New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
Smallcaps kerning tips
How to check the smallcaps kerning in Fontlab metrics window? I have long strings of text i have checked the upper- and lowercase with, but is there a feature that can turn on the smallcaps feature in the metrics window (I have the opentype smcp feature set up) or do you know a way i can convert this text:
AaAbAcAdAeAfAgAhAiAjAkAlAmAnAoApAqArAsAtAuAvAwAxyAzAAA
BaBbBcBdBeBfBgBhBiBjBkBlBmBnBoBpBqBrBsBtBuBvBwBxyBzBBB ...etc
into something like this:
/A /a.smcp /A /b.smcp /A /c.smcp /A ...etc
So that i can paste it to the metrics window from a text file. Handtyping this list isn't probably the most handy way to go here. Any ideas please?
User login
Support our Sponsors
10 Mar 2010 — 1:43am
You can select glyphs in the font overview window (I’m not sure what it’s called, but it’s the first window you see when you open a font — an overview of all the glyphs) and click “New metrics window”. Use command to select more than one, or shift to select glyphs in a row.
10 Mar 2010 — 2:26am
As far as converting the text goes..
Why not manually type one placeholder-string* and put it in a text program:
/? /a.smcp /? /b.smcp /? /c.smcp /? /d.smcp /? /e.smcp /? /f.smcp /? /g.smcp /? /h.smcp /? /i.smcp /? /j.smcp /? /k.smcp /? /l.smcp /? /m.smcp /? /n.smcp /? /o.smcp /? /p.smcp /? /q.smcp /? /r.smcp /? /s.smcp /? /t.smcp /? /u.smcp /? /v.smcp /? /w.smcp /? /x.smcp /? /y.smcp /? /z.smcp ???
Then..
Copy to clipboard (command+c).
Search and replace ? by A.
Paste string again (command+v).
Search and replace ? by B.
et cetera
Takes just a few minutes and generates your kerning text.
Steffen
* got the ?-string by taking your AaAbAcAdAeAfAgAhAiAjAkAlAmAnAoApAqArAsAtAuAvAwAxyAz and replacing A with .smcp /? / and then manually editing the beginning and end once.
10 Mar 2010 — 3:02am
Thanks guys! This gets me a step further, but what if i wanted to test a text string something like the Leslie Cabarga's Kern King?
10 Mar 2010 — 6:06am
Just another advice: When making kerning of capitals/small letter and small caps/small letters
I find better to set the kerning using words. If I used only pairs I tend to kern too close and later on text look too tight.
As example:
Capital/Small letter
Aaron Abbey Accenture , etc
Small Caps/Small letter
A/a.sc /r.sc/o.sc/n.sc A/b.sc/b.sc/e.sc/y.sc A/c.sc/c.sc/e.sc/n.sc/t.sc/u.sc/r.sc/e.sc , etc
10 Mar 2010 — 7:52am
At least use control characters after your test character as in:
/A/V.sc/H.sc/N.sc The V.sc is the test glyph being kerned with the A; The H and N give you a feeling of the normal rhythm of the smallcap glyphs
11 Mar 2010 — 3:55am
Yes, i would prefer setting the kerning using a real text or words. The trouble is in getting the text as smallcaps in to the metrics window. How do you do it?
11 Mar 2010 — 4:49am
The way I'd approach this is to have the string
/H.sc/H.sc/O.sc/O.sc/H.sc/H.sc @/H.sc/H.sc/O.sc/O.sc/N.sc/N.scor
/A.sc @/B.sc @/C.sc @/D.sc @/E.sc...in the preview window. The @ will dynamically update to the letter you're working on. When you spot one that needs adjustment you can type the pair into the metrics window manually and kern.
>what if i wanted to test a text string something like the Leslie Cabarga's Kern King?
I think you'd have to search and replace all glyphs with their small cap equivalents in a text editor. Long work, especially if you don't want the initial letters to be switched, but you'd only have to do it once to be able to use it again and again.
11 Mar 2010 — 5:05am
do you know a way i can convert this text:
AaAbAcAdAeAfAgAhAiAjAkAlAmAnAoApAqArAsAtAuAvAwAxyAzAAA
BaBbBcBdBeBfBgBhBiBjBkBlBmBnBoBpBqBrBsBtBuBvBwBxyBzBBB ...etc
into something like this:
/A /a.smcp /A /b.smcp /A /c.smcp /A ...etc
Sure, use Regular Expressions in your text editor.
Search RegEx:
([a-z])Replace RegEx:
\/$1\.sc(there must be a space character after ".sc", but Typophile removes it in this post ;).
HTH,
Jens
11 Mar 2010 — 5:19am
Assuming you already have your .smcp feature in place, I guess you could also just put your original text string into the OpenType preview window, activate the ".smcp" feature, and copy the resulting output string (and paste it to the metrics/kerning window).
11 Mar 2010 — 8:50am
Ok, got it! This is fantastic, just what i was looking for, cheers!
11 Mar 2010 — 11:12am
Use "command ]" and "command [" to proceed through the glyphs in a particular position in a word in the metrics window.
11 Mar 2010 — 12:24pm
I use Antonio Cavedoni's Automatic Text tool for this sort of stuff.
11 Mar 2010 — 12:25pm
.