texfont and font mechanism

texfont and font mechanism

[Henning Hraban Ramm]

Digging deep... ;-)

While playing with some freeware fonts by apostrophic labs,
shy fonts et al., I recognized some limitations of ConTeXt's
(or TeX's?) font mechanism. I know this was discussed earlier,
but I can't remember/find and answer.

I've an overcomplete font family like:
\definefontsynonym	[Serif]				[Covington]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifItalic]			[Covington-Italic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifSlanted]		[Covington-Rev-Italic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifCaps]			[CovingtonSC]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBold]			[Covington-Bold]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBoldItalic]		[Covington-BoldItalic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBoldSlanted]		[Covington-Rev-BoldItalic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBoldCaps]		[CovingtonSC-Bold]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBoldItalicCaps]	[CovingtonSC-BoldItalic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifItalicCaps]		[CovingtonSC-Italic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifBoldSlantedCaps]	[CovingtonSC-Rev-BoldItalic]
\definefontsynonym	[SerifSlantedCaps]		[CovingtonSC-Rev-Italic]

You can see, there's SC for every normal font (okay, they're no
real small caps, but the like). But I can't access them. There's
not even a possibility to access bold caps, is it?

Further, why there's only [OldStyle] instead [SerifOldStyle],
[SerifBoldOldStyle] etc.?

And why don't work these family options (Italics, Bold etc.)
with handwriting style? (Some hand fonts have more than one style!)

Next question: What does texfont's --expert switch do?

Is there already any docs how to write VFs to use expert fonts?
(Even for LaTeX, maybe I'd understand it anyway?)

If I'd like to setup CE, Greek or Cyrillic fonts, what must I
provide? Only an encoding? Is it possible with texfont?

Regarding OpenType I'll first read Adam's MyWay.

(More questions are in the queue...)

Grüßlis vom Hraban!
-- 
http://www.fiee.net/texnique/

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[John Culleton]

On Sunday 17 August 2003 09:18, Henning Hraban Ramm wrote:
> Digging deep... ;-)
>
> While playing with some freeware fonts by apostrophic labs,
> shy fonts et al., I recognized some limitations of ConTeXt's
> (or TeX's?) font mechanism. I know this was discussed earlier,
> but I can't remember/find and answer.

The primitive \font statement would in fact enable one to use a hundred 
different variants if needed. But then they would have to be called 
individually in each instance of use. Context as a family of synonyms
which allows for a finite number of different combinations. These could be
used as the  font names where applicable, which preserves the usual Context
mechanisms for switching fonts for the usual cases. For the unusual case
one would use the regular TeX font mechanism:

font\foo foobar at 10pt

\foo
Text...

...and so on. 

I have felt for some time that the Context font mechanism required too much 
work for too little result.  So I use it where feasable but don't feel guilty 
about dipping back into the \font mechanism where necessary, such as for a 
title page font. 

But I am only a (perpetual) novice...

John Culleton

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Adam Lindsay]

Henning Hraban Ramm said this at Sun, 17 Aug 2003 15:18:53 +0200:

>You can see, there's SC for every normal font (okay, they're no
>real small caps, but the like). But I can't access them. There's
>not even a possibility to access bold caps, is it?

Actually, I discuss that in my OpenType MyWay, also... my solution is to
define a font family for roman caps [rc] beside the roman [rm] font
family. A change to small caps is done with \switchstyleonly[rc], so if
you're in SerifBold, you end up in SerifCapsBold.

Take a look in type-atc.tex in the accompanying zip archive for more
details...

It ends up being memory-hungry, and probably a bit slower than other
options, but it kinda works.

