How to make a macron to be at the top

[asar]

Dear friends. I have two problems:
1- How to make a macron to be at the top of a letter automatically.
2- I have some new Latin combined letters that I invented for my usage such “dz”, “Gh”, “sh”, etc. These letters need a macron to be at the top of them. So how could I put the macron on them and is there any possibility for me to assign a macron to any key on the keyboard?
Any advice? Thank you in advance.

[Dave Crosby]

Use Complete composites.
Examine a font like Ariel or Times New Roman.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

For a non-standard composite like dz macron you will have to use another method.

See the method used in the Home Edition for completing composites.

The MS Keyboard Layout Creator can be used to create custom keyboards. I use the _ key (shift -) as a dead key for macron. With this method I can easily type any character with macron.

ā ē ī ō ū ḡ Ā .. Ḡ

[asar]

Thank you Bhikkhu Pesala. Ok, I have to study what you wrote. Could tell me more about the way you assign the macron as dead keys and what is the dead key actually for? Is it possible for me to make a long macron on the top of 2 combined letters such as what you did: ā ē ī ō ū ḡ Ā .. Ḡ

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Dead keys are very useful to type many related accented characters with just two keystrokes — first the accent ¯, which does nothing on its own, then the vowel or consonant, which types the composite glyph: ā, ē, etc.

In the MS Keyboard Layout Creator, right-click on any key, and assign it as a dead key. (The choice is crucial — using a hyphen as a dead key for the macron would make normal typing very awkward, so I used Shift hyphen or underscore, which is rarely used in normal typing).

Set as Dead Key.png (26.53 KiB) Viewed 3188 times

Then, in the Dead Key Dialogue you start assigning your composite glyphs, and the two glyphs used to type them.

Dead Key Dialogue.png (19.05 KiB) Viewed 3188 times

In FontCreator, your custom composite glyphs should be in the Private Use Area, and you would compose dz macron from 3 glyphs: d, z, and combining double macron (hex 035E or dec 862). Position them as you like, and set the side-bearings to suit your font design.

dz macron.png (6.63 KiB) Viewed 3188 times

[asar]

Ok, it sounds ok to me, I'll try it tonight.
Upsss... Dave Crosby, thanks for your reply- I forgot to mention it, very sorry (I was too focused on what on the Bhikkhu Pesala said), but Dave Crosby, I tried to follow exactly the Times New Roman (TNR) style - many times, but it does not work. In fact, the TNR does not have my required combined letters with macron. Ok, let me try what Bhikkhu Pesala said.
Ok friends, thanks a lot, my time is 7.00pm, need to go home. Sincerely from Malaysia.

[asar]

Afternoon Bhikkhu Pesala.

I tried what you said, but it does not work. The shift key does not bring the a or A macron or any other macron single letters (also the macron composite glyps such the dz with macron) - I assigned the macron at "tilde" button. I even also tried to assign dot below letters by the dead keys and I assigned the dot at the "circumflex" button, also does not work. When I typed in MS Office, even when I tested in the "Project" of the MSKLC also does not work. Is there any missing part in my process?

"Another thing is about the dz with macron, is it possible for me to assign another letter dh with macron in the same keyboard?

my dear friend: Pls explain more about this: "you would compose dz macron from 3 glyphs: d, z, and combining double macron (hex 035E or dec 862). Position them as you like, and set the side-bearings to suit your font design". I have the glyph of the composite letters dz and Dz in the private mapping- you helped me before with the composite glyphs and I succeeded in mapping all of them. Asar

[asar]

Ok, I think its better for me to show you all the macron glyphs (including the composite glyphs) and dot below glyphs that I would like to place them in my keyboard.
There are 1- āĀ ūŪ īĪ + Ng, Ny, Th, Ts, Kh, Dz, Dh, Sh, Sy, Gh, ng, ny, th, ts, kh, dz, dh, sh, sy and gh (all of the composite glyphs also must be with macron).
2- the dot below letters: ẓẒṣṢḍḌṭṬḥḤ

Fyi, I always use these letters in my writings. I hope this helps you. Again thank you very much for your support and God rewards you. Psss... I wonder what I can do to pay you back...

[asar]

Upsss... I forgot to tell you that actually I also need the numbers (1, 2,3 4567890) to be in their current places on the keyboard. That is why I am trying to assign the dot below to be a dead key so I can still maintain typing all the numbers without need to change to another keyboard layout.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

This support forum is for High-logic products, not MS products. I think you expect too much. I already told you what to do. If that's not enough, read the help file for the Keyboard Layout Creator. Creating composites is explained in the linked tutorial thread.

Then, in the Dead Key Dialogue you start assigning your composite glyphs, and the two glyphs used to type them.

For dot below I use Ctrl Alt . as a dead key. .ḍ ḷ ṃ ṇ ṛ ṣ ẓ etc.

[asar]

Ok, I'll go through the MSKLC manual. Tq

[asar]

Ok, I finally got it, thanks a lot Bhikkhu Pesala. The problem was about the glyphs that I assigned to the dead keys. I just maintained the "tilde" glyph, I supposed to change it to macron glyph in order to make it functions. Ok, 1 problem settled, now I have to focus on the bold issue - my font does not bold when the text is printed.