[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Line spacing in qt-copy
From:       Oliver Strutynski <olistrut () gmx ! net>
Date:       2002-03-20 1:48:09
[Download RAW message or body]

On Tuesday 19 March 2002 08:17 pm, Ellis Whitehead wrote:
> I think you're missing the point, Oliver.  The issue is the vertical
> spacing, not the lead.

From http://www.fontsite.com/Pages/RulesOfType/ROT1-08.html:

"Line spacing, also called "leading," because printers used to insert thin 
strips of lead between lines of type to add space, is very important not only 
for readability but also for appearance. [...] 
 As a general rule, the amount of space between lines, expressed as a 
percentage of point size, should be no less than 120%. For example, if your 
text is 10-point, you should consider a line spacing setting of at least 12 
points. If a typical line contains more than about 12 words, however, a 
leading value of 120% may not be enough. In other words, leading should be 
increased proportionally as line length increases."

> Print is definitively less compact than the screen shot.  On 4th and 5th
> lines on the screenshot, for example, the vertical separation between the
> 'g' of "kde.org" and the 'k' of "kde.org" is only two pixel.  Magazine
> print is certainly compact, but it has _twice_ the spacing at the same font
> size. KMail with Qt 3.0.2 has almost twice that.

You are right in that a lot of print products use larger leading. I would 
still say however, that having 2 pixel between the "g" and the "k" is enough, 
as long as the distance between the baseline of one line and the ascenders 
(the top of the capital T or similar letters) is large enough. "g" has a 
descender, that IIRC is not taken into consideration when calculating leading.

Does QT handle vertical spacing differently for different font faces? If so 
it might be a good idea to add some space for sans-serif fonts, but keep the 
current spacing for fonts like courier or a roman font.


-- 
_____________________________________________________________________
 Oliver Strutynski                      oliver.strutynski@cs.tum.edu
                                                    olistrut@gmx.net
 
>> Visit http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-devel#unsub to unsubscribe <<
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]