Insert programming into type file

ptrpp19 May 2014 · 03:28

Hello,
First of all sorry for my English, I'll try to be clear.

I'm looking for a way to insert code (programme) into a type file (into a .otf or .ttf file).
Some language I could use to write algorythm which could substitutes glyphs to others (based on complex rules, algorythmes)

I can not use ligatures because the substitution rules are far too complex.
If I would like to define them one by one I'll have to do it for every words.

Which language (C, C++, Python...) ?
Which soft ?

Thank you very much,
Patrice

Reynir Heiðberg...19 May 2014 · 09:16

None of them. The closest things to programs in a font is the TrueType hinting/instructing code. Everything else is done with data tables compiled from a feature description language.

Theunis de Jong19 May 2014 · 15:22

Anything more complicated than the glyph-to-glyph translations offered by OpenType is usually done in a text layout engine. Examples are: Uniscribe (Microsoft Windows), Core Text (Apple), Harfbuzz/Pango (open source), and LaTEX.

Also, software for special purposes such as equations (LaTEX again; MathType) and music (Guido) use additional routines, not linked to data available from font files only.

Crissov21 May 2014 · 03:03

You could write a program in the language of your choice to generate feature files (in AFDKO, VOLT or other syntax).

simonemartijn26 May 2014 · 18:28

Some of your advice are actually sounds great.

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