Support Superscript, Subscript and Fractional positioning

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -21,19 +21,22 @@ This can also be enabled programmatically with `warnings.simplefilter('default',
 - `fpdf2` now uses [fontTools](https://fonttools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) to read and embed fonts in the PDF, thanks to @gmischler and @RedShy
 
 ### Fixed
+- Text following a HTML heading can't overlap with that heading anymore, thanks to @gmischler
 - `arc()` not longer renders artefacts at intersection point, thanks to @Jmillan-Dev; [#488](https://github.com/PyFPDF/fpdf2/issues/488)
 - [`write_html()`](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/HTML.html):
     * `<em>` & `<strong>` HTML tags are now properly supported - they were ignored previously; [#498](https://github.com/PyFPDF/fpdf2/issues/498)
     * `bgcolor` is not properly support in `<table>` tags; [#512](https://github.com/PyFPDF/fpdf2/issues/512)
 - the `CreationDate` of PDFs & embedded files now includes the system timezone
-
 ### Added
+- Added support for subscript, superscript, nominator and denominator char positioning as well as \<sub\> and \<sup\> HTML tags, thanks to @gmischler
 - [`set_page_background()`](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.set_page_background): new method added by @semaeostomea: [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/PageFormatAndOrientation.html#per-page-format-orientation-and-background)
 - [`embed_file()`](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.embed_file) & [`file_attachment_annotation()`](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.file_attachment_annotation): new methods to add file attachments - [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/FileAttachments.html)
 - A new method [`set_char_spacing()`](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.set_char_spacing) allows to increase the spacing between individual characters, thanks to @gmischler: [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/TextStyling.html)
 - workaround by @semaeostomea to support arabic and right-to-left scripts: [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/Unicode.html#right-to-left-arabic-script-workaround)
 - documentation on shapes styling: [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/Shapes.html#path-styling)
 - documentation on sharing the images cache among FPDF instances: [link to documentation](https://pyfpdf.github.io/fpdf2/Images.html#sharing-the-image-cache-among-fpdf-instances)
+### Changed
+- HTML headings are now rendered with an additional leading of 20% the font size above and below them.
 
 ## [2.5.6] - 2022-08-16
 ### Added

docs/HTML.md

@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ pdf.output("html.pdf")
 * `<a>`: links (and `href` attribute)
 * `<img>`: images (and `src`, `width`, `height` attributes)
 * `<ol>`, `<ul>`, `<li>`: ordered, unordered and list items (can be nested)
+* `<sup>`, `<sub>`: superscript and subscript text
 * `<table>`: (and `border`, `width` attributes)
     + `<thead>`: header (opens each page)
     + `<tfoot>`: footer (closes each page)

