Contextual character shaping
In general, contextual character shaping is the selection of the required shape of a character in a given font depending on its position in a word and its surrounding characters.
The following shapes are possible:
| Character shaping | Description |
|---|---|
| Isolated | A character that is connected to neither a preceding nor succeeding character |
| Final | A character that is connected to a preceding character but not with a succeeding character |
| Initial | A character connected to a succeeding character but not with a preceding character |
| Middle | A character connected to both a preceding and succeeding character |
A character may also have any of the following characteristics:
- Connecting to a preceding character
- Connecting to a succeeding character
- Allowing surrounding characters' connections to pass through it
Acronyms, part numbers, and graphic characters do not need contextual character shaping. To properly enter these characters, turn off the contextual character shaping and use a specific keyboard interface for exact selection of the desired shape. Tag these characters by field, line, or control character for later presentation.