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• • July 11, 2012 at 3:36 am #62584
    martski131

    Member

    Hi,

    Recently, I needed to create some documents that comply with a new British Standards Institute requirement.

    They require that certain text elements of the documnet are in a font of not less than 3mm in height. According to 72 postscript points to the inch, this equates to a font size of approximately 9 points. However, if I try this in InDesign (and measure both the printed type and by using the on-screen rulers), it is nowhere near the right size. It measures approximately 2.2 mm in height.

    Can anybody explain what is happening or if I have a setting that is incorrect?

    Thanks in advance,

    Martin

  • July 11, 2012 at 6:12 am #62585
    RoManuV

    Member

    Hi Martin,

    I'm afraid that you are making a confusion between the font size ( = the distance from the top of the tallest ascender to the bottom of the longest descender) and the x-size (= the height of the letter “x”), which is obviously inferior to the former.

    Try this experiment: set a baseline grid with “increment every” 3 mm and display it, set your font as Myriad Pro 9pt and type “myriad pro” in a text box. You'll see that the lowest part off “y” touches the bottom line and the uppermost part of “d” touches the top line of the baseline grid. (q.e.d.)

    Some more technical details here: https://nwalsh.com/comp.fonts/F…..Q/cf_8.htm

    Hope this helps,

    Manu

  • July 11, 2012 at 6:45 am #62586
    martski131

    Member

    Dear Manu,

    Thanks for your excellent explanation and thanks for the link to the article (a great help). I now understand exactly what I need to do.

    Many thanks,

    Martin

  • July 11, 2012 at 9:36 am #62588
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    Well, never say never! Here's a blog post I've been meaning to write for about 3 years now, since Gerald told me about this script:

    https://creativepro.com/set…..height.php

  • July 12, 2012 at 12:32 am #62593
    martski131

    Member

    Hi Gerald,

    Thanks for the link and the blog. This script will be very useful to me (and to many others).

    Martin

  • July 12, 2012 at 12:34 am #62594
    martski131

    Member

    Ooops, sorry, that should have been thanks David!

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