this will be less important over time, but I’m still migrating to Glyphs and find I keep inadvertently mucking up metrics when fumbling with old muscle memory keyboard combinations from other environments.

Would like to set this to Locked by default or easily toggle, so I don’t have to remember to grab the mouse and get down to the icon to click each time.

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You can write a script and add a shortcut to it.

def setKerningSpacing(kerning=True, spacing=True):
	tab = Font.currentTab
	graphicView = tab.graphicView()
	graphicView.setDoKerning_(kerning)
	graphicView.setDoSpacing_(spacing)
	tab.updateKerningButton()
	graphicView.reflow()
	tab.updatePreview()

You should get used to the shortcuts quickly.

2 Likes
3

Thanks, Georg. I hadn’t brought myself to delving into the Core and PyObjC. (BTW, the link to PyObjC introduction at the top of Core documentation seems to be dead.)

I’m sure I’ll get the hang of Glyphs spacing/kerning keys. The challenge for me is that command-arrow jumps to beginning/end of line in BBEdit, which I use all the time. And opt-arrow for jumping words. Whereas in other apps, same functionalities use different combinations.

InD uses command-arrow for advancing over words, and opt-arrow for kerning adjustment; so there I often inadvertently adjust kerning when I don’t mean to.

It’s a common problem for me moving between environments. Not just coming into Glyphs. It’s just a matter of which environment I’ve been spending most of my time in most recently. Switching around often comes with oopses.

But since FLS5 and Robofont have text entry fields separate from metrics adjustment interface, I don’t tend to try to command-arrow or option-arrow through metrics text in those apps (usually) unless I’m intentionally adjusting sidebearings.

So the Glyphs all-in-one model will take getting used to. Maybe not a learning curve for others.

This access to toggling Kerning Mode state from keyboard will be helpful. Thanks. :slight_smile: