overlap, character position in Lao font

[touyara]

Dear all
I am looking for the software that would help me to create my own font for my own language (Lao), there are some people create Lao font, so I have notice there is few people who could create perfect lao font , please have a look at my attached file
I would compare 2 lao font (Unicode)
1. I call font A and Font B , the perfect one is font A
2. I did mark the problem character in the 2 fonts , you could see that :
- in Font A, at the first case that character stay higher and stay lower if there is no another character between !
- in Font B, at the first case and the second case, it always stay at the same position, it looks very ugly for lao font
- they are unicode
3. the question is :
- could any body tell me that how could they do that in Font A ?
- FontCreator may allow me to archive that ?
- and advise ?
4. I am creating standard Lao unicode and Lao font, so if you could share your knowledge
Thank you

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Font A uses OpenType Features, which are not supported by FontCreator yet.

You need to use other software such as Microsoft VOLT or the utility recommended in the tutorial thread on Adding OpenType Features after creating the glyphs with the correct Unicode glyph mappings and postscript names in FontCreator.

I have no experience of adding vertical positioning features, but the originator of that thread seems to have achieved it for his font Quivira. I suggest studying that thread and the linked tutorial, or ask on the MS VOLT forums if you prefer to use that.

Perhaps there are some other users who can help you with this.

[touyara]

Hi Bhikkhu Pesala
thank you for your reply, the clues that you gave me , I have found that what I have to start is something about : ligature , I thought I would be easy but , now it's about open type feature, and fontcreator is not support that feature right!. so it's only MS VOLT that I am able to begin with? I have download MS VOLT but I have no idea to do with that , I am looking for the tutorial for that, if you could help it's very appreciated.
I have noticed your profile and your website, you have the Paly font, so I think I should let you know my purpose of creating this lao font
1. I would improve lao font Unicode, add more character....
2. I would put Lao Tham (which it is used in the temple) to Lao Unicode.
I could say that creating a new font it's very new to me , and this feature of opentype making me confuse and I don't know how to begin , if you could advise
Thank you

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I have not used VOLT. Ask on their forums if you want help with it.

I use the utility in the Tutorial thread that I linked to above to add ligatures, but I have no experience of adding vertical positioning features, which is what I think you need, not just ligatures.

I am afraid you will have to work it out for yourself by studying the tutorials unless the author of Quivira passes by and offers to help, or someone else with the relevant experience.

If you download one of my free fonts such as Odana.7z (a 7-Zip archive) you will find the OpenType script used to add the various ligature features.

[William]

I could say that creating a new font it's very new to me , and this feature of opentype making me confuse and I don't know how to begin , if you could advise
Thank you

The following are not about OpenType but I am including some links in case you do not already have the documents.

The code chart.

http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0E80.pdf

(It is linked from the http://www.unicode.org/charts/ web page.)

Some text about Lao script is in part of the following document.

http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.0.0/ch11.pdf

(It is linked from the http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.0.0/ web page).

I hope that this helps.

William Overington

23 March 2012

[touyara]

HI all
Thank you for your helps,
I have found that:
1. there are some standards like : OT, TTF, PS , so the OT one is the best for Lao font (and many people using it!) , because there is a feature which allow some characters or glyphs to move around without re-create the same characters or glyphs with different purpose, but not for all platform!
2. TTF one , it's very easy to create and design , if I need to improve current Lao font , I have to improve Lao Unicode table as well, put more character code , I already have some ideas in my mind !
3. PS, I have no idea about it yet,
4. I don't know that , if there is some Font experts here , what would you recommend ?
-->my idea: improve Lao TTF (it would become my start point and standard) --> improve Lao Unicode table (put more combined characters) -->perhaps, create and improve OT later

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

You really need to talk to others who use Lao fonts — we have no clue how well existing fonts work in different software, what keyboard layouts Lao users prefer, etc.

OpenType fonts won't work on all software, but Word 2010 and PagePlus X5 or X6 support them, as well as expensive solutions like InDesign.

OpenOffice is probably the most important software to support — ask how to get Lao fonts working on that.

[touyara]

HI all
thank you for you all valuable knowledge, now I think I have enough clues, to begin this Lao font project, and honestly I have another reason that why I have to jump to foreign forum first instead of internal forum , which I probably not mention here.
so the solution :
1. I would create Lao font base on TTF, so other people would be easy to learn and create after on
- and the Unicode table would be modified a little .
2. OT or other complex thing would be the next step even it is the best thing for Lao font , but I have no choice and I have to learn it first and spread the knowledge later
I have to thank you all of you
sincerely