Funny coincidence, I was looking around apostrophic labs and other free
fonts as well, this weekend. Then I found fontsanon.com. :)

Cheers,
adam
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Adam T. Lindsay                      atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk
 Computing Dept, Lancaster University   +44(0)1524/594.537
 Lancaster, LA1 4YR, UK             Fax:+44(0)1524/593.608
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Hans Hagen]

At 11:25 17/08/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>On Sunday 17 August 2003 09:18, Henning Hraban Ramm wrote:
> > Digging deep... ;-)
> >
> > While playing with some freeware fonts by apostrophic labs,
> > shy fonts et al., I recognized some limitations of ConTeXt's
> > (or TeX's?) font mechanism. I know this was discussed earlier,
> > but I can't remember/find and answer.
>
>The primitive \font statement would in fact enable one to use a hundred
>different variants if needed. But then they would have to be called
>individually in each instance of use. Context as a family of synonyms
>which allows for a finite number of different combinations. These could be
>used as the  font names where applicable, which preserves the usual Context
>mechanisms for switching fonts for the usual cases. For the unusual case
>one would use the regular TeX font mechanism:
>
>font\foo foobar at 10pt
>
>\foo
>Text...
>
>...and so on.
>
>I have felt for some time that the Context font mechanism required too much
>work for too little result.  So I use it where feasable but don't feel guilty
>about dipping back into the \font mechanism where necessary, such as for a
>title page font.
>
>But I am only a (perpetual) novice...

\definefont[MyFont][foobar at 10pt]

\MyFont bla bla

Hans
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Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Henning Hraban Ramm]

Am Sonntag, 17.08.03, um 17:25 Uhr (Europe/Zurich) schrieb John 
Culleton:

> I have felt for some time that the Context font mechanism required too 
> much
> work for too little result.  So I use it where feasable but don't feel 
> guilty
> about dipping back into the \font mechanism where necessary, such as 
> for a
> title page font.

Thanks, your lowlevel way surely works, but it's not my way.
I try to avoid lowlevel command where possible, not only
due to a lack of the TeXbook... ;-)

Grüßlis vom Hraban!
-- 
http://www.fiee.net/texnique/

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Henning Hraban Ramm]

Am Sonntag, 17.08.03, um 23:58 Uhr (Europe/Zurich) schrieb Adam Lindsay:

> Actually, I discuss that in my OpenType MyWay, also... my solution is 
> to

Ok, one reason more to read it.

Instead of further research I did some diligent work
the last evenings writing a lot of typescripts that
nobody will ever need... ;-)

> define a font family for roman caps [rc] beside the roman [rm] font
> family. A change to small caps is done with \switchstyleonly[rc], so if
> you're in SerifBold, you end up in SerifCapsBold.

Good idea.
I don't really understand the family mechanism.
Can I define all "styles" like rm, ss... or is
ist limited (other than the lack of free two-
letter-combinations)?

> It ends up being memory-hungry, and probably a bit slower than other
> options, but it kinda works.

I like high level solutions, so I need always
lots of memory... ;-)

> Funny coincidence, I was looking around apostrophic labs and other free
> fonts as well, this weekend. Then I found fontsanon.com. :)

And what do you think? Better? (I'll have a look later.)
I spent some hours writing (that is, ordering and editing)
typescripts for Meade's Street family.
Don't know if I'll use it...

Grüßlis vom Hraban!
-- 
http://www.fiee.net/texnique/

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Adam Lindsay]

Henning Hraban Ramm said this at Mon, 18 Aug 2003 22:53:15 +0200:

>> define a font family for roman caps [rc] beside the roman [rm] font
>> family. A change to small caps is done with \switchstyleonly[rc], so if
>> you're in SerifBold, you end up in SerifCapsBold.
>
>Good idea.
>I don't really understand the family mechanism.
>Can I define all "styles" like rm, ss... or is
>ist limited (other than the lack of free two-
>letter-combinations)?

I have suggested [rc] (roman caps) and [cs] (caps sans) to complement rm
and ss. I see no reason why it couldn't go further. Things like [hw]
might need some foundational/fallback definitions, though. Need to look
further.

