[XeTeX] XITS Math font - first beata

[Will Robertson]

On 2010-06-05 14:58:22 +0930, 
wodzicki at math.berkeley.edu said:

> I read your answer to my post as an admission that STIXGeneral, which
> covers actually all the usual 'text' blocks of the Unicode is not really
> suitable for text? Is it really so? My naive perhaps perception was that
> STIXGeneral was not just a 'Math' font but a complete font that was
> expected to be used for both text and Math.

No, sorry, I misspoke. I wouldn't say that it's *not* suitable (in 
fact, it has a very good glyph coverage in certain areas), just that 
using separate -- but similar -- fonts for text and math might end up 
being even better than just one.

In fact, I take it all back. STIX is fine for text, and so is TeX Gyre 
Termes. I guess I just meant to say that there are options available. 
But XTIS math, unless I am mistaken, should purely be used for maths.

> Why then bother about designing 'OldStyle' figures in XITS Math? My
> understanding is that one uses them exclusively in the text -- not in the
> Math mode. Or there is a provision somewhere in 'unicode-math' for them to
> be used also in Math? (if there is one, I haven't found it)

If you want them in math, it should be possible to write

\setmathfont[range=\mathup/{num},Numbers=OldStyle]{XITS Math}

after the regular math font declaration, but I haven't tried it. I hope 
it works :)

If you ask me, I can add this as an option somewhere in the package. 
(I've seen old-style figures in maths in examples before, but never "in 
the wild".)

Thanks,
Will