Adobe InDesign CS5 - Manual (Page 258)

252 USING INDESIGN
Typography
Last updated 11/16/2011
How kerning and tracking are measured
You can apply kerning, tracking, or both to selected text. Tracking and kerning are both measured in 1/1000 em, a unit
of measure that is relative to the current type size. In a 6-point font, 1
em equals 6 points; in a 10-point font, 1 em equals
10 points. Kerning and tracking are strictly proportional to the current type size.
Tracking and manual kerning are cumulative, so you can first adjust individual pairs of letters, and then tighten or
loosen a block of text without affecting the relative kerning of the letter pairs.
When you click to place the insertion point between two letters, InDesign displays kerning values in the Character
panel and the Control panel. Metrics and optical kerning values (or defined kern pairs) appear in parentheses.
Similarly, if you select a word or a range of text, InDesign displays the tracking values in the Character panel and
Control panel.
Apply kerning to text
You apply either of two types of automatic kerning: metrics kerning or optical kerning, or you can adjust the spacing
between letters manually.
More Help topics
“ Keys for working with type ” on page 696
Use metrics kerning
1 Set the text insertion point between the characters you want to pair kern, or select text.
2 In the Character panel or Control panel, select Metrics in the Kerning menu.
To avoid using the built-in kerning information of a font for selected text, choose “0” in the Kerning menu.
Use optical kerning
1 Set the text insertion point between characters you want to pair kern or select the text you want to kern.
2 In the Character panel or Control panel, select Optical in the Kerning menu.
Adjust kerning manually
1 Using the Type tool , click to place an insertion point between two characters.
Note: If a range of text is selected, you can’t manually kern the text (you can choose only Metrics, Optical, or 0). Instead,
use tracking.
2 Do any of the following:
• In the Character panel or the Control panel, type or select a numeric value in the Kerning menu.
• Press Alt+Left/Right Arrow (Windows) or Option+Left/Right Arrow (Mac OS) to decrease or increase the kerning
between two characters.
The amount of the word kerning adjustment is the same as the Kerning value in the Units & Increments Preferences
dialog box. When you press the shortcut and hold down the Ctrl or Command key, the kerning amount is the Kerning
preferences value multiplied by 5.
Change the default kerning increment value
❖ In the Units & Increments section of the Preferences dialog box, type a new value for the Kerning option and
click OK.