docs/TextStyling.md

@@ -66,6 +66,69 @@ pdf.multi_cell(w=150, txt=LOREM_IPSUM[:200], new_x="LEFT", fill=True)
 ```
 ![](char_spacing.png)
 
+
+## Subscript, Superscript, and Fractional Numbers
+
+The class attribute `.char_vpos` controls special vertical positioning modes for text:
+
+* "LINE" - normal line text (default)
+* "SUP" - superscript (exponent)
+* "SUB" - subscript (index)
+* "NOM" - nominator of a fraction with "/"
+* "DENOM" - denominator of a fraction with "/"
+
+For each positioning mode there are two parameters that can be configured.
+The defaults have been set to result in a decent layout with most fonts, and are given in parens.
+
+The size multiplier for the font size:
+
+* `.sup_scale` (0.7)
+* `.sub_scale` (0.7)
+* `.nom_scale` (0.75)
+* `.denom_scale` (0.75)
+
+The lift is given as fraction of the unscaled font size and indicates how much the glyph gets lifted above the base line (negative for below):
+
+* `.sup_lift` (0.4)
+* `.sub_lift` (-0.15)
+* `.nom_lift` (0.2)
+* `.denom_lift` (0.0)
+
+**Limitations:** The individual glyphs will be scaled down as configured. This is not typographically correct, as it will also reduce the stroke width, making them look lighter than the normal text.
+Unicode fonts may include characters in the [subscripts and superscripts range](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode_subscripts_and_superscripts). In a high quality font, those glyphs will be smaller than the normal ones, but have a proportionally stronger stroke width in order to maintain the same visual density. If available in good quality, using Characters from this range is preferred and will look better. Unfortunately, many fonts either don't (fully) cover this range, or the glyphs are of unsatisfactory quality. In those cases, this feature of `fpdf2` offers a reliable workaround with suboptimal but consistent output quality.
+
+Practical use is essentially limited to `.write()` and `html_write()`.
+The feature does technically work with `.cell()` and `.multi_cell`, but is of limited usefulness there, since you can't change font properties in the middle of a line (there is no markdown support). It currently gets completely ignored by `.text()`.
+
+The example shows the most common use cases:
+
+```python
+    pdf = fpdf.FPDF()
+    pdf.add_page()
+    pdf.set_font("Helvetica", "", 20)
+    pdf.write(txt="2")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "SUP"
+    pdf.write(txt="56")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "LINE"
+    pdf.write(txt=" more line text")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "SUB"
+    pdf.write(txt="(idx)")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "LINE"
+    pdf.write(txt=" end")
+    pdf.ln()
+    pdf.write(txt="1234 + ")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "NOM"
+    pdf.write(txt="5")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "LINE"
+    pdf.write(txt="/")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "DENOM"
+    pdf.write(txt="16")
+    pdf.char_vpos = "LINE"
+    pdf.write(txt=" + 987 = x")
+```
+![](char_vpos.png)
+
+
 ## .text_mode ##
 
 The PDF spec defines several text modes:

fpdf/enums.py

@@ -108,6 +108,24 @@ def coerce(cls, value):
         raise TypeError(f"{value} cannot convert to a {cls.__name__}")
 
 
+class CharVPos(CoerciveEnum):
+    "Defines the vertical position of text relative to the line."
+    SUP = intern("SUP")
+    "Superscript"
+
+    SUB = intern("SUB")
+    "Subscript"
+
+    NOM = intern("NOM")
+    "Nominator of a fraction"
+
+    DENOM = intern("DENOM")
+    "Denominator of a fraction"
+
+    LINE = intern("LINE")
+    "Default line position"
+
+
 class Align(CoerciveEnum):
     "Defines how to render text in a cell"
 

fpdf/fpdf.py

@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class Image:
     YPos,
     Corner,
     FontDescriptorFlags,
+    CharVPos,
 )
 from .errors import FPDFException, FPDFPageFormatException, FPDFUnicodeEncodingException
 from .fonts import fpdf_charwidths
@@ -2555,6 +2556,7 @@ def local_context(
             text_color
             text_mode
             underline
+            char_vpos
 
         Args:
             **kwargs: key-values settings to set at the beggining of this context.
@@ -2577,7 +2579,7 @@ def local_context(
                 setattr(gs, key, value)
                 if key == "blend_mode":
                     self._set_min_pdf_version("1.4")
-            elif key in ("font_stretching", "text_mode", "underline"):
+            elif key in ("font_stretching", "text_mode", "underline", "char_vpos"):
                 setattr(self, key, value)
             else:
                 raise ValueError(f"Unsupported setting: {key}")
@@ -2889,6 +2891,7 @@ def _render_styled_text_line(
         s_width, underlines = 0, []
         # We try to avoid modifying global settings for temporary changes.
         current_ws = frag_ws = 0.0
+        current_char_vpos = CharVPos.LINE
         current_font = self.current_font
         current_text_mode = self.text_mode
         current_font_stretching = self.font_stretching
@@ -2932,9 +2935,14 @@ def _render_styled_text_line(
                 if current_char_spacing != frag.char_spacing:
                     current_char_spacing = frag.char_spacing
                     sl.append(f"{frag.char_spacing:.2f} Tc")
-                if current_font != frag.font:
+                if current_font != frag.font or current_char_vpos != frag.char_vpos:
+                    if current_char_vpos != frag.char_vpos:
+                        current_char_vpos = frag.char_vpos
