Default Reader Layout

While the Reader can display text using different font sizes and even different font faces on different devices, it uses baseline default fonts and font setting for eBooks. These default font choices are applied to any section of text that does not specifically call for other font faces and sizes.

Figure 1 shows the default typeface and page size variables. The primary determinant is the number of pixels available on the screen.

Figure 1. Microsoft Reader Layout Variables

Page Layout Parameters  
Variables:  
H=height of window in pixels .92 × (Screen Height - Taskbar Height)
W=width of window in pixels .75 H
F=current font size  
L=current line height in pixels  
Dimensions:  
Top of Title Box .06H-L
Top of Content Box .105H-L
Total Left Margin .10W (no smaller than 1.4 L)
Total Bottom Margin .08H (no smaller than 1.4 L)
Total Right Margin .10W (no smaller than 1.4 L)
Left Icon Margin 1.2L
Right Icon Margin 1.2L
Bottom Icon Margin 1.2L
Content Buffer Zone: .2L

The dimensions listed in the table appear visually in Figure 2, Elements of the Reader Window.

Elements of the Reader Window diagram

The <big> and <small> tags in Figure 3, Standardized Spaces and Values, do not increase the font size by 1 point. Instead, they bump the font up (or down) one row or value as shown in Figure 5, System Font Sizes.

For example, standard Frutiger small is 10 pt text. If this text were enclosed within <big> tags the resulting font would be standard Frutiger medium, or 13 point.

Figure 3. Standardized Spaces and Values

Paragraph Indent: em  
List Indent 2.25em, .75em Bullet indent, bullet zone.

Bullet indent is ignored on Pocket PC devices.

Non-breaking space: space  
Superscript: .33L  
Subscript: .33L  
Big: +1  
Small: -1  

Pocket PC devices use a different set of default system fonts than the desktop Microsoft Reader. For more information about Pocket PC default fonts, see Default System Fonts & Leading.

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