Cap or x-height is zero

Audit code: metrics-zero-height

Definition

Cap-height or x-height is zero. Several algorithms (auto-spacing, spacing-by-reference, x-height alignment audit) depend on these to be positive — set them in the metrics inspector.

How Patens surfaces this

The Patens audit module checks for metrics-zero-height across five teaching surfaces: the edit-panel inline issue list, the project-wide audit page, the release pre-flight check, the family hub, and the home-page project tile. Every surface shows the same plain-English explanation and links back to this page. This rule is detection-only — there's no automatic fix because the correction is design-dependent (it requires a judgment call about the glyph's intended shape or the font's intended behaviour). The audit message links to the specific glyph or field that needs attention.

Run this check yourself

Patens runs every audit rule live as you draw — including this one. The editor (in private alpha) shows metrics-zero-height firing on real glyphs, or check your own work from the CLI:

npx patens audit your-project.font.json

Related rules in Vertical metrics

← All 94 audit rules