New iPad app is not using ligatures, and other suggestions
The latest version of the iPad app (the one employing the Skolar PE font) does not seem to be using the customary ligatures when rendering text. (By ligatures, I mean the alternative renderings of character pairs and triplets that are built into the font, such as ‘fl’, ‘fi’, etc.). I observe this problem with the NKJV resource, but it may also be present in others.
Since I am writing a post, I’d also like to take this opportunity to request the following changes:
1. That a request for a three column layout be honoured, even with larger font sizes. At the moment, the app considers itself to know my preferences better than I do, and forces a two column layout in my preferred font size rather than the three column one I have selected. I like short line lengths.
2. The option of selecting left justified text with a ragged right margin, rather than full justification. Readability research shows that left justified text is easier to read, and it avoids the unsightly gaps in text that the current hypenation engine is incapable of eliminating. (I realize that some people prefer the look of full justification, which is why I request this to be an option.)
3. The possibility of at least conducting a plain text search within an open resource.
4. The possibility of looking up Greek words (e.g. in BDAG) from an English resource (e.g. the NKJV) when offline. At the moment, the ‘Look up’ function doesn’t work when I do not have an Internet connect (e.g. at church).
Many thanks to the team for a useful iPad application, however!
Comments
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The latest version of the iPad app (the one employing the Skolar PE font) does not seem to be using the customary ligatures when rendering text. (By ligatures, I mean the alternative renderings of character pairs and triplets that are built into the font, such as ‘fl’, ‘fi’, etc.). I observe this problem with the NKJV resource, but it may also be present in others.
Hi Daniel,
This is a known issue that has already been written up - a fix is in the pipeline. Thanks for the report!
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Hi Daniel,
This is a known issue that has already been written up - a fix is in the pipeline. Thanks for the report!
Thanks Kevin!
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I see that the ligature issue is fixed in the latest version of the iPad app – that’s great, thank you.
Now may we have small caps (e.g. the ‘ORD’ in ‘LORD’) rendered using the proper OpenType small caps glyphs in the Skolar PE font, please, rather than having them drawn using a scaled down version of the normal full size uppercase glyphs?
Downsizing the full size glyphs means that the stroke width no longer matches that of the other letters. (In addition, the downsized capitals are being drawn slightly below the baseline of the other characters, which also makes the text look rather scrappy.)
Many thanks!
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I see that the ligature issue is fixed in the latest version of the iPad app – that’s great, thank you.
I think its fixed because they reverted to the old font (at least until they can work out the other details). That is my understanding, but I could be wrong.
It's still Skolar (the new font). Only Greek has been converted to Gentium.
MacBook Pro (2019), ThinkPad E540
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Downsizing the full size glyphs means that the stroke width no longer matches that of the other letters. (In addition, the downsized capitals are being drawn slightly below the baseline of the other characters, which also makes the text look rather scrappy.)
I can't see the baseline problem, even with the font at maximum size. I do have a retina display--maybe that's masking the problem.
MacBook Pro (2019), ThinkPad E540
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