When Johann Gutenberg invented the first moveable and resuable type in the mid-fifteenth century, a new artform was born in the western world. Various forms of printing were in use much before that in other parts of the world, notably the Orient, but Gutenberg's invention is credited with starting the age of printing in Europe and which naturally spread to the New World. Prior to that, most publishing was hand-lettered and because of that, early typestyles were imitations of hand drawn typestyles.
Early books were printed in gothic type, a style most recognizable on the cover of a Bible. Old English is probably the best known gothic typestyle and to some, Old English is probably the best known gothic typestyle and to some, Old English is the gothic typestyle much the same as you make a Xerox copy even though you might not have used a copy mahcine manufactured by Xerox. Nonetheless, Old English is just one of many such typestyles in the gothic group. They are very decorative, in fact, graceful and beautiful. But they are just a tad hard to read and today are best left to the particular niche they play in our lives, the very special kind of decoration they do so well. It should be noted that the term gothic is also used today to describe some modern typestyles that do not have serifs, the cross lines at the ends of the letter's main strokes. The two uses of the word gothic are unrelated. The original gothic typestyles are named in the same way a cathedral is called gothic.
A more useful type for us today, especially with dot matrix printing, also has its roots back in the late fifteenth centruy. Roman typestyles, very much in use today, are likewise patterened after hand drawn typestyles. There are many Roman typestyles but they all have at least one thing in common...they all have serifs.
This family is further broken down. Oldstyle refers to the earlier Roman types and generally these types have less contrast between the thickest and the thinnest parts of their letters. Modern Roman typestyles, the newer classification, refers to types designed within the past two centuries. Due to the increase in printing press speeds and the advent of linecasting machiens, type blocks wore out faster. The serifs and the thin parts of the letters were made finer so they could thicken as they wore down. Modern Roma letters have more contrast between their thick and thin parts. A good example of a Modern Roman typestyle is Times Roman, although there are many Romas used today.
Sans-serif typestyles, a third classification, do not have serifs. They are very popular today due to their simplicity of design and easy readability. There ususally is not much contrast between the thick and thin parts of the letter, often no difference at all.
Two other classifications are also of interest to us. Decorative types are novelty styles and are used to command attention. They can be used as headlines and attention-getters but should not be used for text. They are too hard to read in smaller sizes. Playbill is a good example of a decorative typeface and you will recognize it as the headline typeface on an Old West 'wanted poster'. These typestyles are from many sources and probably most of them were designed by oldtime signpainters.
Script typestyles imitate handwriting, there are no serifs, and the lower case letters are often connected together. They run the whole spectrum from lain to very fancy and can be used for special effects for headlines and attention-getters. Capital letters tend to be huge in comparison to lower case letters and get hard to read in smaller sizes.
Unlike the other typestyle groups above, you cannot set either Gothics or Scripts in all capital letters. Well, you can, but it looks silly!
Roman styles and their sans-serif counterparts are straight or perpendicular to the baseline. Italics are slanted versions in the same family. Originally there were no slanted versions. An Italian, Aldus Manutius, created italics to satisfy the need to get more words onto a piece of paper. True italics are designed to be italics and should not beconfused with obliques, which are electronically slanted versions of a Roman letter. There are subtle differences between Roman and italic letters beside the slant, most notably the lower case 'a'. Obliques are formed from the Roman letter by a computer program routine.
5-B. A Few Definitions For the Record
The term typestyle refers to a family of type. This includes all capital and lower case letters, the numbers, and all the assorted punctuation marks designed for use within the type family. In addition, most families are further broken down into sub-sections by the weight or boldness of the letters. The most common sets include light, regular, medium and bold. Add a set of italic letters for each weight, throw in a few condensed (thin) and a few extended (fat) versions, and a fmaily can get quite large indeed.
The size of a letter is measured in points. There are 72 points to an inch. The pointsize of an alphabet is measured from the baseline of one ine of type to the baseline of the next. Some typophiles do not agree with this definition, but it suits our purposes here.
Ordinarily the bottoms of one line of type do not touch the tops of the next line down. A letter in a 36 point typeface does not measure 36 points high because space is added to prevent this. In addition, some typestyles require more space between lines due to the design of the typefaces themselves. When type was set on blocks of metacl, sometimes thin strips of lead were placed between lines of type to space them out further... hence we have the term leading. PublisherPlus allows you to increase, or lead out, the amount of space between lines and in some cases this is advisable. There are no rules concerning this other than to state that what you want to set should be attractive and easy to read. Setting type too tight or leaded out toom much can make the reading tediuos. This manual is set 10 point pTimes on 11 lead becasue we felt the extra point of lead spaced it out just enough to make it easy for you to read. And that is really the only rule in printing... make it attractive and easy to read.
The width of a line of type can be measured in inches, millimeters or picas, with picas being the standard of the industry in America. There are six picas to an inch and 12 points to a pica. Picas are nice to use because there are only picas and half picas. It is a nice linear measurement as there are no 13/16th, etc. PublisherPuls allows you to select whatever measurement system you prefer to use. Some countries use still other printing measures but since the rest of the world understands millimeters, we hope we have satisfied everyone who will use the program.
A column of type, kinown as a gallery, usually has it depth measured in inches today. Depth formerly was measured in Agate Lines but nowadays agate lines are usually used only on newspaper's classified ad pages. For the record though, there are 14 agat lines to a column inch.
Generally speaking, typesizes smaller than 15 point are used primarily for text and are easiest to use with word processor files. Sizes larger than that are used for headlines and other display type needs and can easily be set from the keyboard.
We have tried to explain any terms used in this manual as we go. If you have any questions though, there is a Glossary of publishing, printing and computer terminology in Chapter 6. Any words used that you do not understand can probably be found there.
5-C. Typestyles on Publisher Plus
With the exception of two standard Amiga fonts, all typestyles on the Publisher Plus disk are either standard Adobe PostScript fonts, Times and Helvetica, for use on PostScript printers or are fonts created by Northeast Software Group for their clarity and neatness on dot matrix printers.
The smaller Northeast Software Group typefaces, Lt. Bingo and Lt. Bubba, the text faces, are simple serifed and sans-serifed alphabets that will be easy to read for all column material. Italic, bold, bold italic and underlined versions can all be accessed from the Attributes menu although it will probably be easier to enter any changes within the word processor files before you load them onto the PublisherPlus page. Captions for pictures and sub-heads within the text are usually set in bold and sometimes bold italics while the text itself is set in the plain version. These fonts will appear bit-mapped if used on PostScript printing devices but their quality should be much clearer. On the other hand, using NSG bit-mapped fonts in type sizes that involve the scaling function might not provide the clarity you need. You should run a few tests before 'scaling' fonts for dot matrix printing.
The larger Northeast Software Group typestyle, Zap, is a display typeface and offers many options for headlines and attention-getters. Zap is intended for use as newspaper type headlines and can be used either all capitol letters or upper and lower case.
The PostScript typestyles, pTimes, pCourier, pSymbol, and pHelvetica, can be scaled to almost anyu size and will reproduce in typeset quality (635-2540 dots per inch) on photoype-setters such as manufactured by Linotype and laser printer quality (300 dpi). They can also be used on dot matrix printers although some scaled sizes might not look just right. Expirement! The following pages show the complete character sets for all the fonts supplied on PublisherPlus. While memory limitation restricts the number of fonts available on your PublisherPlus disk, we think there is an adequate selection for most publishing needs.
Additional typestyles are available on Zuma Font disks and other sources within the Amiga sphere of software developers and users. Northeast Software Group is also preparing a disk with many new bitmap fonts, PostScript fonts and useful printer's ornamentation designed primarily for use on Publisher Plus. There are also font editors available which you can use to create your own fonts. Check with your Amiga dealer for more information on all these options.
