How to Optimize Fonts in Slackware

GNU/Linux · 12-15-2013, 01:14 AM

Latest update on the infinality website is for freetype-2.4.12, but slackware64 14.1 has freetype-2.5.0.1. What patches did you apply? This shows how to patch freetype but the patch is for 2.4.12 and not 2.5.0.

ninikos · 12-15-2013, 04:00 AM

This is the last script I used.

freetype-entire-infinality-patchset-20131213-01

I removed the last section that patches these files
ttinterp.c
ttsubpix.c
ttsubpix.h

There were some substitution problems with some sites on firefox that used sans-serif as the font. The rendering was clear and nice. But I think the somewhat wider spacing also caused problems with some guis.

Anyway, I also followed dugan's nice advices and I have settled for this minimal updated freetype-2.5.2 along with the default slackware64-14.1 fontconfig that I use now. You have to enable the patch lines yourself to enable the patches in the slackbuild. It contains the cleartype.diff patch posted above. I also used dugan's fonst.conf.

EDIT: Use this slackbuild only for testing, it seems to break compiling other packages that include freetype, the headers are not installed correctly.

The freetype-2.5.2 slackbuild (sources included)

The result

aaditya · 12-31-2013, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninikos

Hi! I have updated the latest official infinality patches from here
http://www.infinality.net/blog/infin...etype-patches/
for slackaware-14.1 and it's freetype-2.5.0.1
and build freetype and fontconfig-infinality packages

Ready build packages (the freetype package is for x86_64 only, use the slackbuilds below for 32 bit)
freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-infinality20131213did.txz
EDIT: Since I don't know if it allowed to share this compiled
due to licensing, use the slackbuilds below to build freetytpe.
If it's ok, I can share the prebuild package again.
fontconfig-infinality-1-20130104_1-noarch-1did.txz

Download the two above packages and then
upgradepkg freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-infinality20131213did.txz
installpkg fontconfig-infinality-1-20130104_1-noarch-1did.txz
Reboot and enjoy infinality

The slackbuilds (all the required sources and patches are included)
infinality-sources.tar.gz

The updated infinality patch
freetype-entire-infinality-patchset-20131213-01.patch
(ttinterp.c) Removed all patches except one, all the rest seem to included upstream
(ttsubpix.c) Removed patches since the changes are included upstream
(ttsubpix.h) Removed patches since the changes are included upstream

Finally, an image showing the result
snapshot2.png

Thanks, I installed according to the guide.
Now slackpkg shows that I have an update to freetype, namely freetype-2.5.0-1-x86_64-1.txz
Should I skip this update? Becuase it would update the freetype package made with infinality..
So should I add freetype to /etc/slackpkg/blacklist?
Or in other words how to maintain this package w.r.t official freetype?
Thanks

GNU/Linux · 12-31-2013, 03:12 AM

Yeah you wanna blacklist it otherwise it'll overwrite your patched freetype. I use patched freetype but I don't use slackpkg, just plain rsync:

Code:

rsync -ahvz --progress --stats --delete-after --exclude="kernel-source*" --exclude="freetype*" --exclude="mozilla-firefox*" rsync://ftp.nara.wide.ad.jp/pub/Linux/slackware/slackware-14.0/patches/packages/ .

aaditya · 12-31-2013, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GNU/Linux

Yeah you wanna blacklist it otherwise it'll overwrite your patched freetype. I use patched freetype but I don't use slackpkg, just plain rsync:

Code:

rsync -ahvz --progress --stats --delete-after --exclude="kernel-source*" --exclude="freetype*" --exclude="mozilla-firefox*" rsync://ftp.nara.wide.ad.jp/pub/Linux/slackware/slackware-14.0/patches/packages/ .

Thanks, I put freetype* in /etc/slackpkg/blacklist.

Now if there was an update to freetype, would slackpkg show it or not..(and how would I know if there was an update or not without checking manually myself if slackpkg didnt show it)..
Perhaps I would have to rebuild the freetype package with the updated source if a new version came out..

