Bolden and thinning should use percentages as parameters

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jamadagni
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Bolden and thinning should use percentages as parameters

Post by jamadagni »

For boldening and thinning via the glyph transformer I sincerely feel that percentages are the best and most intuitive parameters that can be used. The current width of the stroke is 125 funits and I wish to reduce it to 112, so horizontal thinning factor: 89.6%. Likewise for height of stroke I want to change 125 to 98, the value is 78.4%. This would make life a whole lot easier for me and I hope many others too!

As you can see in viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3843 and viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3787, the current parameter input totally baffles me!
Shriramana Sharma
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Re: Bolden and thinning should use percentages as parameters

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Agreed. This would be a significant improvement, especially when applying bold or thin transforms to glyphs with a high contrast. This illustration shows what should happen if both horizontal and vertical strokes were set to be 50% bolder. Or one might want to make horizontal strokes bolder by only 25% and vertical strokes bolder by 200%

At the moment, bold transformations make a pig's ear out of fine strokes such as serifs.

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William
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Re: Bolden and thinning should use percentages as parameters

Post by William »

If the request is implemented, could it be done as an optional choice rather than as a replacing of the present system please?

I like using measurements in a known number of font units rather than using a percentage with the possibility of rounding errors.

However, I am in favour of people having a choice, so if both systems could be available using option buttons on a dialogue panel, then that would be good.

The following post might perhaps be of interest.

viewtopic.php?p=4014#p4014

William Overington

29 May 2012
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