SignWriting Symbol Font: TrueType outlines with OpenType features

Fri Sep 19 16:50:18 UTC 2014

SignWriting List
September 18, 2014

Hello André, Stefan, Steve, Bill - everyone!

I had a great Skype conversation with Steve Slevinski this morning (thank you, Steve ;-)

I am not a programmer, nor a computer expert nor a computer repair technician…just like you André, as you say in your message below…

Here is what I understand is happening (if I am wrong, Steve, feel free to correct me)

1. The programs we use right now do not use Unicode. We are using Steve’s development, called Formal SignWriting (FSW). It works beautifully without Unicode. And we will continue to use it - FSW gives us full texts in Wikipedias, in SignPuddle, in SignWriter Studio and so forth.

2. Regarding Unicode...The Unicode-related committees voted the SignWriting symbols of the ISWA 2010 into Unicode version 8 - yeah!

3. Unicode version 8 will be ready for use in mid-2015.

4. Unicode version 8 cannot even display the SignWriting symbols without some kind of a TrueType Font for the entire ISWA 2010.

5. Steve is developing that Font right now. So without Steve’s development of the TrueType OpenType Font, the Unicode could not display the symbols.

6. The TrueType OpenType Font for the ISWA 2010 will be ONE font with all of the 30,000 (and more) symbols in one font installed on a computer. Pretty cool that all those symbols will be in one font.

7. BUT… it is a different kind of TrueType than the kind that is made with Fontographer. It is not the same kind of TrueType that Stefan creates with Fontographer.

8. This new font is TrueType OpenType Font Technology. For more information about the OpenType Technology, you can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenType

9. It is my understand that in a few weeks Steve will have the font ready to be used with Unicode version 8, so that is so wonderful!

10. BUT…even when Unicode version 8 comes out and we have the font to display the symbols, we still will not be able to type the symbols? Why? because Unicode does not create the software to go with it…it is only a standard on symbol characters used in different languages - so software still has to be developed to be able to keyboard or type with the new font that Steve is creating to work with Unicode version 8.

11. So in summary, using the new font will require new programming to make it possible to type with it.

So André, if you lose patience, that is life! I love drag and drop, so I use SignPuddle. And I love SignWriter Studio too, which has some keyboarding already as you know -

Do you use SignWriter Studio? It a desktop Windows program and it has some keyboarding right now. You can also drag and drop. You can do both.

So we will continue to use the software programs we have, and I am grateful to Steve and Jonathan and the Delegs program and everyone who is doing such a great job.

So there is already a way to keyboard in SignWriter Studio and in Yair Rand’s system, which hopefully will become a part of writing articles in sign language Wikipedias (that is my hope)…

I do not know when we will be able to develop keyboarding or key-mapping with the new SignWriting TrueType OpenType Font - it will take time that is for sure…

Thank you, André, for all the work you have already done in SignPuddle Online - I love reading your work in the Quebec SignPuddle: 

http://www.signbank.org/signpuddle/index1.html#sgn-CA-fr

Val ;-)

