Choosing numerals in OpenType fonts

OpenType fonts generally contain different numeral styles within one font. These different types of numbers are controlled by your typesetting application (such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, or Quark Xpress 7 – all 'OpenType Savvy'). Please note that not all applications support OpenType features. Software which cannot access these advanced options, (such as Microsoft Word), will only display ‘default’ figures. See the list of applications which support OpenType layout features.

If you do not specify which style of numerals you would like to use, the application will use the ‘default’ figures in the font. Fedra Sans, for example, displays Proportional Oldstyle figures by default.

If you go to the Character palette and then select the OpenType menu in the Adobe applications, you can change the numeral style to any of the OpenType-supported styles. For setting numbers with capitals, Proportional Lining figures are recommended.

For typesetting tables, it is good practice to use Tabular Lining figures. They can be selected by choosing Tabular Lining figures.

In addition to Tabular Lining figures, most Typotheque fonts also contain Tabular Oldstyle figures.

Typotheque OpenType fonts also contain Superior and Inferior figures, which are selected in a separate part of the OpenType feature menu.

Finally, to avoid confusion between a zero and a capital O, a slashed zero glyph is available in most Typotheque fonts.