>> It ends up being memory-hungry, and probably a bit slower than other
>> options, but it kinda works.
>
>I like high level solutions, so I need always
>lots of memory... ;-)

Yeah. Me too.

>> Funny coincidence, I was looking around apostrophic labs and other free
>> fonts as well, this weekend. Then I found fontsanon.com. :)
>
>And what do you think? Better? (I'll have a look later.)
>I spent some hours writing (that is, ordering and editing)
>typescripts for Meade's Street family.
>Don't know if I'll use it...

Hey, that's pretty nifty. I installed loads of fonts, but have nothing in
the way of typescripts. I also liked Florencesans and your insight of
putting reverse-italics (yuck) in the slanted slot. And this is *after* I
spent the weekend compulsively texfonting every default Mac font I could
find on my machine.

Did anyone get Scriptina to install? The pltotf step in texfont still hangs.

Cheers,
adam
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Adam T. Lindsay                      atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk
 Computing Dept, Lancaster University   +44(0)1524/594.537
 Lancaster, LA1 4YR, UK             Fax:+44(0)1524/593.608
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Jens-Uwe Morawski]

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:29:27 +0100
"Adam Lindsay" <atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk> wrote:
> 
> Did anyone get Scriptina to install? The pltotf step in texfont still hangs.

I did using fontinst. If you (or anyone else) wish i can send an archive
containing all necessary files (VFs,TFMs,MAP,typescript,FDs for LaTeX,...).
It requires the original PC-Type1 font of Scriptina. The Sciptina-Alternates
is not covered, since the AFM glyph-names seem to be wrong.

Jens

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Adam Lindsay]

Jens-Uwe Morawski said this at Tue, 19 Aug 2003 16:45:13 +0200:

>On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:29:27 +0100
>"Adam Lindsay" <atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk> wrote:
>> 
>> Did anyone get Scriptina to install? The pltotf step in texfont still
hangs.
>
>I did using fontinst. If you (or anyone else) wish i can send an archive
>containing all necessary files (VFs,TFMs,MAP,typescript,FDs for LaTeX,...).
>It requires the original PC-Type1 font of Scriptina. The Sciptina-Alternates
>is not covered, since the AFM glyph-names seem to be wrong.

Right. I noticed the glyph-name problem with the majority of the free
type1 fonts out there. I suppose it's to enable normal keyboard access of
the alternates. I've been spoiled by OpenType, I guess.

Anyway, I'd be interested in the archive of support files.

Cheers,
adam
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Adam T. Lindsay                      atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk
 Computing Dept, Lancaster University   +44(0)1524/594.537
 Lancaster, LA1 4YR, UK             Fax:+44(0)1524/593.608
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Re: texfont and font mechanism

[Jens-Uwe Morawski]

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 15:47:51 +0100
"Adam Lindsay" <atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk> wrote:

> Jens-Uwe Morawski said this at Tue, 19 Aug 2003 16:45:13 +0200:
> 
> >On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:29:27 +0100
> >"Adam Lindsay" <atl@comp.lancs.ac.uk> wrote:
> >> 
> >> Did anyone get Scriptina to install? The pltotf step in texfont still
> hangs.
> >
> >I did using fontinst. If you (or anyone else) wish i can send an archive
> >containing all necessary files (VFs,TFMs,MAP,typescript,FDs for LaTeX,...).
> >It requires the original PC-Type1 font of Scriptina. The Sciptina-Alternates
> >is not covered, since the AFM glyph-names seem to be wrong.
> 
> Right. I noticed the glyph-name problem with the majority of the free
> type1 fonts out there. I suppose it's to enable normal keyboard access of
> the alternates.

no, the alternates include some alternate glyphs and lingatures, some of them not
found in any common TeX-encoding, i.e. pp-lingature. However, without the
alternates the font is nice and useful too.

> Anyway, I'd be interested in the archive of support files.

will send them off-list

Jens