RE: Font and template usage for multiple outputs

Subject: RE: Font and template usage for multiple outputs
From: "Chinell, David F \(GE Indust, Security\)" <David -dot- Chinell -at- GE -dot- com>
To: "Texan Scriber" <texanscriber -at- gmail -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:50:22 -0500

Well, you asked.

1. Best fonts to use to match PDF and CHM

If the PDF is intended to be printed and used that way (i.e. on-demand printing by the end-user) then you shouldn't try to make a printed and an online product have similar fonts.

If you're really downplaying the printed versions, then sans serif fonts seem to do best online. We use Verdana for CHM files, and there's no reason why you couldn't use it for PDFs intended for online consumption. You lose the distinction between body text (often serif) and display text (often sans serif -- captions, tables, footers, etc.) but it's not a huge loss.

2. Without using colors, what variations of fonts and formats would
you use for headings 1-4

I limit myself to three levels. Distinguishing between four levels of headings leads to typographic excess. (Just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should do that thing.) I don't believe the reader derives any structure or hierarchy information from heading levels unless they're numbered. I don't believe the reader wants that kind of information. I think headings are simply signposts -- random access tools.

Heading 1 is a topic, heading 2 and 3 are subdivisions thereof. Topics can be grouped into chapters, but I don't need that to be in the same heading hierarchy, as chapters (in our printed products) get their own page to support visual distinction.

I make Heading 3 (the lowest heading level) visually equivalent in X-height to the body text, but set it in the display face and bold it. Then Heading 2 and Heading 1 are bigger and have more space before (they're also bold, unless house style dictates otherwise). I like to get away with 2 or 3 points bigger for Heading 2, and maybe two lines before (e.g. 24 points if body is set on 12 points). For Heading 1, 2 or 3 points bigger again, and maybe four to six lines before (again, 48 to 60 points). Space after may also vary for heading 1 and 2, but not for heading 3.

You talked about "without using color" but I've enjoyed great results using shades of gray. My overall objective was to create a page that was a uniform gray when you squinted at it. So Heading 3 (and run-in headings) might be 75 to 80% gray. Heading 1 and 2 might be 50%. Similarly, any rules you're using could be gray rather than black -- table rules for example.

It takes some experimentation to find a balance between online and print results, but the end product seems much more attractive, and actually easier to read. (Maybe because the headings and rules don't distract the eye as badly?)

3. What is the most readable body font?

NO idea. We've used Times New Roman, several Stone faces, Bookman, Garamond, Arial, Verdana. There are no definitive studies (that I know of) that support any particular font as being most readable. Even the online vs. print guidelines I gave are oft challenged.

4. What quick fixes have you tried in the past to give old content a
quick face lift?

Grays. Styles that put certain components (cautions, warnings, tips) in a sidebar frame. Rules above figure captions (1/2 point, 25% gray) to emphasize the column boundaries, if the content of the figures doesn't do that or if the figures are always center aligned.

Bear
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References:
Font and template usage for multiple outputs: From: Texan Scriber

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