5-D. Loading Fonts from other Sources
Procedures for downloading fonts from other sources can vary with the sources themselves. Some of the companies that developed font disks for the Amiga include easy to follow routines that move fonts from one disk onto another. PublisherPlus will always look for fonts that reside on the PublisherPlus disk. Therefore, the safest way to use fonts other than the ones included on the PublisherPlus disk is to copy each of the fonts you want to use into the PublisherPlus FONTS directory. To do this, you can use the routines supplied on your fonts disks. If no routine is available on your fonts disk, you can use the Amiga CLI DOS copy command to move fonts from one disk to the PublisherPlus disk. CLI DOS copy command explanations are beyond the scope of this manual. We therefore, refer you to the AmigaDOS manual for an explanation of the copy command.
ONE IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: If you prepare several different PublisherPlus program disks, each containing a different list of fonts, you should always use the same PublisherPlus program disk to reload a page as used when it was originally created. This will insure that the fonts you used to originally create the page will be found on the program disk. If PublisherPlus cannot find a font, it will default to Topaz 8 point.
5-E. The Borders Font
Included in the type library on the PublisherPlus program disk is a special-use font with no letters. It is called 'Borders' and has a wide variety of rules, borders and dingbats that can be used to ornament your pages. These images can be accessed from the keyboard the same way you access regular letters. Refer to the typestyles samples for this font under Typestyle Samples in this chapter. Simply find the character you want to use and strike the corresponding key on the keyboard. Many of them are spaced to touch the next one to create a solid ornamental line.
Just how you use this font pretty much depends on your own creativity. They can be typed in as a decorative rule as in the sample exercise in Chapter 2. By experimenting with the leading feature (Attributes menu), you can even create vertical rules that touch. Decorative boxes can be made. One set of borders on the font also has corners. Careful manipulation of these can make a perfect box. There are also two sets of numbers that can be used for decorative call-outs within graphics.
This is a creative device and how you use them can have a definite effect on your page's appearance. Remember, don't ornament the page to a point where your inteded message gets lost. Be careful to use just enough but not too much.
Glossary of Common Printing, Publishing & Computing Terms
Agate Line - a measure of printed matter depth, not used much today. Not used on PublisherPlus. 14 agate lines equal 1 inch.
Art - illustration copy used in preparing a publication.
Ascender - that part of a lower case letter that rises above the main body of the letter, such as on 'd'.
Baseline - the invisible line that a line of type sits on.
Body Type - name given to the main part, or text, of a printed piece as opposed to a headline.
Bold - the amount of blackness a typestyle has within its family.
Computerized Composition - term for the use of computers to automatically perform the functions of hypernation, justification, and page formatting.
Condensed Type - type whose width is less than normal.
Copy - Any furnished material (text, pictures, artwork, etc.) to be used in the production of a printed piece.
Crop - to eliminate any portion of the copy, usually photographs or artwork. Indicated by 'crop marks'.
Cut - see Delete.
Descender - that part of a lower case letter which extends below the main body of the letter, such as on a 'p'.
Delete - remove segments of copy from a story.
Display Type - type set larger than the text, used to attract attention.
Dummy - a rough pencil layout showing the positioning of all parts of a printing page.
Edit - make changes and/or corrections in a story.
EM - a unit of measurement exactly as wide and as high as the type being set.
Expanded Type - type whose width is greater than normal.
Flush Left - or Right) type set to align itself to the left (or right) margin.
Font - a comlete assortment of letters, numbers and punctuation marks of a given size, weight, and design of an alphabet.
Format - the size, style, type page, margins, etc. of a printed piece.
Gutenberg, Johann, (c 1400-1468) Germin inventory of printing using moveable type.
Galley - all paragraphs that make up a block of type.
Halftone - method used to print a continuous tone artwork such as a photograph by applying a dot-screen pattern to it.
Head/Headline - the large type over a story used to draw attention to it.
IFF (Interchange File Format industry standard format used in some graphic programs to allow pictures created on them to be transferred to other programs.
