[XeTeX] Differences between XeTeX on Mac and Windows

[Fr. Michael Gilmary]

Yannis Haralambous wrote:


> Then one of the students downloaded XeTeX contained in latest MikTeX, 
> tried exactly the same code, and it didn't worked. He hat to add
> "script=arab" to the font name (he used a Windows font called 
> "Traditional Arabic"), and \beginR...\endR commands to obtain the same 
> result as I did.
>
> Is that normal?

Hi Yannis!

Jonathan Kew wrote to me about a similar question a while back on this list:

> The fontspec [Script=....] option presupposes that OpenType "shaping"  
> is to be applied. Al Bayan (and the other Arabic, Indic, etc., fonts  
> that Apple ships) relies on AAT, not OpenType, for shaping behavior.  
> Left to itself, xetex will pick the appropriate rendering technology  
> based on what it finds in the font, but by specifying [Script] in  
> through fontspec you are overriding that, and insisting it use the  
> OpenType route. But Al Bayan doesn't include OpenType tables, so you  
> lose.
>
> When using AAT fonts, xetex also tries to apply whatever justification  
> behavior the font provides, which may include kashidas in Arabic  
> fonts. There's no such support in the OpenType engine at the moment.
>
> So... two different font technologies. (Note that AAT support is only  
> available on Mac OS X, so users on other platforms should disregard  
> this completely.)
>   


So, I hope that helps.

-- 
United in adoration of Jesus, 



fr. michael gilmary, mma

Most Holy Trinity Monastery
67 Dugway Road
Petersham, MA 01366-9725