About the Blackletter template
The blackletter template was created to allow showing sample of blackletter abbreviations (which include special symbols not generally found in the modern alphabets), with no need for further image editing nor any special font or software.
It consists of a bunch of small images named bl_xxx.png (one image per symbol), and a wrapper template to simplify the syntax.
Wiki syntax
To insert a blackletter word in a wiki page, put {{blackletter|, followed by the name of each symbol, separated with | symbols, and end with }}.
Example: {{blackletter|r|o|s|a}} 
.
The template only accepts a limited number of letters, which should be enough for any single word.
The trick is to remember the name of the symbols.
Naming convention
Base letters
Lowercase letters
The name of the 26 letters of the english alphabet (a..z) is simply the letter: "a" .
Here are all the "basic" letter forms:
Uppercase letters
The name of the capital letter is that of the letter with cap_ prepended: "cap_a" 
Here are all the uppercase letter forms:
(no J) 
Variants
Variants are indicated by appending a number.
The number is 1 for an alternate form of the letter, depending on the particular font used (typically whether it's more like a bastarda or a textura font). Normally the letters named x and x1 will not appear simultaneously in the same font. Examples:
- "
a"
, "a1"
; "f"
, "f1"
; "l"
, "l1"
; "s"
, "s1"
;
Number 2 is intended for a variant that appears in the same font. The most obvious example is the long s/round s pair. Examples:
- For d: "
d"
, "d2"
(sometimes inside words) - For m: "
m"
, "m2"
(at end of words) - For n: "
n"
, "n2"
(at end of words) - For r: "
r"
, "r2"
(following round letters like o, p) - For s: "
s" (long s), "s2"
(round s, at end of words)
Higher numbers can be used for specific variants in particular fonts. For instance a specific kind of d used by Verard (a 15th century printer in Paris) would be named d3 
.
Note: by "variant" I mean a different shape for the letter, but with no abreviation symbol added. Those are named differently, below.
Symbols
Other symbols (which are not plain letters) are named according to the most usual abbreviation they represent:
- "
con"
, "et"
, "is"
, "par"
, "pro"
, "quam"
, "quod"
, "rum"
, "ur"
, "us"
, "tur"
.
The variant numbers can also be used:
- "
et", "et1"
.
Composition
Composite glyphs, made by associating a letter or symbol with a general purpose mark, is named by appending to the base name a letter representing the mark.
Macron
A letter with a macron above it is named with the letter name followed by "m" (for "macron"):
- "
am"
, "cm"
, "em"
, "gm"
, "im"
, "mm"
, "nm"
, "om"
, "pm"
, "qm"
, "rm"
, "tm"
, "um"
, "xm"
, "zm"
, "conm"
.
Hook
A letter with a kind of stroke crossing its stem, or a hook above it, is named with the letter name followed by "x":
- "
dx"
, "tx"
, "ux"
, "vx"
.
Superscript i
A letter with a small i above it is named with the letter name followed by "i":
- "
pi"
"qi"
Superscript a
A letter with a small squiggle above it is named with the letter name followed by "a":
- "
pa"
, "qa"
, "cona"
.
This gives a visual explanation for why this is used to represent abbreviations with the letter a: 
Superscript o
There is no such glyph in use currently, but should the need arise it is suggested to name letters with a superscript o as the letter name followed by "o".
Ligature
There are no specific glyphs for ligatures, but should the need arise it is suggested to name them with the names of both glyphs separated with an underscore ("_").
Maintaining
Once a glyph is named and starts being used, it's very difficult to change its name, so it's important to adopt a consistent naming from the start. Also when editing a glyph, it's best to see how it looks near other letters.
I've got scripts and tools to automate that, so it's a good idea to contact me first and explain what new symbol you need, as I may have it almost ready.
- Lvl 15:19, 23 March 2008 (PDT)