XeTeX ⇒ Customizing footnote markers

[meho_r]

How to customize footnote markers? I need oldstyle numbers for footnote markers, but it seems that it isn't easy to achieve when using OpenType fonts and XeLaTeX since there are only "normal" numbers for superscripts. There are some suggestion to try "faking" superscript and use "normal" numbers with some scaling and shifting, but I have no idea how to do it.

BTW, how to customize markers in LaTeX generally, not specifically for XeTeX?

[Maksi]

Hi, I am using Hoefler Text which has old-style numbers but as you wrote, in footnotes they seem to work as normal numbers (not in the text, only at the bottom of the page). I guess that this is purpose and doubt that old-style numbers in footnotes would actually look good. But does not the fontspec-package offer any possibilities? Probably some hacking with scaling the numbers? On the other side, I took a look at how Pages handles footnote markers with e.g. Hoefler Text and yes, it makes them with old-style numerals... (and they do look good).

[meho_r]

Thanks for reply. If you use LaTeX (not XeLaTeX) and mathpazo font or fourier with "osf/oldstyle" option, you get footnote markers with oldstyle numbers too. And they look OK.

I didn't find anything in this regard in fontspec.pdf. Can you tell me some source where to look and how to hack markers? All I have found out till now is that it can be done by disabling "real" superscript numbers and use "normal" with scaling and shifting, but how it can be done? How to scale the numbers, shift them and use as footnote markers? If there is some doc or link with explanation, I'll be grateful.

[Maksi]

I didn't find anything in this regard in fontspec.pdf. Can you tell me some source where to look and how to hack markers? All I have found out till now is that it can be done by disabling "real" superscript numbers and use "normal" with scaling and shifting, but how it can be done? How to scale the numbers, shift them and use as footnote markers? If there is some doc or link with explanation, I'll be grateful.

I am sorry but that is way beyond my knowledge. Have you posted to the XeTeX-list yet? They are quite helpful there.

[meho_r]

Yes, I've posted the question on XeTeX mail-list, but still nothing. Thanks anyway

[meho_r]

And finally, figured it out The trick is in no-sscript option for xltxtra package. But it works properly only with updated xltxtra.

[soussou]

Hi,
I know, it is too late ! but I found something about the topic and I think it would be useful for other visitors ( just like me)
Thanks to WIKIBOOKS which provides us this answers, I tried it with winedt and it works!
good luck for all!!

Latex will obviously take care of typesetting the footnote at the bottom of the page. Each footnote is numbered sequentially - a process that, as you should have guessed by now, is automatically done for you.

It is possible to customize the footnote marking. By default, they are numbered sequentially (Arabic). However, without going too much into the mechanics of Latex at this point, it is possible to change this using the following command (which needs to be placed at the beginning of the document, or at least before the first footnote command is issued).

\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\arabic{footnote}} Arabic numerals, e.g., 1, 2, 3...
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\roman{footnote}} Roman numerals (lowercase), e.g., i, ii, iii...
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\Roman{footnote}} Roman numerals (uppercase), e.g., I, II, III...
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\alph{footnote}} Alphabetic (lowercase), e.g., a, b, c...
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\Alph{footnote}} Alphabetic (uppercase), e.g., A, B, C...
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\fnsymbol{footnote}} A sequence of nine symbols (try it and see!)
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