[thelist] Re: other CSS2 question

deke web at master.gen.in.us
Tue May 22 05:24:25 CDT 2001


On 22 May 2001, at 9:52, Simon Coggins posted a message which said:

> > >P { font: 12pt/18pt a font; text-indent: 0; }
> > Can anyone explain the 12pt/18pt bit above? I've seen it often but I don't 
> > have the faintest idea what it means. When do you get 12pt and when 18pt?
 
> 12pt is the font size, 18pt is the line-height or leading. It's just a
> shorthand way to write it

<quibble>
Line height and leading are *not* the same thing. In 
this example, 18 points is the line-height, and the 
leading is 6 points.

Originally, leading was strips of lead inserted between 
lines of type. Later, they automated this - a linotype or 
monotype could cast an 18-point slug using 12-point 
matrices. 

If you ask for 12 point type with 18 points leading, you
are specifying a line height of 30 points. You're not 
likely to get the wrong product back from a type 
house - they are accustomed to dealing with the
typographically-illiterate - but you get more respect if
you use terminology correctly.
</quibble>

deke





------------------------
 "The church is near but the road is icy; 
  the bar is far away but I will walk carefully." 
                            -- Russian Proverb




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