                     current_font = frag.font
                     sl.append(f"/F{frag.font['i']} {frag.font_size_pt:.2f} Tf")
+                lift = frag.lift
+                if lift != 0.0:
+                    sl.append(f"{lift:.2f} Ts")
                 if (
                     frag.text_mode != TextMode.FILL
                     or frag.text_mode != current_text_mode
@@ -3009,10 +3017,12 @@ def _render_styled_text_line(
                 )
 
         if sl:
-            # If any PDF settings have been left modified, wrap the line in a local context.
+            # If any PDF settings have been left modified, wrap the line
+            # in a local context.
             # pylint: disable=too-many-boolean-expressions
             if (
                 current_ws != 0.0
+                or current_char_vpos != CharVPos.LINE
                 or current_font != self.current_font
                 or current_text_mode != self.text_mode
                 or self.fill_color != self.text_color
@@ -3022,8 +3032,8 @@ def _render_styled_text_line(
                 s = f"q {' '.join(sl)} Q"
             else:
                 s = " ".join(sl)
-            self._out(s)
             # pylint: enable=too-many-boolean-expressions
+            self._out(s)
         self.lasth = h
 
         # XPos.LEFT -> self.x stays the same

fpdf/graphics_state.py

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from .drawing import DeviceGray
-from .enums import TextMode
+from .enums import TextMode, CharVPos
 
 
 class GraphicsStateMixin:
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
                 dash_pattern=dict(dash=0, gap=0, phase=0),
                 line_width=0,
                 text_mode=TextMode.FILL,
+                char_vpos=CharVPos.LINE,
+                sub_scale=0.7,
+                sup_scale=0.7,
+                nom_scale=0.75,
+                denom_scale=0.75,
+                sub_lift=-0.15,
+                sup_lift=0.4,
+                nom_lift=0.2,
+                denom_lift=0.0,
             ),
         ]
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -158,3 +167,147 @@ def text_mode(self):
     @text_mode.setter
     def text_mode(self, v):
         self.__statestack[-1]["text_mode"] = TextMode.coerce(v)
+
+    @property
+    def char_vpos(self):
+        """
+        Return vertical character position relative to line.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["char_vpos"]
+
+    @char_vpos.setter
+    def char_vpos(self, v):
+        """
+        Set vertical character position relative to line.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["char_vpos"] = CharVPos.coerce(v)
+
+    @property
+    def sub_scale(self):
+        """
+        Return scale factor for subscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["sub_scale"]
+
+    @sub_scale.setter
+    def sub_scale(self, v):
+        """
+        Set scale factor for subscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["sub_scale"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def sup_scale(self):
+        """
+        Return scale factor for superscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["sup_scale"]
+
+    @sup_scale.setter
+    def sup_scale(self, v):
+        """
+        Set scale factor for superscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["sup_scale"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def nom_scale(self):
+        """
+        Return scale factor for nominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["nom_scale"]
+
+    @nom_scale.setter
+    def nom_scale(self, v):
+        """
+        Set scale factor for nominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["nom_scale"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def denom_scale(self):
+        """
+        Return scale factor for denominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["denom_scale"]
+
+    @denom_scale.setter
+    def denom_scale(self, v):
+        """
+        Set scale factor for denominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["denom_scale"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def sub_lift(self):
+        """
+        Return lift factor for subscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["sub_lift"]
+
+    @sub_lift.setter
+    def sub_lift(self, v):
+        """
+        Set lift factor for subscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["sub_lift"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def sup_lift(self):
+        """
+        Return lift factor for superscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["sup_lift"]
+
+    @sup_lift.setter
+    def sup_lift(self, v):
+        """
+        Set lift factor for superscript text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["sup_lift"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def nom_lift(self):
+        """
+        Return lift factor for nominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["nom_lift"]
+
+    @nom_lift.setter
+    def nom_lift(self, v):
+        """
+        Set lift factor for nominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["nom_lift"] = float(v)
+
+    @property
+    def denom_lift(self):
+        """
+        Return lift factor for denominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        return self.__statestack[-1]["denom_lift"]
+
+    @denom_lift.setter
+    def denom_lift(self, v):
+        """
+        Set lift factor for denominator text.
+        ([docs](../TextStyling.html#subscript-superscript-and-fractional-numbers))
+        """
+        self.__statestack[-1]["denom_lift"] = float(v)