Italic - intentionally slanted design version of Roman alphabet.
Justify - the proper spacing of type to allow both the left and right margins to be equal.
Kern - the positioning of letters in relation to each other that eliminates excessive white spaces between them.
Layout - a drawing or sketch of a planned printed piece.
Lead - (led) the positioning of lines of type to add space between them.
Leaders - rows of dashes or dots... used to lead the eye across a page.
Lower Case - the small letters in an alphabet, as opposed to 'capital' letters.
Margin - the left or right side of a block of type.
Measure - the width of a line of type, usually measured in picas of the U.S. PublisherPlus can measure in inches and millimeteres also.
Modem - device that converts computer data into code for transmission over phone lines.
Olbique - electronically slanted Roman letter.
Page Makeup - the electronic assembly of page elements on a computer.
Pagination - the process of performing page makeup automatically.
Pasteup - assembling the elements of a page by hand, usually at a drafing table.
Photo Typesetting - method of setting type photographically.
Pica - measure of width in printing. 6 picas = 1 inch.
Points - measure of depth in printing. 12 points = 1 pica; 72 points = 1 inch
PointSize - the size of a typeface, measured in points, from the baseline of one line to the baseline of the next one.
PostScript - a page description language developed by Adobe Systems, Inc. which allows page make-up programs like PublisherPlus to assemble and print out complete pages and documents.
Rag - uneven margin. Example: Rag (ged) Right means that not all lines of type are equal in length but they all align themselves against the left margin.
Roman - group of typestyles that evolved form the capital letters used by the early Romans. Lower case letters were added later. Roman alphabets are perpendicular to the baseline and have thin serifs.
Roman - term used to signify perpendicular letters as opposed to italics.
Scanner - electrical device used in conjunction with a computer to digitize or arrange artwork for electronic input.
Serif - the short cross-lines at the ends of main strokes of some alphabets. Sans-serif typefaces have no serifs.
Text - the body matter of a page, as distinguished from headlines or display type.
Thirty - used in newspapers, the symbol '-30- means the end of a story.
Typestyle - a family of alphabets, their letters, numbers and punctuation marks, that are designed to work as a set. Usually given a proper name and further described by terms such as Extra Bold, Bold, Medium, Light, Italic, etc.
UntraBold - usually the boldest or blackest version of a family of typestyles.
Widow - in typesetting, a single word on a line by itself; frowned upon in good typesetting.
Word Processing - typesetting on a device capable of recording it to allow for inputting, editing, and outputting. In PublisherPlus's case, you can enter all your text matter into a word processor, edit it, then 'dump' it into Publisher Plus for page assembly.
X - cross it off, get rid of it!
X-Axis - on a computer screen, the distance that the cursor is from the left side.
Y-Axis - the distance that the cursor is from the top of the screen.
ZZ - the times on your Amiga when IT is working and you can't.
6-B. ProofReader's Marks
The proofreader's marks on the next two pages are standard in the printing industry. They are included here because you might see them on copy you get from other sources. They are usually hand drawn on typewritten copy and indicate what is to be done and where. A mark (^) is drawn within the copy at the point where the correction is to be made. Then a line is drawn out to the side where the appropriate notation is made. You do not have to use them but the pro's do... and let's face it, with PublisherPlus, you are a pro.
5-C. Hints and Tips
1. With a series of elements stacked one upon the other, it may be desireable to move one of the elements to determine which element is on top. The Status menu option is the best to use for this. On the other hand, if the series of elements are different; for example, a line, a solid and a picture, you can find which one is in front by clicking on the element cluster, holding the mouse button down and reading the message in the prompt line at the top of the screen. If it is not the element you wish to work on, select Send To Back from the Edit menu. Keep doing this until you reach the element you want.
2. If you have a meg or so of memory, you might try running PublisherPlus in RAM. This will allow the program to run faster by eliminating much of the disk access. Be certain to first set your stack to 10,000 if runging from the CLI.