# How to define 'any glyph' in the ligature section? **URL:** \ **Category:** FontCreator - Support\ **Created:** [June 11, 2026, 2:04am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586 "2026-06-11T02:04:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Benj)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 2:04am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/1 "2026-06-11T02:04:40Z")
Hello, While dealing with the ligature, in the input section, I have **4 components** , let’s name them C1, C2, C3, C4) that give me output A, of which **the first of the 4 components (namely: C1) is variable** and the other 3 are constant. I want to define that any glyph will be put in the first location (C1) + the other 3 constant components (C2, C3, C4), give me the same output A, without going and define any glyph (for C1) seperately. N.B. I have FC15 proffesional edition. ---
**Author:** ![ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/erwindenissen/32/9430_2.png) [@ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/ErwinDenissen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 2:52am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/2 "2026-06-11T02:52:31Z")
Unfortunately, a standard ligature substitution does not support a true “any glyph” or wildcard component. If you can provide a small example with the actual glyph names and the intended result, I can give more specific instructions. ---
**Author:** ![Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Benj)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 3:35am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/3 "2026-06-11T03:35:31Z")
Thanks. Let me try to describe the problem and maybe you may have a solution forthat. N.B. Since it’s not allowed to put more than 1 picture per messege, so I have to multiple my messeges in order to illustrate the problem and make it visibly understandable. 1. I have a constant ligature (which is J and A together). ![image](https://forum.high-logic.com/uploads/default/original/2X/c/c45ed743143912414f5c21ee46dcc57cd4d6d823.png) ---
**Author:** ![Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Benj)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 3:36am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/4 "2026-06-11T03:36:03Z")
1. The letter A itself is able to get different marks below it: 2. ---
**Author:** ![Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Benj)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/5 "2026-06-11T03:37:53Z")
1. When the ligature of the letter J meets the leter A with its mark, a part of the mark is covered by the letter J. ![image](https://forum.high-logic.com/uploads/default/original/2X/4/44b121de0cef066adfd331bcc415e5e382775cd0.png) ---
**Author:** ![Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Benj](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Benj)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 3:38am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/6 "2026-06-11T03:38:46Z")
1. What I want to define, that any time that the letter J meets **any mark** of the letter A, that mark should move a little bit to the left. ![image](https://forum.high-logic.com/uploads/default/original/2X/f/f9a5378ef11158483766636069078add045af782.png) I hope I elucidated the problem properly, if something isn’t clear, let me know. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/erwindenissen/32/9430_2.png) [@ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/ErwinDenissen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/7 "2026-06-11T05:24:39Z")
Thank you, that makes it clearer. Since the actual glyph sequence is: `A cedillacomb J` this is not really a ligature substitution issue. You do not need to replace glyphs; you only want to move the combining mark in a specific context. For this, use **Chained Context Positioning**. The rule should detect the mark when it occurs between `A` and `J`, for example: `A cedillacomb J` and then apply a small horizontal positioning adjustment to `cedillacomb`, for example by moving it slightly to the left. If there are several marks below A, put them in a glyph class, for example: `@MarksBelowA = [cedillacomb dotbelowcomb ...]` Then use a chained contextual positioning rule like: `A @MarksBelowA J` and apply the positioning adjustment to the mark class, not to A or J. A negative X placement value will move the mark to the left. The exact value depends on your font, so you will need to test and adjust it visually. If the mark is already positioned with anchors, make sure the contextual positioning lookup is applied after the normal mark positioning, so the mark first attaches to A and is then shifted left only in this specific context. ---
**Author:** ![Bhikkhu\_Pesala](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/bhikkhu_pesala/32/9411_2.png) [@Bhikkhu\_Pesala](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Bhikkhu_Pesala)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 6:37am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/how-to-define-any-glyph-in-the-ligature-section/13586/8 "2026-06-11T06:37:28Z")
I would not use ligatures to solve this problem. It is something that should be done with kerning.