Thank you very much for the reply.

I switched to ConTeXt standalone and now it is working.

Best,

Michael

This works:

\usemodule[simplefonts]

\definefontfeature[hebrew][default][script=hebr,ccmp=yes]

\setmainfont[Ezra SIL SR][features=hebrew]

\setupdirections[bidi=on]

\starttext

בְרֵאשִ֖ית בָרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ

\stoptext

BTW what is the \definefontfamily syntax that would work with \setupbodyfont in the new post-simplefonts era?

Best,

Michael

PS Just FYI here is what I had been working with:

What platform are you using, what version of Ezra SIL SR (likely 2.51,
but worth asking)?

I am using linux (ubuntu 14.04)

fonts-sil-ezra package

Package fonts-sil-ezra:

i 2.51-8 trusty 500

(I presume this means version 2.51.)

I am using the current ppa:reviczky/context-daily version of context:

ConTeXt ver: 2014.03.25 16:58 MKIV beta fmt: 2014.5.1 int: english/english

Here is the error message that I was receiving (when I include "script=hebr"):

<+ /usr/share/texmf/tex/context/third/simplefonts/t-simplefonts.lua>)error: /usr/share/texmf/tex/context/base/font-otn.lua:805: attempt to call upvalue 'getprop' (a nil value)

> May I bump?
>
> The following code used to work, but now it gives an error:
>
> \usemodule[simplefonts]
> \definefontfeature[hebrew][default][mode=node,script=hebr,language=dflt,mark=yes,ccmp=yes]
> \setmainfont[Ezra SIL SR][features=hebrew]
> \setupdirections[bidi=on]
> \starttext
> ?????????? ?????? ????????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ????????
> \stoptext
>
> The following variant (without "script=hebr") compiles but the vowels
> are misplaced (not centered below the letters), which "ccmp=yes" (see
> http://www.microsoft.com/typography/otspec/features_ae.htm#ccmp) is
> supposed to request:
>
> \usemodule[simplefonts]
> \definefontfeature[hebrew][default][mode=node,language=dflt,mark=yes,ccmp=yes]
> \setmainfont[Ezra SIL SR][features=hebrew]
> \setupdirections[bidi=on]
> \starttext
> ?????????? ?????? ????????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ????????
> \stoptext
>
> The problem in definefontfeature seems to be that the feature
> "ccmp=yes" is not taking effect, and the feature "script=hebr"
> generates an error.
>
> Thank you very much for your advice.
>
> Michael

Michael,

Sorry to say, no problem here with your example, and trimming the second
line even further to

\definefontfeature[hebrew][default][script=hebr,ccmp=yes]

still produces results with no errors and proper nikkud alignment (run
on a system running Windows 8.1 x64 and ConTeXt standalone 2014-04-28
standard and jit).

Similarly, no problem with traditional font definition without simplefonts.