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#1 2004-10-14 02:13:35

murpheus40
Member
Registered: 2004-03-04
Posts: 77

How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

By default, I think the package freetype2 is compiled with bytecode   :?:
I'd like to use freetype2 "without" bytecode, because my fonts look ugly. See this thread: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … ight=fonts

The guy who posted has built a package of freetype2 without bytecode. The problem I have is I don't know what I have to do exactly!??
Can someone explain to me step by step the procedure?

Thanks in advance!

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#2 2004-10-14 14:48:10

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

i am 100% certain that recompiling freetype will NOT fix your fonts - you say your fonts are "ugly", which usually implies you're using aliased fonts... what WM are you using?

if you are using AA fonts, disabling the bytecode interpreter is a poor idea.
the same effect can be achieved by enabling the freetype autohinter, which will superceed the bytecode interpreter

in /etc/fonts/local.conf or ~/.fonts.conf

<!--
  Use the Autohinter
-->
    <match target="pattern">
        <edit name="autohint" mode="assign">
            <bool>true</bool>
        </edit>
    </match>

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#3 2004-10-14 15:23:51

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

this has been added to my (slowly) evolving wiki page about fonts:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XOr … figuration

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#4 2004-10-14 16:35:47

murpheus40
Member
Registered: 2004-03-04
Posts: 77

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

phrakture wrote:

i am 100% certain that recompiling freetype will NOT fix your fonts - you say your fonts are "ugly", which usually implies you're using aliased fonts... what WM are you using?

if you are using AA fonts, disabling the bytecode interpreter is a poor idea.
the same effect can be achieved by enabling the freetype autohinter, which will superceed the bytecode interpreter

in /etc/fonts/local.conf or ~/.fonts.conf

<!--
  Use the Autohinter
-->
    <match target="pattern">
        <edit name="autohint" mode="assign">
            <bool>true</bool>
        </edit>
    </match>


Thanks for your reply. Ok, then I'll try to edit my /etc/fonts/local.conf tonight. My WM is XFCE4.  What I mean by "ugly" is like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v458/ … adarch.png

Look at the letters "x", "k" and number "2".
With my another machine (Slackware-10), I don't have this problem.
I'll let you know tonight if your hack works!

Thanks again.

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#5 2004-10-14 16:41:56

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

murpheus40 wrote:

I'll let you know tonight if your hack works!

This is not a hack, this is the proper configuration according to the people who made freetype.  Recompiling without a feature just to turn the feature off is a hack.

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#6 2004-10-15 05:49:48

skoal
Member
From: Frequent Flyer Underworld
Registered: 2004-03-23
Posts: 612
Website

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

Yeah, I think Phrakture's advice is spot on.  I built the freetype2 library without the bytecode interpreter, and no matter how you play with other settings, your fonts will suffer poorly.  The bytecode patch in freetype2 is what you want.  I think your issues relate to your window manager, as Phrakture suggested.

From looking at your screenshot, it appears you have the Anti-aliasing enabled.  Personally, I think AA doesn't sit well with hinting.  AFAIK, Microsoft fonts never used AA.  I turned AA off completely and my fonts are easy on the eyes, looking every bit as good as a Window box.

Since you are using XFCE-4, like myself and others, I think this thread will probably be of more interest to you:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … light=font

Some of the information is slightly out of date if you are using the beta XFCE-4.2.

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#7 2004-11-16 19:40:27

lanrat
Member
From: Poland
Registered: 2003-10-28
Posts: 1,274

Re: How to compile freetype2 without byetcode ?

phrakture wrote:

this has been added to my (slowly) evolving wiki page about fonts:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XOr … figuration

I've just updated your wiki page regarding autohinter (how to turn off autohinter for bold fonts only).

Recently I decided to use 1600x1200 resolution on my desktop 19" crt. And after last xorg/fontconfig upgrade I also decided I really can't stand anymore the bad look of antialiased "k", "w" etc. They were almost invisible. The logical choice is to use autohinter. It worked quite well except the bold fonts. They were too wide and unreadable. But I found out that I can just turn off autohinter for bold fonts. This is much better now. Not perfect but more usable (there are still some problems like a little too wide characters in certain sizes, too sharp accents on some letters, etc. - as described in http://freetype.sourceforge.net/autohinting/hinter.html - but I can live with that).

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