IDML : What are Kinsoku/Mojikumi tables?

Question

I am new to the world of Adobe InDesign and IDML file format. I am trying to understand the IDML file format so that I can create IDML files dynamically through code!

I am going through the IDML File format specification and have found references to "Mojikumi Tables" and "Kinsoku Tables" and "Aki". Though the documentation defines various attributes for these elements, there's no clear explanation what these elements actually are.

Any pointers or links to relevant articles would be really helpful.

Thanks.

Answer 1

These are all additional typography settings used in laying out Japanese text.

Kinsoku: A rule set in the Japanese language that is used to determine characters that are not permitted at the beginning or end of a line. Reference.

Mojikumi: Determines spacing between punctuation, symbols, numbers, and other character classes in Japanese type. Reference.

Aki: Means space in Japanese:

"When the glyphs that correspond to characters of different character classes come together in a run of text, there is spacing behaviour. In other words, extra space, measured using a fraction of an em, is introduced depending on which two character classes are in proximity*. Typical values are one-fourth and one-half of an em"
(Footnote: * 'In Japanese this space is referred to as aki, which simply means "space"')

Reference and source for this quote.

Here's a link to a book that should provide more information: CJKV Information Processing, 2nd Edition