X-VM-v5-Data: ([nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil] ["1631" "Fri" "5" "November" "93" "14:54:43" "GMT" "Dean Ayres" "dean.ayres@AEA.ORGN.UK" nil "45" "Default Availability of PostScript fonts under NFSS" "^Date:" nil nil "11"]) Return-Path: Received: from sc.ZIB-Berlin.DE (mailserv) by dagobert.ZIB-Berlin.DE (4.1/SMI-4.0/24.6.93) id AA00700; Fri, 5 Nov 93 17:11:43 +0100 Received: from vm.urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de (vm.hd-net.uni-heidelberg.de) by sc.ZIB-Berlin.DE (4.1/SMI-4.0-sc/03.06.93) id AA00833; Fri, 5 Nov 93 17:11:39 +0100 Message-Id: <9311051611.AA00833@sc.ZIB-Berlin.DE> Received: from DHDURZ1 by vm.urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 6954; Fri, 05 Nov 93 17:10:27 CET Received: from DHDURZ1 by DHDURZ1 (Mailer R2.08 R208004) with BSMTP id 2111; Fri, 05 Nov 93 17:10:21 CET Received: from DHDURZ1 by DHDURZ1 (Mailer R2.08 R208004) with BSMTP id 2109; Fri, 05 Nov 93 17:10:18 CET Reply-To: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project Date: Fri, 5 Nov 93 14:54:43 GMT From: Dean Ayres Sender: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project To: Multiple Recipients of Subject: Default Availability of PostScript fonts under NFSS Status: R X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 1095 In NFSS2, PostScript fonts are available at all sizes, not just a selected range of sizes (i.e. 5,7,8,9,10,11,12,15,17,20,25pt). For instance, when the current font is a postscript font, the command \fontsize{39}{45pt} sets the font size to 39pt. This is a boon to people like me who occasionally wish to set posters with LaTeX. One feature that surprised me though is that there are gaps in the font maps generated from the default .fdd files. For instance, there is no Times bold slanted font. This is a particular surprise because an equivalent Computer Modern variant (cmbxsl) exists. To include the font requires the generation of a new TFM file (which is easy using the Makefile in the NFSS2 distribution) and a minor alteration to the .fdd file defining the Times fonts. I can make the necessary changes at my site, but for the sake of standardisation, I'd far rather see a greater set of PostScript fonts available from the default configuration. Other font `holes' could also be filled in under the new scheme. For instance, I've often wanted a bold small-caps font for use in titles, covers etc. Upright Italic fonts are, perhaps, more difficult since they need to be unslanted by a factor that varies from font to font. I would like to see a larger, standard set of PostScript font variants available from the default NFSS2 and LaTeX2.09e. The extra TFM file and font definition required seem a small price to pay for the added flexibility. Any other views? Dean Ayres AEA Technology Winfrith Dorchester Dorset DT2 8DH United Kingdom Tel + 44 305 251888 Fax + 44 305 202044