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Known Participant
December 19, 2011
Question

EZ Character-Kerning script for IDCS3 and IDCS5?

  • December 19, 2011
  • 2 replies
  • 1359 views

Hello Friends,

This would accomplish what I have manually done THOUSANDS of times, each time with the thought of how simple it would be to do it only one time at 4000% to perfection and then never again.

In a clicked-into textbox, go HOME to the left of the first character;

Go RIGHT to in-between the set of the next two characters:

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Aa” . . . then apply total kerning value of -10;

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Ab” . . . then apply total kerning value of -12;

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Ac” . . . then apply total kerning value of -15;

etc. etc. for about 500-to-1000 pairs

Go RIGHT to in-between the set of the next two characters:

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Aa” . . . then apply total kerning value of -10;

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Ab” . . . then apply total kerning value of -12;

If characters to left and right of “cursor” are “Ac” . . . then apply total kerning value of -15;

etc. etc. for about 500-to-1000 pairs

Loop and continue until the last character pair in the text box (headline).

I could see volunteers doing a font each and life may be made much simpler.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Inspiring
December 20, 2011

I believe Peter has a script for this:

http://www.kahrel.plus.com/indesign/kern.html

NYJackAuthor
Known Participant
December 20, 2011

First impression is that it does this and  . . . so much more; I'll need time to digest it, to see if I can cut away all the rest and keep it simple to add pairs and see it work.

Peter also has a kern report that may be useful to see pair kerning manually created.

I'd still love a six liner that does it (perhaps) faster (for me) clearer and easier, perhaps, to use?

Jongware
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 19, 2011

It would probably be easier to switch to a properly kerned font ;)

Or edit/have someone edit the original for you!

NYJackAuthor
Known Participant
December 19, 2011

I'll use Times or Garamond or Helvetica, etc. where you cannot find a properly kerned font; you need to manually adjust all pairs, which I do. You cannot edit the "Ya" kern amount to equal the same as the "YB," for example.

All the above architecture is meant to do is to have ID see what the pair is and put the kerning amount in as stated at the line ending's numerical value.

It would do so in a flash, as opposed to my bring the text up with magnification and ALT-LEFTing all day long...

Jongware
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 19, 2011

NYJack wrote:

I'll use Times or Garamond or Helvetica, etc. where you cannot find a properly kerned font; you need to manually adjust all pairs, which I do. You cannot edit the "Ya" kern amount to equal the same as the "YB," for example.

Well my point of "editing the original" was you can edit the font, using an appropriate font editor.

It would do so in a flash ..

Not with a good deal of text and your proposed 500-1,000 pairs ... (Then again, it would give you the chance to sit back for a while while this hypothetical script churns away.)

Seriously: if you don't like the kerning in a font you are wasting your time doing it every time in InDesign, either with or without a script.