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#1 2006-01-11 04:20:27
- mac57
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- From: St. Somewhere
- Registered: 2006-01-06
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ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
In freetype, it is possible to enable the truetype font hinter by setting a variable BYTECODE_INTERPRETER to true and recompiling and re-installing. This is separate and incremental, I believe, from enabling subpixel hinting in various window managers such as KDE, Gnome and XFCE. Can anyone tell me if ArchLinux 0.7.1 comes with the freetype font hinting stuff turned on?
On the same topic, during installation of ArchLinux 0.7.1, I saw a note briefly flash by on the screen about using a new and improved auto hinter for fonts, but the message went by so fast I couldn't read it all. Can anyone tell me about this new auto hinter - what it does relative to the above, and how to enable it? Thanks.
This is "day 3" with ArchLinux for me, coming from SuSE 9.3, and I am loving it. I have pretty much everything set up to my liking except Rox Desktop (my last big job) and am now cleaning up loose ends like font hinting. Getting ArchLinux up and running has been remarkably smooth and fast. Why can't all distros be this clean? ArchLinux is truly impressive!
Cast off the Microsoft shackles Jan 2005
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#2 2006-01-11 04:28:25
- iBertus
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- From: Greenville, NC
- Registered: 2004-11-04
- Posts: 2,228
Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
Check the wiki for info on setting up font rendering through /etc/fonts/local.conf...
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#3 2006-01-11 05:00:27
- mac57
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- From: St. Somewhere
- Registered: 2006-01-06
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Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
Well, I already went through the articles in the Wiki. They talk about the auto hinter, but I didn't see anything that answered my questions. I think I have met the traditional burden of "RTFM" before I posted. Since I couldn't find the answer in the Wiki, I posted. I am now doing Searches in the forums to see if I can unearth anything, but so far no luck. Any and all help appreciated.
Cast off the Microsoft shackles Jan 2005
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#4 2006-01-11 05:06:11
- ozar
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- From: USA
- Registered: 2005-02-18
- Posts: 1,686
Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
On the same topic, during installation of ArchLinux 0.7.1, I saw a note briefly flash by on the screen about using a new and improved auto hinter for fonts, but the message went by so fast I couldn't read it all. Can anyone tell me about this new auto hinter - what it does relative to the above, and how to enable it? Thanks.
Take a look in /etc/fonts/local.conf and uncomment the section about "auto hinter".
You can put the same code in ~/.fonts.conf if you should only desire user level changes.
Take a look here for much more info: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XOr … figuration
HTH 
oz
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#5 2006-01-12 04:42:36
- mac57
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- From: St. Somewhere
- Registered: 2006-01-06
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Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
Thanks all, I think that this will get me on my way!
Cast off the Microsoft shackles Jan 2005
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#6 2006-01-13 19:06:30
- mac57
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- From: St. Somewhere
- Registered: 2006-01-06
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Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
Well, the question remains though...
In Arch 0.7.1, is the BYTECODE_INTERPRETER enabled by default or not? As I understand it, if it is not, you have to rebuilt freetype. I would like to avoid this if possible.
I notice in Arch that some fonts look REALLY good, and others look as bad as they do in other distros. So, I am just not sure.
Can anyone tell me if freetype's BYTECODE_INTERPRETER is enabled in the standard Arch 0.7.1 offering?
Thanks!
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#7 2006-01-14 17:52:41
- sh__
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- Registered: 2005-07-19
- Posts: 272
Re: ArchLinux 0.7.1 and TrueType Font Hinting
AFAIK Arch has bytecode interpreter enabled (freetype2 is built with this patch).
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