Re: [CSS Text/G.C. for P.M.] Hyphenation & ligatures

On 23 Feb 2009, at 15:35, thomas wrote:

>
>> Font developers should not be encoding ligatures like this in the  
>> private
>> use area, and authors should not use such codes in text. The  
>> ligatures
>> should be accessed using "smart font" technologies such as  
>> OpenType, AAT,
>> and/or Graphite. The text should contain the underlying "tt"  
>> characters; it
>> is up to the font-rendering mechanism to display this using an  
>> appropriate
>> ligature, if one is provided.
>>
>> The same applies to more common ligatures such as "fi", or Arabic  
>> ligatures
>> like "lam-alef". Don't use "presentation forms" like U+FB01 or U 
>> +FEFB, etc,
>> in text; use the individual characters, and leave ligature  
>> formation to the
>> fonts.
>
> OK, but the font rendering mechanism needs hints. How could it know if
> I want to use fake or real small caps,

IMO, "font-variant: small-caps" should always use "real" small caps if  
they exist in the font, and only create fake ones as a fallback when  
using fonts that don't have real ones.

(If you really want to ensure you'll get "fake" small caps, then you  
should explicitly uppercase and resize the text, not request small- 
caps at all.)

> normal or old-style digits, a
> simple bullet or an ornament? CSS provides no way to give it a hint.

This is true, and it's an area where CSS needs enhancement. There have  
been some previous discussions (look in the archives for threads on  
"advanced font features"), but further work is needed.

JK

Received on Monday, 23 February 2009 16:38:26 UTC