I am on a learning curve with Font Creator Program, my previous fontmaking experience being with the Softy program.
During last week I started to produce a new font within Font Creator Program. This is intended to be a thin line font with whatever artistic serifs occur to me as I proceed. It is largely intended to get me used to using Font Creator Program, though I am hoping that a useful display font will be achieved, yet a font which is also clear at 12 point.
I started by placing vertical guidelines at x=168 and x=256 and a few larger values and horizontal guidelines at y=768 and y=1536. The idea of this is that when displayed at 12 point on a Windows 95 or 98 platform (and maybe other versions of Windows if they have the same display effect) that the font will be displayed clearly due to effectively laying the outline of the character onto a grid of 128 by 128 font units and then decisions over colouring being made by the rendering engine. A vertical line 88 font units wide with one side on a "multiple of 128 font units" grid line displays as a 1 pixel wide line at 12 point. By one side being on a "multiple of 256 font units" grid line, display is good at both 12 point and 18 point sizes.
I then drew a small letter h, just a basic shape, no serifs, and saved the font, so as to get started with a saved font.
I was amazed when the glyph moved to the left so that the vertical line of the h lay not between x=168 and x=256 as drawn but between x=0 and x=88.
Realizing that there must be a good reason for this happening I decided to try to find out what is happening. Thus far I have not found out the reason for this happening.
I have found that under Tools | Options... | Font that there is the option, which is ticked on by default, that "When Saving Font Files Set left side bearing point at x=0".
I am still puzzled by this. Could you possibly explain the reason for this movement happening please and the implications of turning it off?
William Overington
21 September 2004
Why are left side bearings set at x=0 when saving?
This option can be turned off without ill effect but apparently it is good practice to have the left-bearing extent-line set to x=0 for all glyphs in a font. Sometimes it is beneficial to turn off the option, particularly if there is a need to set left-bearings as negative.I am still puzzled by this. Could you possibly explain the reason for this movement happening please and the implications of turning it off?
Joe.