Patent ID: 6928611

Claim:
A desktop publishing (DTP) system, comprising: at least one inter-character-class spacing amount setting table, for use in line composition, for grouping similar characters, forming a plurality of character classes and for setting inter-character spacing amounts between a character class of a previous character and a character class of a next character within a pair of contiguous characters; a display device for displaying electronic text that has been line composed; and an input device for providing user input; wherein the DTP system includes a basic settings mode and a detailed settings mode operable to receive an inter-character spacing amount input from a DTP system user, the basic settings mode for modifying the inter-character spacing amounts using a character class relationship table defining a relationship between the character class for the previous character and the character class for the next character and the detailed settings mode for modifying the inter-character spacing amounts directly without using the character class relationship table.