VOLT is pretty much the only tool available, but don't be afraid: it is free, it is really good, and MS are about to launch a new version that is even better (I'm beta testing it now).

The only other options I can think of are:

a) use TTOASM, but it's also an MS product and is nowhere near as easy to use as VOLT. This is the pre-VOLT text-based tool, and really you don't want to use this. Trust me.

b) code the tables by hand using TTX's xml syntax and then fuse them into the font. I can't really say whether this might be easier or harder than using TTOASM.

and MS are about to launch a new version that is even better (I’m beta testing it now).

Is there a way I can get into the beta test program? I assume the VOLT Community site will announce it when it is available in any case...

As for TTOASM, I will take your word for it-)

After sending the original message I discovered the Adobe Font Development Kit for OpenType (AFDKO). Are they of any use to me (does not support ttf but I am working on a cff/post-script flavored otf)?

I will check out TTX as well. In TeX (using the bidi Aleph format) I write the equivalent of layout tables using straight text files (which are then compiled into binary filters), so I might like that approach...

Thnx as always
Idris

Adobe's FDK code is also the basis of the OpenType support in FontLab (and FL Studio) and FontMaster. Currently, the FDK and the applications that use its source code do not support mark attachment required for Arabic and many other complex scripts.

If things proceed on schedule, Adobe hopes to release AFDKO 2.0 around February, and then have an AFDKO 2.x release around the end of the summer. That latter release will support mark attachment (and all OpenType lookup types), at which point FontLab and FontMaster will have the source code to do the same.

Regards,

T

> Is there a way I can get into the beta test program?

You can start by being a bit nicer when talking about the owners of the tool ;-)

Cheers, Si

PS Typophile has an edit feature :-)

Idris, if you like I can send you TTX dumps of a fairly basic Arabic OT font, so you can take a look at the structure. I don't think it would be too difficult to munge from various kinds of information that can be extracted from FontLab. Actually, you could do most of your GSUB stuff, kerning, etc. -- as much as possible given the FDK code limitations -- and then dump the resulting tables from a halfway font and edit the TTX files to add the additional stuff that you can't do in FontLab.

But seriously, give VOLT a go: you might like it. Yes, Microsoft is a monopolising behemoth, but a lot of very nice and helpful people work in their internationalisation and typography groups, who are doing very good work supporting complex scripts and layout.

And at least Microsoft didn't send me a Happy Holidays card with no postage on it, costing me $1.07 to find out who the envelope was from, unlike the typography group of a certain other large computer company. Ahem!

Call it a phobia, but I hate to be tied to M$ products for anything essential-)

It's a phobia: get over it. The program works well and Bill Gates is doing at least some good with his loot.

It’s a phobia: get over it.

Hmm, I think there is some misunderstanding. I don't mind using VOLT; I just don't want to be tied to VOLT, as in absolute dependence. For advanced Arabic- (or other complex-) script development to have to depend on a single product from a single company, particulary a monopoly, is not a healthy situation.

OTOH I would still be happy to participate in their beta-testing program. I don't think that looking for alternatives is being not nice to MS;-) And my hat is off to all the hard-working people in the internationalisation and typography groups working for them.

Thnx to all for your pointers. I especially look forward to Adobe's AFDKO 2.x release.

Thnx for your patience, and
All the best,