Font Forum

Hi
When you apply a Subscript or Superscript, it changes the height of the text.
For example, in Excel, row height is automatically adjusted.

Is there a setting in FontCreator, where the height is the same regardless if characters are Normal, or have Subscript and/or Superscript.

Thanks.

You need to change the line-spacing in Excel to fixed or an exact multiple of the point size (not the same as single, 1.5 or double-spacing). I don't use Excel, but Serif PagePlus has a setting to prevent line-spacing changes when applying superscripts or subscripts.

A more robust alternative is to include true superscripts and subscripts in your fonts ¹²³ etc.

Applications create superscripts and subscripts by scaling the alphanumeric characters, shifting the baseline, and sometimes apply a bold attribute. This is less than ideal for professional typography, as stroke-weights may not be correct and vertical positioning can be incorrect. In FontCreator, you can set the scaling and positioning metrics in Additional Metrics, but not all applications use these correctly, if at all.

True Superscripts
• 1¹ 2² 3³
• 1¹ 2² 3³
• 1¹ 2² 3³
• 1¹ 2² 3³

Hi
Thanks but there is no line spacing in Excel. And I can't use true subscripts and superscripts.
I was wondering how it can be done by changing settings in FontCreator. Maybe metrics.
Thanks.

It seems that Excel does not excel at font support, so the only way to use true superscripts/subscripts is to insert them using character map.

FontCreator has additional metrics where one can set the scale and position of superscripts and subscripts, but Excel may not use them. Maybe use a table in Word instead. That does support OpenType features, but I don't use it, so I cannot test if that works.

Hi, thanks I will give this a try in the next few days and let you know if it works.

For testing, check out My OpenType Fonts for some fonts that have full sets of alphanumeric superscripts/subscripts using OpenType features.

Thanks, this is useful.

Hi, I've had a try with changing some of the metrics.
There is a change in Excel row spacing.

BUT I can't get all row heights to be the same.

Which setting do you think is the most relevant?

You are apparently using an older version of FontCreator. Version 12, or older than that?

Use typo metrics for line-spacing is greyed out because the Contents and Layout is not set to the latest version 5. I am not sure which tab that is on in your version. It should be on the General Tab

The vertical offset of superscipts and subscripts from the baseline is set by Superscript, y offset, and Subscript y offset.

I have no way of testing whether Excel uses these metrics. Try changing them, open the Font Test window, then switch to Excel and select the temporary font used by the font test window.

OK thanks.
I presume it's the Typo Ascender, Typo Descender and Typo Linegap.
I'll vary these when I get a chance and see how it goes.
Thanks.

Hi, I've tried several combinations of the above settings and can't get the row heights the same.

You mention Serif Page Plus can do this. Is this a font or software?

How can it be done?

Serif PagePlus is a Desktop Publishing Software, but is no longer sold (except maybe on E-bay).

LibreOffice also offers the option to change the line-spacing for the paragraph or text style.

In this screenshot, I set it to 18pt = 0.25"

OK thanks but my issue has to do with Excel though.
I understand that there are a lot of variables the relationship of fonts may vary with application as well, but if you can please look into which settings I need to change to achieve as described in the original post.
I've tried a lot of settings but can't get the same row height for all.

I can get the last 3 to have the same row width by changing settings but not the first.

Normal
Normal + Sub
Normal + Super
Normal + Sub + Super

I do not have Excel, so there is nothing more I have to add. I am surprised that there is no way to fix the row height of a cell, and/or the line-spacing of paragraph text.

You can select several rows, then right-click to select Row Height.