[makeotf] update docs to describe how to invoke 5- and 6-digit Unicode values needed for SPUA-A and SPUA-B

[mbutterick]

Docs:

The third field is a Unicode value, specified in the form uniXXXX or uXXXX, where XXXX is a Unicode value (hexadecimal).

Codepoints in SPUA-A are represented with 5 hex digits; those in SPUA-B with 6. The four-digit limitation on codepoints in the GOADB means that one cannot make a font with codepoints in these areas.

[benkiel]

Not well documented there, but for those above 4 digits, use uXXXXX or uXXXXXX. uni is only for four digits, afaik

[punchcutter]

Yes, that's not so clear. We'll update the docs.

[mbutterick]

Oh really? Here’s a (disassembled) pfa and a goadb that uses the 6-digit convention. Though makeotf compiles the font, the resulting font has no codepoints.

%!
0 dict dup begin
/FontName /Test def
/Private 0 dict dup begin
/RD {string currentfile exch readstring pop} def
/CharStrings 5 dict dup begin
/D {
0 1000 hsbw
0 0 rmoveto
0 1000 rlineto
1000 0 rlineto
closepath
endchar
} def
/C {
0 1000 hsbw
0 0 rmoveto
0 1000 rlineto
1000 0 rlineto
closepath
endchar
} def
/B {
0 1000 hsbw
0 0 rmoveto
0 1000 rlineto
1000 0 rlineto
closepath
endchar
} def
/A {
0 1000 hsbw
0 0 rmoveto
0 1000 rlineto
1000 0 rlineto
closepath
endchar
} def
/.notdef {
0 1000 hsbw
0 0 rmoveto
0 1000 rlineto
1000 0 rlineto
closepath
endchar
} def
end % of CharStrings dict
def
end % of Private dict

.notdef .notdef u000000
space space u000020
A A u000041
B B u000042
C C u000043
D D u000044

If I replace the above goadb with one that uses the 4-digit convention:

.notdef .notdef u0000
space space u0020
A A u0041
B B u0042
C C u0043
D D u0044

The resulting font has the expected codepoints.

[mbutterick]

makeotf logging output with 6-digit goadb:

makeotfexe [WARNING] missing /FontBBox (default inserted)
makeotfexe [WARNING] FontMenuNameDB file was not specified or not found. [Test]
makeotfexe [WARNING] <Test> cmap{plat=1,script=0,lang=0}: empty encoding
makeotfexe [WARNING] <Test> unable to patch FontBBox in CFF table
makeotfexe [WARNING] <Test> cmap{plat=3,script=1,lang=0}: empty encoding

With 4-digit goadb:

makeotfexe [WARNING] missing /FontBBox (default inserted)
makeotfexe [WARNING] FontMenuNameDB file was not specified or not found. [Test]
makeotfexe [WARNING] <Test> unable to patch FontBBox in CFF table

[punchcutter]

You can't mix the lengths like that. If something can be represented by 4 digits then you use 4. If it requires 5 or 6 then you use 5 or 6. I guess maybe that could also use clarification.

[benkiel]

@mbutterick in my GOADB files, I'm not using the third column (often) to assign unicode, just changing the final name (first column) to the uXXXXX value. That works. So, @punchcutter, there could be something there that isn't working but should

[punchcutter]

I'm not sure what might not be working. It all seems to be working for me using 4, 5, or 6 digit unicodes to either rename or set the Unicode value.

[mbutterick]

FWIW this GOADB works for me.

.notdef .notdef u0000,uF00000
space space u0020,uF00020
A A u0041,uF00041
B B u0042,uF00042
C C u0043,uF00043
D D u0044,uF00044