Default Text Spacing

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wesbaker
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Default Text Spacing

Post by wesbaker »

I've come to use single line fonts regularly to engrave serial numbers on the projects. The single line "1L" fonts are efficient and fast for a task like this. I have used Railway 1L which is simple enough. The only issue is letters like 1 are spaced too close. No major problem since we have the tool to adjust text kerning manually. But now it has become a bit of a pain since I do the same kearning over and over. Any time letters with straight sides like 1 or H occur next to each other you have to go bump in about 4 or 5 clicks of "add space" in there.

There has to be a way to adjust defaults or create custom character set with different kearning.

I searched docs and forums but can't find it. Can anybody shed light on it for me please?

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Tex_Lawrence
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

wesbaker wrote:
Sun Dec 11, 2022 4:36 pm
... Any time letters with straight sides like 1 or H occur next to each other you have to go bump in about 4 or 5 clicks of "add space" in there. There has to be a way to adjust defaults or create custom character set with different kearning....
Wes, it isn't really a fault by default of your software. Your software doesn't really have a way to detect the letters that are giving you (and me) problems.

As you mentioned, this is a design consideration by the font designer. The only real way to fix it is find a different font.

If it makes it any better, I have to do the same on just about any font that I choose. I'm always adjusting for curves and etc.

ADDED: You might find the designer of the font is willing to make a version with your adjustments, if you can define them.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

wesbaker
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Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:40 pm
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by wesbaker »

I appreciate your reply. I think your comments though are really only appropriate for True Type fonts. Are you familiar with the single line font options in vcarve? My post was really just about those single line fonts.

I do know how any of the true type fonts that I could use generic font creation/editing software and make my own true type font and set my own kearning and shape and such.

But these single line fonts I don't know if there is some similar tool or if this is some sort of specialized font that only exists in vcarve. These fonts are not available at the general OS level like a MS Windows TTF.

Since the single line fonts are so much more efficient in toolpath generation and machine time for tasks like engraving a serial number ... I want to limit my post to trying to work within the scope of these single line fonts in vcarve.

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Adrian
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by Adrian »

The single line fonts are a Vectric format so can't be added to or edited.

There are TrueType and OpenType single line fonts available. Most of them work by doubling back on themselves giving the impression of a single line. The drawback of those is they take longer to machine as some parts are done twice. There are other fonts (with some issues) that are true single line.

In both cases you can convert the text to curves in VCarve after kerning and node edit to remove any parts that might take longer to machine.

This is where I sourced most of the fonts I use for small text engraving jobs from - http://imajeenyus.com/computer/20150110 ... ndex.shtml

wesbaker
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by wesbaker »

Thanks for that and understood.

But since the vectric single line fonts are there and are so efficient. Mabye somebody at Vectric will chime in with how that definition works and whether we can edit it ... or maybe there is a universal kerning factor somewhere for the normal text that I could just crank up and tripple the spacing across the board and live with that as "good enough". It is a little different application than where you are making a sign and want it to look right and have time to adjust kerning manually.

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Adrian
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by Adrian »

Text spacing is very much a function of the font style. Monospaced fonts such as Courier assign a fixed width to every character so a 1 takes up as much width as an 8. That holds true for the single line fonts as well. Some are monospaced, some aren't.

There is no universal kerning factor exposed in the software but you can vary the spacing for a whole string when using the Text Spacing tool (depending on your version of the software) by holding down the Alt key so the spacing affects every pair rather than just the one where the cursor is.

If you didn't know already you can also hold down the Ctrl key (in conjunction with Shift and Alt if needed) to make the spacing jump bigger for each click.

The forum is primarily a user to user support forum and, although Vectric staff do reply to some threads, it's therefor best to email Vectric directly with request for changes to the software such as a universal kerning factor or methods for editing the single line fonts.

wesbaker
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Re: Default Text Spacing

Post by wesbaker »

Good info guys. And I guess one solution would be if any of the Vectric single line 1L fonts happen to be monospace fonts like courier in which case it would be good enough. And I can try some other than Railway. I knew the ctl tip but did not know the alt which does help some.

I tested all the 1L fonts just now and basically they all have similar issues where the 1's are so close it causes issues.

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