My Japanese Translation

[Lava_Level]

So first look and it seems like it’s going ok. But my characters for Japanese translation are being clipped a teeny tiny bit at the very top.

I’m not really sure what’s going on here.  Not sure how I get it to not clip the font.

Any ideas?

[thomas6]

Truetype or opentype font? Windows or Mac simulator or device build? If device, iOS or Android?

[Lava_Level]

ttf. iPad only build. I figured out what it was. I was using a custom font for english and just forcing the Japanese text to fit into it.

Not a good idea. So what I did to fix was make sure the system font went to Default:

if systemLanguage == "ja" or systemLanguage == "Japanese" then \_dictionary:setCurrentLanguage("Japanese") \_theFont = system.DefaultFont print (" Setting to Japanese") end

My numbers aren’t as cool using the basic font, but at least I know it fits the language presets for that area. These images are cropped from screenshots of device off iPad4, so it works! 

[thomas6]

Otherwise try finding an opentype font. Big chance this will work better on the iPad.

[gamebit.labs]

@thomas6

Otherwise try finding an opentype font. Big chance this will work better on the iPad.

Hi Thomas6,

please share your experience. why do opentype fonts work better on iPad or iOS?

i am using truetype fonts from google fonts. i notice some clipping on the top and bottom part of the characters. I used Font Squirrel’s webfont generator to fix the issue.

Ben

[thomas6]

Hi Gamebit and all,

Actually, my reasoning is a bit indirect, and has to do with the intricacies of font development and Windows / Mac rivalry.

Source of experience: 15 years running our own branding studio ( wewantmore.studio )

Designing a font prototype is super-easy and quick. You just copy/past your letter shapes from Illustrator into FontLab Studio (or similar) and Bob’s your uncle. Typically general graphic designers only do this part. Really truly designing a fully functional font involves setting loads of variables that have to do with font classification, leading, font height and spacing etc… This is really boring, technical work that only experienced font designers master and apply.

Most designers don’t bother with the technical stuff because most software is pretty forgiving, so their work ends after copy/pasting the shapes and setting some kerning pairs. The problem is that Corona (or the iOS font engine) is not so forgiving. That’s why many fonts look okay in Windows or MacOS, Illustrator or Photoshop, but fail in Corona.

The reason why I prefer openType to Truetype is indirect and twofold. It’s not because either format is better, but:

1. The general hobbyist font creator more often uses cheaper/Windows software, and these often create TrueType fonts rather then openType. Or said differently: there is a bigger chance that your font will not be decently designed when it is a trueType font.

2. I’m oversimplifying but: Windows and trueType are historically linked. MacOS and openType are also more linked. For this reason in general openType fonts will be better supported than trueType on Apple devices.

[gamebit.labs]

Thanks for the elaborate explanation…

Ben

[thomas6]

Truetype or opentype font? Windows or Mac simulator or device build? If device, iOS or Android?

[Lava_Level]

ttf. iPad only build. I figured out what it was. I was using a custom font for english and just forcing the Japanese text to fit into it.

Not a good idea. So what I did to fix was make sure the system font went to Default:

if systemLanguage == "ja" or systemLanguage == "Japanese" then \_dictionary:setCurrentLanguage("Japanese") \_theFont = system.DefaultFont print (" Setting to Japanese") end

My numbers aren’t as cool using the basic font, but at least I know it fits the language presets for that area. These images are cropped from screenshots of device off iPad4, so it works! 

[thomas6]

Otherwise try finding an opentype font. Big chance this will work better on the iPad.

[gamebit.labs]

@thomas6

Otherwise try finding an opentype font. Big chance this will work better on the iPad.

Hi Thomas6,

please share your experience. why do opentype fonts work better on iPad or iOS?

i am using truetype fonts from google fonts. i notice some clipping on the top and bottom part of the characters. I used Font Squirrel’s webfont generator to fix the issue.

Ben

[thomas6]

Hi Gamebit and all,

Actually, my reasoning is a bit indirect, and has to do with the intricacies of font development and Windows / Mac rivalry.

Source of experience: 15 years running our own branding studio ( wewantmore.studio )

Designing a font prototype is super-easy and quick. You just copy/past your letter shapes from Illustrator into FontLab Studio (or similar) and Bob’s your uncle. Typically general graphic designers only do this part. Really truly designing a fully functional font involves setting loads of variables that have to do with font classification, leading, font height and spacing etc… This is really boring, technical work that only experienced font designers master and apply.

Most designers don’t bother with the technical stuff because most software is pretty forgiving, so their work ends after copy/pasting the shapes and setting some kerning pairs. The problem is that Corona (or the iOS font engine) is not so forgiving. That’s why many fonts look okay in Windows or MacOS, Illustrator or Photoshop, but fail in Corona.

The reason why I prefer openType to Truetype is indirect and twofold. It’s not because either format is better, but:

1. The general hobbyist font creator more often uses cheaper/Windows software, and these often create TrueType fonts rather then openType. Or said differently: there is a bigger chance that your font will not be decently designed when it is a trueType font.

2. I’m oversimplifying but: Windows and trueType are historically linked. MacOS and openType are also more linked. For this reason in general openType fonts will be better supported than trueType on Apple devices.

[gamebit.labs]

Thanks for the elaborate explanation…

Ben