BratPit · 01-01-2014, 12:09 PM

Hi

Even Without infinality

noto sans fonts looks fantastic

http://www.binarytides.com/gorgeous-...-ubuntu-linux/

André0991 · 03-04-2014, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

I have FreeType rebuilt with the above patch

I have the following in /etc/fonts/conf.d:

10-sub-pixel-rgb.conf
11-lcdfilter-default.conf

...

It's not Infinality, but it's good enough for me.

I would like to know how to get 10-sub-pixel-rgb.conf and 11-lcdfilter-default.conf.

After applying the patch, I ran "upgradepkg --install-new --reinstall /tmp/freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-1.txz". Is this correct? I've read the man page of upgradepkg, but I'm not sure.

Thanks.

dugan · 03-05-2014, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by André0991

I would like to know how to get 10-sub-pixel-rgb.conf and 11-lcdfilter-default.conf.

After applying the patch, I ran "upgradepkg --install-new --reinstall /tmp/freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-1.txz". Is this correct? I've read the man page of upgradepkg, but I'm not sure.

1. Those two files are installed by default on Slackware 14.1. They're in /etc/fonts/conf.avail. You can symlink them into /etc/fonts/conf.d.

2. I just do "upgradepkg /tmp/freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-1.txz"

André0991 · 03-05-2014, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

1. Those two files are installed by default on Slackware 14.1. They're in /etc/fonts/conf.avail. You can symlink them into /etc/fonts/conf.d.

2. I just do "upgradepkg /tmp/freetype-2.5.0.1-x86_64-1.txz"

Got it.

Thanks.

dimm0k · 01-19-2015, 10:11 AM

@dugan is the patch from post #424 still required for freetype-2.5.5?

EDIT: looks like 2.5.5 still needs #define TT_CONFIG_OPTION_SUBPIXEL_HINTING to be uncommented

aaditya · 01-19-2015, 10:53 AM

Hi guys,

I recently came across [1], which could be used to install infinality bundle on Slackware.

However after the update to freetype-2.5.5, freetype did not build with the above, so I made some changes [2] and sent a pull request to the original author.

[1]:https://github.com/nihilismus/bob-infinality-bundle
[2]:https://github.com/aadityabagga/bob-infinality-bundle

Maybe it can be useful to someone.

Edit-
I only tested freetype from the above repos, did not install fontconfig or cairo (I already had fontconfig-infinality installed from ninikos' post above).

JackHair · 01-19-2015, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BratPit

Hi

Even Without infinality

noto sans fonts looks fantastic

http://www.binarytides.com/gorgeous-...-ubuntu-linux/

Following this guide my fonts are looking better then ever. Thanks!

Bindestreck · 01-20-2015, 05:12 PM

I tried Noto Sans, Droid Sans and Open Sans, but none of them are as good as Dejavu Sans for my eyes.

JackHair · 01-20-2015, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bindestreck

I tried Noto Sans, Droid Sans and Open Sans, but none of them are as good as Dejavu Sans for my eyes.

Did you just try the font or did you use the config too? The config made the big difference for me.

GNU/Linux · 01-29-2015, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaditya

Hi guys,

I recently came across [1], which could be used to install infinality bundle on Slackware.

However after the update to freetype-2.5.5, freetype did not build with the above, so I made some changes [2] and sent a pull request to the original author.

[1]:https://github.com/nihilismus/bob-infinality-bundle
[2]:https://github.com/aadityabagga/bob-infinality-bundle

Maybe it can be useful to someone.

Edit-
I only tested freetype from the above repos, did not install fontconfig or cairo (I already had fontconfig-infinality installed from ninikos' post above).

Are there any infinality packages available for Slackware? Freetype has been updated to 2.5.5 as you said... so can you make any updates or give some pointers to build the packages ourselves?