OpenType Feature > Figure Style > Tabular Lining available in FM12?

[Nlwest]

My company uses Font Bureau's Interstate for published numbers. In InDesign and other software, we use the OpenType Feature > Figure Style > Tabular Lining option so the numbers in a sentence take up the same amount of space and line up if in a table. I've seen references elsewhere here that OpenType features for ligatures are not available in Framemaker 12, but I want to make sure I'm understanding correctly, in case I'm missing a spot where the figure style might be defined.  Thank-you!

[Arnis_Gubins · Accepted solution]

FrameMaker doesn't support any OT features. However, if the required glyphs are at specific uniciode values, then you could always use these unicode values in the FM documents to render the desired glyph/character/number.

[Nlwest]

Would using unicode values be possible for autonumbering, like page numbering? Thanks -- Nancy

[Bob_Niland]

re: Would using unicode values be possible for autonumbering, like page numbering?

Unless FM has been enhanced lately, probably not.
See:How to use Chinese characters as autonumbers, variables, etc.

[Mike-Hardy]

FrameMaker has no control for these features. However, the default figure style in most OpenType fonts is tabular lining figures.This might be the case for Font Bureau's Interstate.

I'd suggest creating a paragraph format with pair kerning disabled, and minimum, maximum, and optimum word spacing all set to 100%. These settings are to prevent FrameMaker from respacing your text. Then use that paragraph format in a test table, and see how it behaves.

To insert a numeric space, use the keyboard shortcut Esc-space-one (i.e. press and release the three keys, one after the other).

[Nlwest]

That's interesting, Mike, because my experience is the opposite, that the default figure style is Proportional, so the numbers kern appropriately inside text, as in a publication article or brochure, and tabular lining has to be selected. Your suggestion is a good one, and might work for other typefaces. But Font Bureau's Interstate does not have Tabular Lining as the default figure style. Also, the difference between proportional and tabular figures is very visible even with respacing off.

I have a second copy of the fonts called Interstate Tab with the Tabular Lining figures in the default position, so I'll use that for this publication only.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Nancy