fontforge arrange glyph display order

3 min read 20-09-2024

FontForge is a powerful open-source font editing tool that allows designers to create, modify, and enhance fonts. One common task when working with fonts is arranging the display order of glyphs. In this article, we'll delve into how to arrange glyphs in FontForge, along with expert insights gathered from Stack Overflow, practical examples, and additional explanations to enhance your understanding of the process.

Understanding Glyph Ordering in FontForge

The display order of glyphs in a font can significantly affect usability, especially when it comes to input methods and character sets. Arranging glyphs effectively means ensuring that they appear in a logical sequence in the font management systems and applications.

How to Change Glyph Order in FontForge?

One question commonly raised on Stack Overflow pertains to changing the display order of glyphs in FontForge. A user named "psycodog" asked how to reorder glyphs effectively, and another user, "davidc," provided a helpful response:

Q: How do I change the display order of glyphs in FontForge?

A: In FontForge, you can change the display order of glyphs by selecting the glyphs you want to reorder, right-clicking, and using the "Change Ordering" option. You can specify the new order in the dialog that appears. Make sure to save your font afterward!

(Source: Stack Overflow)

This answer sheds light on an effective method for glyph reordering and is a great starting point for users.

Step-by-Step Guide to Reordering Glyphs

Open FontForge: Launch the FontForge application and load your font file.
View Glyphs: Go to the "View" menu and select "Font Info" to see the list of all glyphs available in your font.
Select Glyphs: Click to select the glyphs you want to reorder. You can hold down the Ctrl key (or Cmd key on macOS) to select multiple glyphs.
Right-click to Access Options: Right-click on one of the selected glyphs, and from the context menu, choose "Change Ordering."
Set New Order: In the dialog that appears, you can rearrange the selected glyphs by dragging them to the desired positions or by specifying new order numbers.
Save Changes: After arranging, make sure to save your font file using the "File" menu and clicking on "Save."

Practical Examples

Imagine you are designing a font that includes special ligatures or diacritical marks. If you want these glyphs to appear in a specific order for easier access by users, you can follow the above steps to ensure they are sorted properly in FontForge.

Additional Tips for Glyph Management

Use Glyph Groups: Group related glyphs for easier management and ordering. This is particularly useful for fonts that contain a large number of glyphs.
Utilize Unicode: Ensure that your glyphs adhere to Unicode standards, as this can help in managing their display order effectively in most applications.
Test Your Font: After making changes to the glyph order, use font testing applications or tools to check that the glyphs appear correctly in the intended order.

Conclusion

Arranging the glyph display order in FontForge is a straightforward yet crucial task for any typeface designer. By following the steps provided and leveraging the insights from the Stack Overflow community, you can enhance the usability and accessibility of your fonts.

Remember, the way glyphs are ordered can impact not just the aesthetics but also the functionality of your font across various platforms. Therefore, taking the time to understand and manipulate glyph order will pay off in the long run.

Feel free to explore other features in FontForge to expand your design capabilities. Happy font designing!

Note: This article integrates community insights from Stack Overflow and expands upon them to provide additional value for readers.