Is it possible to create a small caps character style without specifying a font?

[kyriosity]

It works with italic and other attributes, but I seem unable to do it with small caps.

~Valerie

[SJRiegel · Accepted solution]

What version are you using? I was able to set do this.  

--side note   I went back to try to do it a second time and Small caps would not stay selected. I closed out of the dialog box, and when I went in a third time, it did work.

[kyriosity]

I ended up getting it to work after a couple of tries, too. It's one of those things that always trips me up, but I don't need it often enough to remember how I fixed it the last time.

~Valerie

[rob day]

Are you using the Character>Open Type>AllSmallCaps, or fake small caps Character>Small Caps? Fake small caps should work for any font change, but open type's AllSmallCaps would only work when you switch to another open type font that includes small caps.

So here's MinionPro OT—I've set the Font Family field blank and Case to OpenTypeAllSmallCaps in style options:

Changing to another full OT font works:—VistaSans OT

But T1 Helvetica doesn't

[kyriosity]

It was just fake small caps, but I obviously need to remember the open type option, which I can't recall ever noticing before. So thanks!

~Valerie

[rob day]

Not all OTF fonts include small caps. If an OTF attribute is in brackets it's not available. The version of MinionPro that ships with ID has real small caps, but MyriadPro does not.

[sandy8000]

Valerie,

Please note there is an ID glitch with the 'open type all small cap' font. If the font style is changed from regular to italic, the small cap is lost & text returns to ulc italic. We use an alternate character style for these instances with 'open type all small cap,regular and add a skew' for any italic that may be needed.

Sandy

[rob day]

Please note there is an ID glitch with the 'open type all small cap' font.

I don't think that is an InDesign bug. The open type All Small Caps depends on the font having the small cap glyphs included in the font. If you use a font with a full glyph set in both its italic and roman there won't be a problem. So, MinionPro works:

Same text set as italic uses Minion's italic small caps

But the Myriad otf that ships with ID doesn't have small cap glyphs, so the small caps are lost on the switch:

If All Small Caps is bracketed the glyphs are not available