If you'd like to specify how you want text to appear in your publication, you can change the options in the Font dialog box. The availability of some options depends on the languages and fonts that are installed and enabled for editing.
General
Font allows you to specify a font. Different fonts will have different characteristics, such as available OpenType features.
Font style allows you to specify a font style, such as Bold or Italic. In the box, select a font style. Your choice appears in the Sample box.
Size allows you to specify a font size in points. In the list, select a font size. Your choice appears in the Sample box.
Font Color allows you to specify the color of the font and the underline.
Effects
Underline allows you to underline text and change the underline style. Click (none) to remove underlining.
Superscript raises the selected text above the baseline and changes the selected text to a smaller font size.
Subscript lowers the selected text below the baseline and changes the selected text to a smaller font size.
Strikethrough draws a line through the selected text.
Small caps formats selected lowercase text as capital letters and reduces their size. Small caps formatting does not affect numbers, punctuation, non-alphabetic characters, or uppercase letters.
All caps formats lowercase letters as capitals. All caps formatting does not affect numbers, punctuation, non-alphabetic characters, or uppercase letters.
More Effects opens the Format Text Effects dialog giving you access to more text options:
OpenType features
Some fonts, such as Gabriola and Calibri, support a range of new features so you can transform ordinary text into fine typography. If the font you choose doesn't support the OpenType features this section won't be available.
Number style
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Tabular formats numbers so each number uses the same number of pixels and lines up correctly in a table format.
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Proportional formats numbers so the number of pixels is proportional, for example a 0 may be wider than a 1.
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Lining and Old-style will either set the numbers to a baseline so they are all vertical, or will allow the numbers to have different positions as shown in this example:
Stylistic alternates allows you to select an alternate look for the characters you've selected (as long as the font designer has created these alternates).
Ligatures are connections between characters, such as between th or ff creating essentially one character out of two. Standard ligatures will only use the most common combination of letters. If the font designer also created an extended set of ligatures, these will be used if you select Standard and Discretionary or Historical and Standard.
Stylistic Set is a complex set of typography styles for the selected font.
Swash enables embellishments to the characters, often in the form of bigger and more flamboyant serifs.
Contextual alternates enables different shape choices for some characters depending on the context of the character and the design of the selected font. For example a "g" may have an open or closed loop on the bottom stroke of the character.
Sample
The Sample box displays a preview of the selected text, or sample text if no text is selected, in the specified font and any text effects.
