A whole evening spent, the question was quite simple, someone wants fixed spaces 3 points Didot between all the words of a poem.

This constitutes a nice problem: how can we get the computer so silly, he will find the correct Monotype-codes.

In principe the with of a cast character or space, can be changed by activating the adjustment wedges. Monotype-slang for this is: casting with the S-needle.

Normally this mechanism is used to achieve flat text with the caster. GS2, and above 12 set GS1 is used for this. While typing his text, the man behind the keyboard, had to read from the round table, the proper places of the wedges when the end of the line was reached. Two times an extra key was pressed to obtain the proper coding to fill the line.

The special wish here, gives two more problems: 3 points Didot is by no means a integer when expressed in units of a certain "set".

1 unit 12.5 set = (12.5 / 1296)" = .00965" 3 points Didot = 3 * .0148" = .0444" = 4.6 units 12.5 set.

This can be cast with GS1, only the placing of the wedges is to be calculated yet:

3 point Didot = .0444" 5 units 12.5 set = .0482" -- -- -- -- -- - .0038" = 4 * .0005"

3 / 8 - 0 / 4 = 3 / 4

During casting, the machine will take two cycles for placing the wedges.

GS1 0, 0xa0, 0x04, 0 NKg3 0x48, 0x04, 0x10, 0 NJ4 k 0x44, 0, 0x08, 0x01

I?ve added the hexadecimal code, the interface will need to sent to the caster.

This might be magic for most people, but I hope to find some time to explain it some day.

In binary code Monotype-junks like me, will recognize the code on the "ribbon" the keyboard makes:

GS1

.... .... G.S. .... .1.. .... ....

NKg3

.N.. .... .... .g.. ...3 .... ....

NJ4k

.N.. .J.. .... .... .... 4... ...k

Next Sunday I will visit my friends in Mijnsheerenland, a little village near Rotterdam. Then we’ll gonna make the driver-program for the interface. After that, we can try for the first time the complete system?