Release Notes for XFree86[tm] 4.0 : Fonts and Internationalisation
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4. Fonts and Internationalisation

Details about the font support in this version of XFree86 can be found in the README.fonts document.

4.1. TrueType support

This version of XFree86 comes with two TrueType backends, known as `xfsft' (the "freetype" module) and `X-TrueType' (the "xtt" module). Both of these backends are based on the FreeType library.

4.2. CID font support

Support for CID-keyed fonts is included in this version of XFree86. The CID-keyed font format was designed by Adobe Systems for fonts with large character sets. The CID-keyed font support in XFree86 was donated by SGI. See the LICENSE document for a copy of the CID Font Code Public License.

4.3. Internationalisation of the scalable font backends

A new ``fontenc'' layer has been added to allow the scalable font backends to use a common method of font re-encoding. This re-encoding makes it possible to uses fonts in encodings other than their their native encoding. This layer is used by the Type1 and Speedo backends and the `xfsft' version of the TrueType backend. The `X-TrueType' version of the TrueType backend uses a different re-encoding method based on loadable encoding modules.

4.4. Large font optimisation

The glyph metrics array, which all the X clients using a particular font have access to, is now placed in shared memory, so as to reduce redundant memory consumption. For non-local clients, the glyph metrics array is transmitted in a compressed format.

4.5. Unicode/ISO 10646 support

What is included:

Known problems:

4.6. Lucidux fonts from Bigelow and Holmes

XFree86 now includes the ``Lucidux'' family of professionally hinted Type 1 fonts. This family consists of the fonts ``Lucidux Serif'', ``Lucidux Sans'' and ``Lucidux Mono'' in Roman and oblique variants, and includes over 370 glyphs in each font covering among others the glyphs needed for ISO 8859-1, 2, 3, 4, 9 and 15. Bold variants will be included in a future release. The design and font outlines were donated by Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes from Bigelow and Holmes Inc., and the hinting was donated by Berthold Horn and Blenda Horn from Y&Y, Inc. For more information, please contact design@bigelowandholmes.com or sales@yandy.com , or consult Y&Y's web site.


Release Notes for XFree86[tm] 4.0 : Fonts and Internationalisation
Previous: X libraries and clients
Next: Miscellaneous