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vanessa_everwild
Participant
May 25, 2023
Question

Why is the text measured in pt?!

  • May 25, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 470 views

It has just come to my attention that the accessibility tool measures text in points. This does not make any logital sense for AA and AAA standards because that refers to web where text is measured in pixels. This is a really big issue and misleading for designers who are trying to adhere to WCAG standards to ensure that clients aren't sued for a lack of accessibility on their website. I STRONGLY reccomend updating text to be measured in pixels so that you aren't creating more issues for web because this is so misleading! 

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    2 replies

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 25, 2023

    Hi @vanessa_everwild , just to clarify you are in the Adobe Color form which is for questions about the Adobe Color web tool.

     

    On type units; Photoshop lets you set a Type unit preference, which can be Pixels, Points, or Millimeters:

     

     

    InDesign has a Pixel Ruler Unit which equals 1/72" and by default the InDesign Point unit also equals 1/72". So if you are using InDesign for wire framing a web page, Points and Pixels are the same unit. If you are exporting an InDesign page or selection to a web image format (JPG or PNG), setting the export Resolution to 72ppi will export text in pixel units

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 25, 2023

    @vanessa_everwild 

     

    Text is measured in points by default because that is how Gutenberg designed it when he created type on metal blocks. So we can better assist, which Adobe application are you using?

     

    Jane

     

    V
    vanessa_everwildAuthor
    Participant
    May 25, 2023

    Jane, I am aware that text is measured in points for print. The application is question here is adobe color, specificly the accessibility tools panel that is designed to check accessibility standards in AA and AAA standards according to WCAG which is only applicable to web. The measurement for text on web is in pixels, not points. Adobe supports this because the web application Adobe XD measures text in pixels. If an Adobe user is useing the correct adobe tool to create a website or an app (XD) then the accessibility tool in adobe color—that exists to test color on web for design elements and text sizes—should have text measurements in pixels. 

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