Re: Standard space again

[Victor Caston <vcaston@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:57 +0100 24.06.2001, Mark Barratt wrote:
>Monotype PostScript Ehrhardt has a wordspace of 235 units. I can't
>replicate your results: Frame claims Standard Space = 0.23 at every size
>(Win2000, ATM DeLuxe 4.1, FrameMaker+SGML 6.0, unified PostScript
>driver). This is what I would expect to see.

Like Lindsey, I'm using postscript fonts with FM6.0p395 on Mac OS 
9.0.4, so perhaps something is strange on the mac side of things.



>  >
>>  If the standard space for Framemaker were always M/4, and each font
>>  size has its own em measure, should they all be .25?
>
>Some apps do set their own wordspace values, but Frame takes it from the
>font (at least if the font is PostScript - don't know if this is the
>same in TrueType/OpenType).
>
>The space character (ASCII 32) width in the font itself is set by the
>font designer. Fashions in wordspacing change, and the value in the font
>probably reflects when it was designed and the opinions of the designer.
>Usually they are too wide IMHO, and I set the optimum to 80% of the
>design width and see what it looks like.

Thanks -- that was very helpful. I am intrigued by the closer 
word-spacing. Sounds like I'll have to read Dowding's book.



>The actual visual value of the space also depends on the kern-pair
>settings. Some fonts have kern values for letter-space and
>punctuation-space pairs. If you want to be appalled, try setting 'off.
>When' in Monotype Bembo with kerning switched on.

That is pretty striking. But what do you do in this case? Have you 
gone in and modified the kerning values (with FontLab or 
Fontographer)?

I've been interested in learning more about how to kern properly, but 
haven't found any good references so far.


Victor Caston
University of California, Davis

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