[XeTeX] XeTeX 1.0 - requests for comments; was: [XeTeX] Typesetting Hebrew/Arabic diacritics with XeTeX?

[Robert Voogdgeert]

> I'm not familiar with the ID options, but I wonder if it provides a  
> few varieties of "automatic" placement intended primarily to give a  
> reasonable result when used with fonts that do not include OpenType  
> positioning tables. That would be similar to the default diacritic  
> stacking that TextEdit (and other Cocoa apps) do on OS X when the  
> font does not specifically support the combining marks being used;  
> it's OK for many purposes, but not as precise as using fonts that  
> properly support the marks.

Jonathan,


ID provides 4 flavours of "automatic" positioning for non OTF: none,
loose, normal and tight. Admittedly though, many non OTF's only respond
(as far as I can see) to one or two of these.

What is more useful though in ID is the fact that every single diacritic
may be adjusted horizontally and vertically. Even with some OTF's this
can be useful if of narrow leading and/or tracking is needed for some
reason.

I don't know whether this is a possible future XeTeX feature. But it
would greatly imporove typesetting Semitic languages such as Hebrew,
Arabic and Syriac.


Robert