User Guide

the kerning width used to group kerning pairs for spacing.
By decreasing this value, fewer kerning pairs are included in
the sample set used to determine optimum spacing. Having
the value too small will cause only one or two values to be
in each group. Having the value too large will cause most or
all of the kerning pairs to be in each group. Neither of
these will be helpful. Moderation is the key for determining
the best value. By controlling the spacing of the sample set
used to calculate kerning pairs, you influence the final result
of your autospacing. The useful range of this value is 10-
80, with the best results being in the 20-30 range. Because
this procedure is very complex, our advice is that if you feel
the need to adjust this field, do so and see if you like it. If all
of this sounds too complex then don't worry about this
field—the default value will give you a good answer.
Spacing direction allows you to have Fontographer change
spacing only by making characters narrower (tighten), or
only by making characters wider (spread), or whatever is
needed (spread and tighten).
Spacing technique is another difficult-to-document
feature. Examine minimum distance tells Fontographer to
calculate spacing by looking only at the smallest distance
two characters are from each other. For serif fonts, this can
result in loose spacing because serifs frequently come close
to touching each other. In this case, Fontographer will be
essentially spacing the font by looking at the font’s serifs
and little else. Examine average distance and Examine
weighted distance try to compensate for that problem by
averaging the outlines a little bit—allowing the serifs to get
closer if other parts of the character are further away. Of
those two options, the weighted one is supposed to be a
more optical kind of comparison. Because fonts vary so
widely, it is practically impossible to absolutely state the
differences you will see with the various techniques. Our
advice: try the different settings, to see which one looks best
to you.
Advanced Auto Kerning
Auto Kerning also has a lot of hidden functionality. It is
probably at its most powerful when applied to a font in
several different ways. You can have Auto Kerning
Fontographer User's Manual
5: Metrics: Spacing and Kerning Page #30