\newcommand\sample{% Infandum, regina, iubes renovare dolorem, Troianas ut opes et lamen\-ta\-bile regnum cruerint Danai; quaeque ipse miserrima vidi, et quorum pars magna fui. Quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut duri miles Ulixi temperet a lacrimis? Et iam nox umida caelo praecipitat, suadentque cadentia sidera somnos. Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros et breviter Troiae supremum audire laborem, quamquam animus meminisse horret, luctuque refugit, incipiam. \par} \newcommand\smallsample{% Infandum, re\-gi\-na, iubes renovare do\-lo\-rem, Troi\-a\-n\-as ut opes et la\-men\-ta\-bile regnum cru\-e\-rint Da\-nai; qua\-e\-que ip\-se mis\-er\-ri\-ma vi\-di, et quorum pars ma\-g\-na fui. Quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut duri miles Ulixi temperet a lacrimis?\par} \documentclass[twocolumn]{article} \setlength{\columnsep}{60pt} \addtolength{\textheight}{\baselineskip} \frenchspacing \usepackage{times} \input{xinitials.sig} %\tracinggalleys=2 \def\trace{\tracingassigns=1\tracingall} \begin{document} This document requires the use of Optima fonts. If they are not available something will get substituted but of course then the adjustments in the instances are probably no longer adequate (though they are not really adequate right now either :-) \section{Random manual initials} \ExtendedInitial*[ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, v-adjust = 1pt, h-adjust = -2pt, nominal-height = 20pt,] So! do good initials might look like this? \smallsample \ExtendedInitial*[ initial-font = \fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = -4pt, h-adjust = 0pt, text-sep = 1pt, nominal-height = 0pt, initial-format = \llap{#1}, ] Initials can be set out of the body font family by simply using an \smallsample \ExtendedInitial*[ initial-font = \fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = 0pt, text-sep = 0pt, nominal-height = 0pt,] {$\Im$}nitials are large letters which are sometimes used to mark the start of a paragraph, typically the first paragraph of a chapter. \hrule \ExtendedInitial*[ initial-font = \fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = 0pt, text-sep = 0pt, nominal-height = 0pt,] {$\Im$}nitials are large letters which are sometimes used to mark the start of a paragraph, typically the first paragraph of a chapter. \section{A default} \DeclareInstance{initial}{default}{std}{ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -1pt, text-sep = 3pt, } \Initial A good initial might look like this? \smallsample \subsection{Overwritten for A} \DeclareInstance{initial}{A}{std}{ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {-4pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -2pt, text-sep = 3pt, } \Initial A good initial might look like this? \smallsample \newpage \section{Default again followed by random} \Initial Or like like this? \smallsample \ExtendedInitial * [ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {3pt,3pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = 0pt, text-sep = 0pt, initial-format = \fbox{#1},] Or does it look like this? \smallsample \ExtendedInitial * [ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{100}{100}\selectfont, v-adjust = 1pt, h-adjust = -2pt, text-sep = 4pt,] Anything might work \smallsample \par %\newpage \section{Comparisons} \Initial What is better? \smallsample \medskip \ExtendedInitial * [ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\bfseries, parshape-list = {0pt,-6pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -2pt, text-sep = 3pt,] What is better? \smallsample \section{Some drop initials} %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%55 \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{default}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = 0pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \UseCollection{initial}{drop3} \fontsize{8}{9.8}\selectfont \Initial Y[ou] don't think so? \smallsample \medskip \Initial W[hy] don't you think so? \smallsample \medskip \Initial T[his] is disgraceful! \smallsample \section{\dots additionally moved into the margin} \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{Y}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -6pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{T}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -6pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{W}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -10pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \medskip \Initial Y[ou] don't think so? \smallsample \medskip \Initial W[hy] don't you think so? \smallsample \medskip \Initial T[his] is disgraceful! \smallsample \section{How about quotes?} \Initial [``]{Y}[ou don't think so?]'' \smallsample \medskip \Initial [``]{W}[hy don't you think so?]'' \smallsample \medskip \Initial [``]{T}[his is disgraceful!]'' \smallsample \section{Fixing quotes first step} \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{Y}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -6pt, quote-sep = 3pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{T}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -6pt, quote-sep = 3pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \DeclareCollectionInstance{drop3}{initial}{W}{std}{ initial-font = \fontsize{36}{36}\selectfont, parshape-list = {0pt,0pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -10pt, quote-sep = 3pt, text-sep = 2pt, } \medskip \Initial [``]{Y}[ou don't think so?]'' \smallsample \medskip \Initial [``]{W}[hy don't you think so?]'' \smallsample \medskip \Initial [``]{T}[his is disgraceful!]'' \smallsample \section{Fixing quotes alternative} \ExtendedInitial * [ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {-5pt,0pt}, v-adjust = 0pt, h-adjust = -1pt, quote-sep = -5pt, text-sep = 3pt, quote-format = \LARGE #1, ] [``]{A} good initial might look like this?'' \smallsample \section{Accented letters as initials} \ExtendedInitial* [ initial-font = \fontfamily{pop}\fontsize{40}{40}\selectfont, parshape-list = {-1pt,-3pt}, v-adjust = 1pt, h-adjust = -5pt, text-sep = 0pt, ] {\"U}ber den sieben Bergen bei den sieben Zwergen \smallsample \ExtendedInitial {\"U}ber den sieben Bergen bei den sieben Zwergen \smallsample \stop