Re: Why dose art not use fontconfig?

[Isaiah Beerbower]

On 8/17/07, Jesse Ross <gnustep@jesseross.com> wrote:
> >> The real reason for that choice could only be given by Alexander
> >> Malmberg, who implemented the art backend.
> >> I may be able to offer you a few hints, but none of it may be the
> >> true
> >> reason.
> >> Using the nfont concept offers some benefits over fontconfig. It
> >> allows
> >> us to assign a Postscript name to a font, which is then used for
> >> printing. All the other GNUstep backends need to guess a name
> >> here. The
> >> nfont file FontInfo.plist allows you also to change the name of
> >> the font
> >> of the type face to something more readable and to specify
> >> information
> >> missing or wrong in the actual font data. In addition this concept
> >> allows you to limit the available fonts for GNustep.
> >>
> >> Overall I think this is not worth it, this is why I use fontconfig
> >> for
> >> the xlib and the cairo backend, still I can understand when people
> >> take
> >> a different point of view. If there is a demand for it, I could add
> >> fontconfig for art as well as a compile time option.
> >>
> >
> > I agree. While these arguments against using fontconfig are valid, the
> > mere annoyance of having to create a bundle for each font you want,
> > and not being able to keep all your fonts in one place, out weighs
> > them in my mind.
> >
> > In short, I think it would be a good idea if the art back end could
> > use fontconfig.
>
> This begs the question -- why make more adjustments to the art
> backend when Cairo has been blessed as the backend of choice for
> future development?
>
>  From Greg's blog ( http://heronsperch.blogspot.com/2006/12/plans-for-
> change.html ):
>
> > 5) Focus and concentrate on one and only one set of display
> > technologies per platform. We expend way too much time and energy
> > on maintaining mulitple backends (xlib, art and etc) when we really
> > don't have to. For Linux/BSD we have two functional backends and
> > another on the away for cairo. What's the point of this? In my
> > opinion we should complete the cairo backend and deprecate BOTH the
> > xlib and art backends. xlib is hopelessly outdated and libart isn't
> > really supported by anyone anymore.
>
> My suggestion would be that you develop FontManager (which is why I
> assume you're asking, Isaiah)

Yep.

> on top fontconfig exclusively, and see
> if there is a way to help get the Cairo backend to the point where
> art/xlib really can be deprecated, per Greg's plans.

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't taken a good look at cairo yet. I
also don't have it running on my system yet. I've been able to compile
and install cairo, but it crashes when I try using it, and I haven't
been all that proactive in figuring out why. I'll see if I can't get
that working over the weekend ...

I guess it's just me being lazy ... (=

Thanks,
Isaiah Beerbower

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