Re: [Fontforge-devel] Feature Request: remove feature info

[Idris S. H. <is...@co...>]

Hi Alexej,

On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:16:22 -0700, Alexej Kryukov <ana...@ya...> =
 =

wrote:

> lookups =3D GetLookups("GPOS")
> numlookups =3D SizeOf( lookups )
> i =3D 0
> while( i < numlookups )
>     RemoveLookup( lookups[i] )
>     i++
> endloop
>
> lookups =3D GetLookups("GSUB")
> numlookups =3D SizeOf( lookups )
> i =3D 0
> while( i < numlookups )
>     RemoveLookup( lookups[i] )
>     i++
> endloop

Thank you very much; I will try this and report back.

> But, frankly speaking, I don't like your workflow. FF has
> very nice and intuitive GUI for editing OT features which
> is much more convenient than those cumbersome feature files.
> Of course it's just my opinion.

Some things:

1. The compact fea syntax helps to keep things organized. The fea file  =

gives me a very clear representation of everything that's going on, whic=
h  =

helps with debugging, etc. With code-folding (setting the text-editor  =

language to Perl seems to cover most things) I can easily compartmentali=
ze  =

things. For some tasks it is much faster than using the GUI IMHO.

I agree that the gui (as opposed to the gui toolkit ;-) ) is nice and I'=
m  =

appreciating it more and more.

2. Coming from the TeX world we're used to dealing with structure  =

independent of immediate visual feedback. (OTOH Metafont is really too  =

much.) So writing an fea file and compiling it into the font is a very  =

TeX-ish way of doing things.

3. In LuaTeX we can load and use fea files to add new features to an  =

already existing font (currently broken in the current beta). Eventually=
  =

we hope to be able to use fea files to override the current font feature=
s  =

on the fly when typesetting. Also, fea will replace Omega's otp syntax. =
 =

After spending hundreds of hours writing and debugging otp's (talk about=
  =

cumbersome), fea is a dream. So using fea files for font development has=
  =

the side benefit of giving insights into using it to script on-the-fly o=
tp  =

features through luatex.

4. I can add comments etc. to the fea file to document problems, solutio=
ns  =

etc.

5. My aim: edit the fea file, run a script that compiles it into the fon=
t,  =

calls luatex and gives me a test-pdf. I'll be asking for help as I learn=
  =

to script FF for this...

So, yes, I love fea files! and look forward to Adobe getting the final  =

syntax completed and standardized.

Thanks again for the script and

Best wishes
Idris

-- =

Professor Idris Samawi Hamid, Editor-in-Chief
International Journal of Shi`i Studies
Department of Philosophy
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523

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