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Re: Converting and implementing text spacing values

for

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Dec 4, 2018 6:06PM

On 05/12/2018 00:49, Alex Best wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
>
> This is a query for anyone with design experience for accessibility compliance..
>
>
> I am working on designs to comply with WACG 2.1 for AA level and I am struggling with implementing part of the text spacing criteria (I think the clause is 1.4.12) regarding letter spacing (tracking). The criteria is set as 0.12 of the font size (12%) but there is no equivalent value (expressed in this way) that is adjustable in the parameters of design software (well at least not in photoshop). Design software uses 'em' value which is relative to font size, with 1 em being equal to the font size (so if the text is 14pt. then 1 em = 14).

Note that the requirement in 1.4.12 isn't that your site must have those
particular metrics set. Rather, it's that if users change these settings
themselves (e.g. setting custom styles in their browser themselves),
things don't fall apart/overlap/get cut off/become unreadable.

So it's about making sure the design/layout scale correctly and adapt to
variations in text spacing/line height, not that your design must adhere
to those values.

For testing, see
https://developer.paciellogroup.com/blog/2018/05/short-note-on-getting-spaced-out-with-sc-1-4-12-text-spacing/
for instance.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

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