Operation Manual

388

USING PHOTOSHOP

Type

Last updated 12/5/2011

Change the default auto leading percentage

1 Choose Justification from the Paragraph panel menu.

2 For Auto Leading, enter a new default percentage.

Kern and track

Kerning is the process of adding or subtracting space between specific pairs of characters. Tracking is the process of

loosening or tightening the spacing between the characters in selected text or an entire block of text.

You can automatically kern type using metrics kerning or optical kerning. Metrics kerning (also called Auto kerning)

uses kern pairs, which are included with most fonts. Kern pairs contain information about the spacing of specific pairs

of letters. Some of these are: LA, P., To, Tr, Ta, Tu, Te, Ty, Wa, WA, We, Wo, Ya, and Yo. Metrics kerning is set as the

default so that specific pairs are automatically kerned when you import or type text.

Some fonts include robust kern-pair specifications. However, when a font includes only minimal built-in kerning or

none at all, or if you use two different typefaces or sizes in one or more words on a line, you may want to use the optical

kerning option. Optical kerning adjusts the spacing between adjacent characters based on their shapes.

Kerning and tracking options

A. Original text B. Text with optical kerning C. Text with manual kerning between W and a D. Text with tracking E. Cumulative kerning

and tracking

You can also use manual kerning, which is ideal for adjusting the space between two letters. Tracking and manual

kerning are cumulative, so you can first adjust individual pairs of letters, and then tighten or loosen a block of text

without affecting the relative kerning of the letter pairs.

When you click to place the insertion point between two letters, kerning values appear in the Character panel.

Similarly, if you select a word or a range of text, the tracking values appear in the Character panel.

Tracking and kerning are both measured in 1/1000 em, a unit of measure that is relative to the current type size. In a

6-point font, 1 em equals 6 points; in a 10-point font, 1 em equals 10 points. Kerning and tracking are strictly

proportional to the current type size.

Note: Values for kerning and tracking affect Japanese text, but normally these options are used to adjust the aki between

roman characters.

Adjust kerning

❖ Do any of the following:

• To use a font’s built-in kerning information for selected characters, select Metrics for the Kerning option in the

Character panel.