Mantis Issue Tracking for Scribus
· Hosting provided by Anduin.net / Øverby Consulting ·

View Issue Details Jump to Notes ] Issue History ] Print ]
IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0007713ScribusUsabilitypublic09-Jan-09 19:0110-Nov-28 13:06
Reporterpark 
Assigned To 
PrioritynormalSeveritytweakReproducibilityalways
StatusnewResolutionopen 
PlatformP4 HT 3GHz 3Gb Radeon x1600OSUbuntuOS Version8.10
Product Version1.3.3.12 
Target VersionFixed in Version 
Summary0007713: It should always be obvious if font size, weight or variant is present in the font file or made by the program.
DescriptionWhen a user changes font size, weight or variant, the user inteface should make it clear beyond doubt if this is something intended by the publisher, or if it is a manipulation produced by Scribus.
In high quality typefaces, the designer often has adapted proportions to suit various sizes, weights and variants.
I have read about, and appreciated, the teams view on faux italics and bold, but I think it is of equal importance for the professional user to be sure that the size he/she is using is one intended by the type designer, or if the small caps are a real, specially drawn variant of the typeface or just regular capitals set in a smaller size.
Sizes are presented as a list in the menu, with the option "other", but in the properties box, you don't have the option of that fixed list.
I am not opposed to the possibility to manipulate typefaces (for instance by producing faux small caps), but the distinction between the type designers' intentions and my own manipulations has to be clear.
Tagsfont size, fonts, gui, interface, menus, options, palette, scribus, small caps, text, typography, usability
Attached Files

- Relationships

-  Notes
(0020898)
cbradney (administrator)
09-Jan-09 22:12

That menu has gone in 1.3.5svn.

How would you propose we indicate this difference for such things as small caps?
(0024918)
park (reporter)
10-Nov-28 13:00

Almost two years ago. But here we go again.
- Font size.
This is still relevant in 1.3.6 SVN. My suggestion would be a drop-down menu with the standard/traditional sizes while retaining a possibility to manually input your own custom size.
- Font variant
Things like weight and italics, regular font variants. Seems to work all right with the existing drop down menu in 1.3.6 SVN. This still leaves rhe problem with real vs faux small caps.
One possible solution might be to remove the possibility for small caps, if the font in it self does not contain "real" small caps. And then add an option for faux small caps if the user wish to fake it (and hope nobody notices). A bit like the option to lean a font that does not have a italic or oblique variant in it self. I don't know anything about possible technical issues regarding this. To me it seems like primarily a UX problem, but I am a designer, not a programmer.

I think this kind of transparency ought to be stated in some sort of design guideline for a program such as Scribus:
"The differece between variants contained in a font file and local manipulations should always be obvious to the user", or something like that.

This is from a professional standpoint, the casual user propably don't care and may even be confused.

- Issue History
Date Modified Username Field Change
09-Jan-09 19:01 park New Issue
09-Jan-09 22:12 cbradney Note Added: 0020898
10-Nov-28 13:00 park Note Added: 0024918
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: gui
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: interface
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: menus
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: options
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: palette
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: scribus
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: text
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: usability
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: typography
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: font size
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: fonts
10-Nov-28 13:06 park Tag Attached: small caps



Copyright © 2000 - 2013 MantisBT Team
Powered by Mantis Bugtracker