Clara HD Supplemental fonts not working as expected

jcotton42 · 03-26-2023, 12:35 AM

I've been reading a lot of fanfic on my Clara HD, and some authors will use "zalgo text" for spooky dialog, but it doesn't render right on my device. Typically I use Palatino as my reading font, but the rendering is an absolute mess despite having Noto Serif set as a supplemental font (see the first attachment). When I set my reading font to Noto Serif it renders just fine (see the second attachment). For reference the third attachment is how it looks in Firefox (original work is at https://archiveofourown.org/works/28092402).

Any ideas on how to fix this?

JSWolf · 03-26-2023, 05:20 AM

It could be that your main font has these characters but that they are blank. What us your main font? I suggest trying another font such as Georgia and see what happens.

jcotton42 · 03-26-2023, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It could be that your main font has these characters but that they are blank. What us your main font? I suggest trying another font such as Georgia and see what happens.

The font I use is Palatino, which iirc I ripped out of a Kindle Voyage update image then sideloaded onto my Kobo.

As for using a font like Georgia, same result unfortunately. I tried both Georgia and Gil Sans, and as you can see in the attached images it didn't work any better.

DNSB · 03-26-2023, 06:03 PM

How are you embedding "zalgo text" in your fanfic to allow your epubs to access it? As far as I am aware, zalgo text is generated by munging characters and multiple diacritical marks together and requires a Unicode font that supports all the needed glyphs and is not an actual font that can be downloaded or embedded. Those blank blocks are generally the result of a glyph that is not defined in the font you are using to display the text.

You might want to try installing the code2000 font on your Kobo and selecting it as the document font.

jcotton42 · 03-26-2023, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

How are you embedding "zalgo text" in your fanfic to allow your epubs to access it? As far as I am aware, zalgo text is generated by munging characters and multiple diacritical marks together and requires a Unicode font that supports all the needed glyphs and is not an actual font that can be downloaded or embedded. Those blank blocks are generally the result of a glyph that is not defined in the font you are using to display the text.

You might want to try installing the code2000 font on your Kobo and selecting it as the document font.

The epub is assembled by FanFicFare.

As for using an alternate document font, I did do that. As shown in the first post it renders correctly when using Noto Serif as the document font. But I don't really like how Noto Serif looks, I much prefer Palatino, so I have Palatino set as the document font, and Noto Serif as a supplemental font, but it still renders incorrectly. That's where my confusion is from.

DNSB · 03-26-2023, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcotton42

The epub is assembled by FanFicFare.

As for using an alternate document font, I did do that. As shown in the first post it renders correctly when using Noto Serif as the document font. But I don't really like how Noto Serif looks, I much prefer Palatino, so I have Palatino set as the document font, and Noto Serif as a supplemental font, but it still renders incorrectly. That's where my confusion is from.

Are you sending the book to your Kobo as a kepub? I don't think the RMSDK renderer used to epub supports using the secondary font.

jcotton42 · 03-26-2023, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Are you sending the book to your Kobo as a kepub? I don't think the RMSDK renderer used to epub supports using the secondary font.

I'm using kepbus, via the KoboTouch Extended driver.

Quoth · 03-27-2023, 07:02 AM

This is another example of how being too fancy in ebook creation limits use. Also periodically over last 100 years some authors have used a special font for dialogue of certain characters. It's always been a failure. It reduces readability and only works well on paper.

If I was wanting to read this I'd edit it to make it more plain.

03-26-2023, 12:35 AM	#1
jcotton42 Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2022 Device: Kobo Clara HD	Supplemental fonts not working as expected I've been reading a lot of fanfic on my Clara HD, and some authors will use "zalgo text" for spooky dialog, but it doesn't render right on my device. Typically I use Palatino as my reading font, but the rendering is an absolute mess despite having Noto Serif set as a supplemental font (see the first attachment). When I set my reading font to Noto Serif it renders just fine (see the second attachment). For reference the third attachment is how it looks in Firefox (original work is at https://archiveofourown.org/works/28092402). Any ideas on how to fix this? Attached Thumbnails Last edited by jcotton42; 03-26-2023 at 12:37 AM. Reason: Files didn't attach first time

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03-26-2023, 05:20 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 70,399 Karma: 117888887 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It could be that your main font has these characters but that they are blank. What us your main font? I suggest trying another font such as Georgia and see what happens.

03-26-2023, 06:03 PM	#4
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 26,217 Karma: 119509713 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	How are you embedding "zalgo text" in your fanfic to allow your epubs to access it? As far as I am aware, zalgo text is generated by munging characters and multiple diacritical marks together and requires a Unicode font that supports all the needed glyphs and is not an actual font that can be downloaded or embedded. Those blank blocks are generally the result of a glyph that is not defined in the font you are using to display the text. You might want to try installing the code2000 font on your Kobo and selecting it as the document font.

03-27-2023, 07:02 AM	#8
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 7,896 Karma: 69972647 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: Both Kinds: epub based makes and Kindle	This is another example of how being too fancy in ebook creation limits use. Also periodically over last 100 years some authors have used a special font for dialogue of certain characters. It's always been a failure. It reduces readability and only works well on paper. If I was wanting to read this I'd edit it to make it more plain.

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