Why are GSUB type 5 format 1 and type 6 format 1 lookups so rare?
Options
Peter Constable
Posts: 256
I've looked at over 1000 font files and haven't found any instances of GSUB type 5 format 1 and type 6 format 1 lookup subtables. Any idea why these are scarce?
Tagged:
0
Comments
-
from my point of view:GSUB types 5.1 and 6.1 (Simple Glyph Contexts) are too simple
in most cases, when I used contextual alternates, I needed classes - 5.2 and 6.2 types (Class-based Glyph Contexts) even for diacritic glyphs. In short:
notAB'C
but[A Aacute Aogonek][B]'[C Cacute]
0 -
Most people who aren’t VOLT, FontDame or HighLogic users go through the AFDKO font syntax and tools to get layout information into their fonts. This means that they’re at the mercy of what AFDKO syntax supports, and what the tools generate - neither of which is coterminous with what the spec supports. I’ve heard that AFDKO was never intended to be a general-purpose OT Layout tool, but contained just enough functionality to convert Adobe’s font library to OpenType. Those lookup types aren’t there because Adobe never needed them.3
-
I don't know about FontDame or HighLogic, but VOLT also compiles lookups to whichever type it thinks is appropriate, without giving the user explicit control over the type used. I suspect this also contributes to some of the lookups being less common than others.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 46 Introductions
- 3.8K Typeface Design
- 476 Type Design Critiques
- 555 Type Design Software
- 1.1K Type Design Technique & Theory
- 640 Type Business
- 831 Font Technology
- 29 Punchcutting
- 508 Typography
- 120 Type Education
- 313 Type History
- 75 Type Resources
- 109 Lettering and Calligraphy
- 30 Lettering Critiques
- 79 Lettering Technique & Theory
- 533 Announcements
- 86 Events
- 110 Job Postings
- 167 Type Releases
- 169 Miscellaneous News
- 274 About TypeDrawers
- 53 TypeDrawers Announcements
- 119 Suggestions and Bug Reports