[Freetype] A problem on using fonttootf problem

[Jacky, Lau]

Hi,

        I have recently trying to use the fonttootf to convert a bdf font into 
otf.

        But there is a few problem and I'm not sure it the problem is from the 
bdf font, fonttootf or freetype?

        First, the bdf font is encoding in Big5 (to be exact the encoding 
should be Big5-HKSCS). When I run the fonttootf, Seqfault!!

        I use gdb to take a look and found that, the cause is the absent of a 
'FAMILY_NAME' so freetype just set the face->family_name to 0 and the when
" full_name = malloc(strlen(face->family_name) + 1); " occurs inside read.c:81 
of the fontofotf, it bombs.

        As the font is originally grab from internet, the there is no the 
property for a long time (since I use it and til now), nothing goes wrong in 
before. I start to check the bdf document inside XFree (I can know about these 
only document regarding bdf). Inside that document it has no specify the 
family_name is required. On the other hand, freetype seems to accept the absent 
of family_name also. And one of my question is "does the family_name property 
is a must of BDF, or X, " and "is there any other spec or the likes for BDF 
fonts"??

        My another question is solely freetype oriented. Why the API for the 
bdf driver seems missing?? 
        The reason I'm quite concerns to changing the bdf big5 encoded fonts 
is, for chinese, public domain TTF is totally unacceptable at small point size. 
In the past years, I start to use a 12pt bdf chinese fonts, it is excellent. 
And my thought is to convert this bdf to otf, or even get a means (I still 
don't know how :P) to combine the bitmap with existing Public Domain TTF. This 
may be another goods news for chinese.

        Even I have added the 'FAMILY_NAME' prop into the bdf font, the program 
still can't complete : ( as the reason is the bdf font is encoded in Big5, BUT 
fonttootf does only select UNICODE. How can I solve it.

        I am now start studying the freetype2, so, for the problem above, any 
pointer or sugguest is good enough, as I don't mind to modified the fonttootf 
for my self use!!

Here, thanks in advance!!
Zenith