——

On Sep 18, 2014, at 12:02 PM, Stefan Wöhrmann <stefanwoehrmann at GOOGLEMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Hi André, 
> 
> just curious - you write 
> 
> "However, I intend to learn how to use a keyboard in SignPuddle in the
> future. Otherwise, I will lose motivation if I can only use a mouse for SW
> sign language (SignPuddle)."
> 
> What does that mean. What will happen? 
> 
> All best 
> 
> Stefan 
> 
> 
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: SignWriting List: Read and Write Sign Languages [mailto:SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU] Im Auftrag von André Thibeault
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 18. September 2014 19:11
> An: SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU
> Betreff: Re: SignWriting Symbol Font: TrueType outlines with OpenType features
> 
> Hi Steve and everyone,
> 
> I am not a computer expert, nor a programmer, nor a computer repair
> technician.
> 
> Charles Bulter and I have asked a question (a keyboard) before. If the SW
> symbol font is ready, will we be able to use a keyboard for SW sign
> languages (not for spoken languages)?
> 
> Val, I know that you will answer this: “Should we learn a SW-Box Dos if we
> can use a keyboard for SW sign languages?” I am sorry to say that I am not
> really interested in learning SW-Box Dos.
> 
> However, I intend to learn how to use a keyboard in SignPuddle in the
> future. Otherwise, I will lose motivation if I can only use a mouse for SW
> sign language (SignPuddle).
> 
> For many years now, Steve has been a hard worker improving for us many
> computer features and functions, which is great and praiseworthy. Thanks a
> lot, Steve!
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> André
> 
> 
> 
> Le 14-09-17 15:43, « Stephen E Slevinski Jr » <slevin at SIGNPUDDLE.NET> a
> écrit :
> 
>> Hi SignWriting List,
>> 
>> I've been busy working with the ISWA 2010 Font Reference. I just
>> released version 1.10.
>> http://signpuddle.net/iswa
>> 
>> It is a vast collection of ISWA 2010 data available in a variety of
>> formats such as PNG, PBM, SVG, TXT, and TTF.
>> 
>> I'm happy to announce the availability of 150 MB of new compressed and
>> refined SVG files for the ISWA 1010. There are 37,811 line glyphs and
>> 25,429 fill glyphs, available in 4 styles: as Unified SVG (2 color), as
>> Line SVG, as Fill SVG (white), and as Fill SVG (black). Every style has
>> either 37,811 glyphs because it includes the line or it has 25,429
>> glyphs because it is fill only. The individual SVG files are named after
>> the symbol key and available in one of 12 different zipped directories.
>> 
>> This is prep work for the new TrueType outline conversion. I should be
>> able to create 2-color fonts in a variety of formats that can be
>> downloaded and installed, or streamed over the internet for viewing
>> without installation. People who install the font locally will decrease
>> their internet traffic by 96%. Instead of a page size of 1.1 MB of
>> streamed SVGs or TTFs, the page will include 36 KB of FSW text.
>> 
>> Once the new font files are loaded with the TrueType outlines, I will
>> need to map those glyphs onto a set of characters. Using Open Type
>> features, I have put together 3 more text files, each is over 1 MB. The
>> feature files map a set of strings onto the glyphs in the font. Each
>> file contains a different set of target strings. There is one for FSW
>> symbol keys, another for Unicode 8, and a final set for Unicode PUA.
>> Regardless of our character set choice, we should be able to utilize a
>> client side font and reduce our network traffic by 96%.
>> 
>> All of these files are available on the ISWA 2010 Font Reference in the
>> Symbol Font Development section.
>> http://signpuddle.net/iswa/#fontdev
>> 
>> I am hoping to have the new font files available soon. I am making
>> progress with FontForge and python scripting. I will keep you posted.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> ∼Steve
>> 
>> ________________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> SIGNWRITING LIST INFORMATION
>> 
>> Valerie Sutton
>> SignWriting List moderator
>> sutton at signwriting.org
>> 
>> Post Messages to the SignWriting List:
>> sw-l at listserv.valenciacollege.edu
>> 
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> 
> ________________________________________________
> 
> 
> SIGNWRITING LIST INFORMATION
> 
> Valerie Sutton
> SignWriting List moderator
> sutton at signwriting.org
> 
> Post Messages to the SignWriting List:
> sw-l at listserv.valenciacollege.edu
> 
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> 
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> 
> ________________________________________________
> 
> 
> SIGNWRITING LIST INFORMATION
> 
> Valerie Sutton
> SignWriting List moderator
> sutton at signwriting.org
> 
> Post Messages to the SignWriting List:
> sw-l at listserv.valenciacollege.edu
> 
> SignWriting List Archives & Home Page
> http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist
> 
> Join, Leave or Change How You Receive SW List Messages
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> 

________________________________________________

SIGNWRITING LIST INFORMATION

Valerie Sutton
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sutton at signwriting.org

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