TrueType is an outline font standard originally developed by Apple Computer in the late 1980s as a competitor to Adobe's Type 1 fonts used in PostScript. The primary strength of TrueType was originally that it offered font developers a high degree of control over precisely how their fonts are displayed, right down to particular pixels, at various font heights.
OpenType is a scalable computer font format initially developed by Microsoft, later joined by Adobe Systems. OpenType was first announced in 1996, with a significant number of OpenType fonts starting to ship in 2000–2001. Adobe completed conversion of its entire font library to OpenType around the end of 2002. As of early 2005, there were around 10,000 fonts available in OpenType format, with Adobe's library making up under a third of the total. As of 2006, every major font foundry and many minor ones were developing fonts in OpenType format.
2.What is the difference between ttf and otf?
4.What is GSOB, GPOS AND GDEF?
In typography, kerning refers to adjusting the space between characters, especially by placing two characters closer together than normal. Kerning makes certain combinations of letters, such as WA, MW, TA, and VA, look better.
Only the most sophisticated word processors and desktop publishing systems perform kerning. Normally, you can activate or deactivate kerning for particular fonts.
the set of rules built into computer fonts to control spacing.
Extra glyphs are added in private/corporate area provided below all standard places marked by red question marks.
To add extra glyphs in pfaedit, Element- Fontinfo - encoding - select ISO-10648-bmp full You will get the unicode font file with a very big private area. One can copy glyphs below red question mark signs.
Element - char info - name You can see unicode number and name in this window. Glyph name can be changed.
10. How to install Pfaedit on Linux?
Download latest version from www.pfaedit.source.forge.net -untar it by --> tar -zxvf -go to that directory--> cd../pfaedit -$/configure -$make -go to root -#make install
11.How to install font on xwindows?
-Go to root cp fontfile /usr/share/fonts/myfonts where myfonts is the directory created by you.
-go to that directory - cd /usr/share/fonts/myfonts
- #mkfontdir
- #fc-cache font has been installed.
-To test whether installed or not $fcdist | grep $xlsfonts | grep-i - the output will show all details about font
-restart windows do logout ctrl + alt + backspace
12.How to give my family name?
All options related to family, foundry and licence are given at element->fontinfo
13.Which are the different test beds for font?
To type in Devanagari in Redhat 8 we have to specify input method
-download input map filesfrom www.indlinux.com/documentation/-
-untar file $tar -zxvf $xmodmap path/inscript.hi.map $gedit $keeping Caps Lock pressed, try for other keys.
-remaining glyphs by pressing Caps+Shift in same order.
To type in Devanagari in Redhat 8 we have to specify input method
-download input map filesfrom www.indlinux.com/documentation/-
-untar file $tar -zxvf $xmodmap path/inscript.hi.map $gedit $keeping Caps Lock pressed, try for other keys.
-remaining glyphs by pressing Caps+Shift in same order.
15.How to add GSUB rules in Pfaedit?
element->charinfo->ligature give string input for that ligature.
16.How to add GPOS rules in Pfaedit?
To add GPOS rules 1- element-fontinfo-anchors-new -add new anchor class -specify whether abvm,blwm 2-go to first glyph -double click it -select point-> anchor -select class for that gyph -click ok -anchor will appear on that glyph adjust it properly. 3-go to another glyph in pair. -repeat same procedure -select same anchor class for it. -now adjust anchor at the position where the first glyph should be connected -see the anchor pair in view->combinations->anchored pairs->name of class
17.How to alter shape of any glyph?
Double click the glyph. -Different tools will be available on the screen. -These tools can be used to change the shape or can create the glyph.
Anchor pairs are GPOS rulesspecified for adjusting the positions of glyphs when they come together.
Kern pairs are provided for checking adjacent ie.horizontal positionsof more than one glyph. Select the glyph say two or three. Then press ctrl K.Move the mouse on glyphs, three lines are there for each of which mouse shows R, L & K. If the line K is moved,Kern pair will be created. Kern pairs can be seen through view->combinations->Kernpairs
20.What is mark class?What is the need to define it?
While defining anchor pairs, the glyphs which should come above or below the main character ie. base characters are to be defined as mark characters. Otherwise, both the glyphs will be at the same place and won't be able to adjust as per the requirement.
21.What is base class?What is the need to define it?
Double click the glyph. -go to point->anchor -click the box for base.
22.How to see different tables?
View->showall
23.What is ZWJ, NZWJ?Why do we need it?
These are characters used for joining two glyphs.They have Unicode locations U+25CC, U+25CF respectively. If they are not placed, there maybe a problem if you have the same input string for two different ligatures. eg.
24.What is notdef character?Where to place it?
notdef is the first character in font. It should be placed at the zeroth unicode encoding. .notdef character is used for joining the glyphs.
ttx is the utility used to dump the ttf/otf files to the format which shows all tables in XML. -$ttx filename.ttf to convert it to .ttx file. -$ttx filename.ttx to convertit back to .ttf file.
Glyph is the basic shape of any character in any script.
