Font Forum

Hi,

I created three simple glyphs. All three glyphs have glyph names. They are First_Glyph, Second_Glyph, and Third_Glyph. They have same left side bearing, right side bearing, and advance width in the Glyph Properties.

I wanted to link three glyphs into fourth composite glyph. Fourth composite glyph has glyph name and it is Composite_Glyph. I selected Composite_Glyph. I clicked "Glyph..." from Insert menu. "Select Composite Glyph Member(s)" dialog is shown on the screen. I selected First_Glyph, Second_Glyph, and Third_Glyph before I clicked "Ok" button.

Composite_Glyph is now linked to three simple glyphs. I clicked it into Glyph Edit. I clicked "Rebuild composite out of formmula" icon. "Formula for Constructing Composite Glyph (anchor based)" dialog is shown on the screen.

The formula's text box shows "First_Glyph+Second_Glyph+Third_Glyph" (without double quote marks in text box).

I replaced from it to "First_Glyph+Second_Glyph" before I clicked "Ok" button. Composite_Glyph shows First_Glyph in the left and Second_Glyph in the right. It does not look correct. I wanted First_Glyph and Second_Glyph be stacked in the same left side bearing, right side bearing, and advance width.

What did I do wrong? Please provide me instruction how to do correctly putting several simple glyphs into stacked composite glyph.

Do "Rebuild composite out of formmula" icon have keyboard short-cut?

Kindly,
Bryan Parkoff

You may find it easier with copy/paste.

Select First_Glyph, Second_Glyph, and Third_Glyph in the Glyph overview.
Copy them to the clipboard
Open the empty Composite_Glyph and paste the three components. Adjust the right side-bearing to get the desired advance width.

You can add Cursive anchors to position (0, 0).

First_Glyph needs an Exit anchor, Second_Glyph needs both Entry and Exit, and Third_Glyph only requires Entry.

Hi,

Will you please explain why do I need Cursive anchors?

I will only design three simple glyphs before eight composite glyphs will be linked to three simple glyphs. I don't need to modify the contours in composite glyphs. I will only need to modify the contours in three simple glyphs. All contours in composite glyphs will be updated automatically after the modification of contours in three simple glyphs are completed.

If I want to change from three links to two links, I can click contours and delete them in the composite glyph in order to unlink the one simple glyph as long as I leave unmodified contours in simple glyphs.

Kindly,
Bryan Parkoff

The formula assumes base characters are positioned after each other, but you can override this behavior with cursive anchors.

Alternatively, you can set the OT Class for the second and third glyphs to Mark, as then they will be positioned on top of the first glyph.