RE: [ft-devel] ft-smooth for 2.1.10?

[Turner, David]

Hi Everyone,

I think that pretty describes what the LIGHT hinting mode *should*
do, so I'll try to hack this into the existing sources.

The only point I'm uncertain at the moment is wether we should
force auto-hinting in LIGHT mode, independent of the native hinter
being used.

I think that's a very good idea, but I wonder if this isn't going
to make some users complain.

Anyone has a strong idea on the topic ?

- David Turner
- The FreeType Project  (www.freetype.org)


> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : David Chester [mailto:address@hidden
> Envoyé : jeudi 17 novembre 2005 22:44
> À : bulia byak
> Cc : Turner, David; address@hidden
> Objet : Re: [ft-devel] ft-smooth for 2.1.10?
>
>
> Basically, what the ft-smooth patch does is to add some compile-time
> configuration options for forcing some defaults.  This is
> usefull especially
> for applications that use freetype directly and don't go
> through fontconfig
> to set hinting options.
>
> One configuration option forces the autohinter to be used
> even if a different
> hinter would have been used otherwise.  The other
> configuration option forces
> this hinting behaviour for the autohinter:
>
>     hinter->do_horz_hints    = 0;
>     hinter->do_vert_hints    = 1;
>     hinter->do_horz_snapping = 0;
>     hinter->do_vert_snapping = 0;
>     hinter->do_stem_adjust   = 0;
>
> It would be my vote for an overall default setup in freetype,
> but everybody
> has their opinions.
>
> David
>
>
> On Thursday 17 November 2005 04:48, bulia byak wrote:
> > On 11/15/05, Turner, David <address@hidden> wrote:
> > > I think there is a misunderstanding. We have integrated
> > > David Chester's patch within FT2 for a long time (2.1.7
> > > or 2.1.8 if I remember correctly).
> >
> > This does not match my experience at all, see below.
> >
> > > Could you produce screenshots that detail striking differences
> > > you'd like to see removed ? Please give also complete information
> > > regarding the font files being used, the character size, etc...
> >
> > OK, here's a screenshot of 4 Firefox windows using stock 2.1.10. The
> > Microsoft fonts are installed, URLs are visible in the windows, you
> > can visit them yourself (if you want any more detailed info let me
> > know and I'll try to find out). I've annotated the
> screenshot pointing
> > out the worst issues with character shape and kerning.
> >
> > http://www5.rapidupload.com/d.php?file=dl&filepath=4013
> >
> > For comparison, here's the shot of the same pages on the
> same system,
> > but with FT 2.1.9 with the ft-smooth patch applied (from
> > http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~dchest/xfthack/ft-smooth-cvs.diff). As you
> > can easily see, this one has none of the problems of 2.1.10.
> >
> > http://www5.rapidupload.com/d.php?file=dl&filepath=4014
> >
> > Overall, stock 2.1.10 gives much more unevenly kerned and distorted
> > characters, this is obvious in almost every character. For
> me, reading
> > text with 2.1.10 is a pain. Obviously, the problem is the
> autohinter,
> > and all I ask for is to give an option to turn it off altogether
> > (which, as I understand, is what the ft-smooth patch does).
> >
> > I am aware of the argument that "no autohinting makes it 
> blurry". Yes,
> > it's less crisp. So what? I still MUCH prefer the blurry
> but even and
> > natural characters to the crisp and broken ones. I'm sure I'm not
> > alone with that. Why can't we have it as an option? Please?
> >
> > Thanks for your consideration.
> >
> > --
> > bulia byak
> > Inkscape. Draw Freely.
> > http://www.inkscape.org
>
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