On 11/30/2012 8:06 AM, Pablo Rodríguez wrote:
Hi there,

sorry for bothering again with this issue, but I need to be sure in
order to properly report to the font developer of FreeSerif.

I have the following file:

\usemodule[simplefonts][size=25pt]
\definefontfeature[latins][default][script=latn]
\setmainfont[FreeSerif]
\starttext
\showfontkerns
dadedidodufafefifofufrflftlalelilolutatetitotu\par
\addfs{latins}
dadedidodufafefifofufrflftlalelilolutatetitotu\par
\stoptext

The first line has no GPOS kern enabled and the second line has it.

In order to report it to the font developer (I have the problem not with
ConTeXt, but with my ereader [I used ConTeXt to check the font
features), I have the following questions:

-In the example above, is the old TrueType kern enabled on the first line?

-If not, how can I enable it, without enabling the liga or kern OpenType
features?

I need this to see the actual kerning form the old TrueType kern table
(I suspect it hasn't the same values as the OpenType kern feature).

We don't really make a distinction. Kerns are either a property of a character (truetype method) or are organized as lookups. Both are driven by 'kern' and it's not possible to choose a specific method as it's font driven. In the first case, enabling the kern feature will also enable the kerns and there is no dependency on language and script. In the second case a language script combination drives the injection of kerns. So, for each combination there can be different kerns (won't happen often).

Now, if a font designer decides to group kerns according to languages (makes less sense than for instance grouping ligatures which do have a dependency on languages) he/she has to make sure that it's done in such a way that it doesn't lock out.

For instance, you can have kerns (optionally in your font organized in classes) that kerns latin characters and group them in latn/dflt and do something similar for latn/<anylanguage> but then you expect the user to choose the right combination. So, choosing latn/dflt can lock out greek or whatever. This means that when one defines kerns for say devanagari but also wants to have mixed in latin/* scripts supported, one could best also enable latn/* kerns there (just add lookups to the feature specification).

As the serif font you use has support for many scripts, extra care has to be taken for mixed usage. Also, normally a dflt/dflt combination is defined (read: no script or language chosen) which should work out okay for most cases. Anyhow, in the serif font (1) a dflt/dflt combination has to be supported (added) and (2) you/someone needs to check if when you choose greek, you still got kerning for latin.

Hans

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