Using the Control Value Table

Every TrueType font uses a control value table (‘cvt’) of key values in the font. Each entry in the table gives the value for the dominant width, length, or angle of a group of features, such as the stem width or the serif length. Some control values are specific to certain glyphs, but others apply to the entire font.

To ensure consistency, your hints—anchors, links, and strokes—can refer to these key values. If you later change a value entered in the ‘cvt’ table, Visual TrueType updates all anchors, links, and strokes that refer to that ‘cvt’ entry.

The text-based control value table displays in its own window. When you prepare the font, the window opens automatically (see “Preparing the Open Font”). Before hinting, you need to fill in a template provided by Visual TrueType, described next.

After filling in the template, you may want to leave the window open. Otherwise, close it and open it again as needed. For example, you need to update a ‘cvt’ entry for italic glyphs (see the “Hinting diagonal strokes,” and “Hinting italic glyphs sections”). In addition, advanced users might want to review the ‘cvt’ entries to determine which values would be most appropriate for the anchors, links, and strokes. In addition, you might want to add other ‘cvt’ entries (for details, see “Modifying the ‘Cvt’ Table”).

To open the control value table

1.       On the Views menu, click Control Values, or press Ctrl + 4.

To close the control value table

1.       Select the control value table by clicking on the window or pressing Ctrl + 4.

2.      On the File menu, click Close. OR double-click the window’s close box.