TrueType font metrics for PostScript driver

[Ian Pilcher]

Alexandre Julliard wrote:
> 
> But doesn't your solution also require FreeType anyway?  Linking it
> into Wine or into a separate program is not really different for the
> user, he still needs to install it.
> 

With a separate program, FreeType is only required for people who want
to print TrueType fonts.  If I put FreeType calls directly into the
driver, FreeType will be required to build/run Wine at all, even for
users that derive no benefit from it.

The other issue is more architectural.  I agree with Gavriel that the
ultimate solution is a consolidated font handling layer that supports
both on-screen rendering and printing.  If we accept that, anything I
do now will be an interim solution.  It makes more sense to me to simply
tweak the existing AFM parsing code, rather than adding a bunch of Free-
Type calls that will eventually get ripped out anyway.

There is also the issue of FreeType version compatibility.  Red Hat 7.0
ships with FreeType version 1.something, while Red Hat 7.1 ships Free-
Type 2.0.1.  (I'm just using Red Hat as an example to point out that
multiple versions are commonly being used out there.)  The "mkttfm"
program that I wrote on RH 7.0 does build and run on RH 7.1, but the
FreeType web site does indicate that this compatibility is being phased
out.  A decision on which version of the FreeType API would be required.

If, however, you feel that making the FreeType calls directly from the
PostScript driver is a better interim solution, I'm perfectly willing to
do that.  The amount of work is not significantly different.

Let me know what you think.

-- 
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Ian Pilcher                                         ian.pilcher at home.com
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